Florida Hunter Captures 96 Pythons in 10 Days, Wins Challenge

Tom Rahill just gave Florida's native wildlife 96 reasons to celebrate.

The founder of SwampApes captured 96 invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades in just 10 days, winning the 2026 Florida Python Challenge and its $10,000 grand prize. His haul nearly tripled the second-place finisher's count and helped remove dangerous predators that have devastated raccoon, opossum, bobcat, and rabbit populations across South Florida.

But Rahill's mission started with something bigger than a trophy. He founded SwampApes in 2017 to take military veterans suffering from PTSD on python hunts in the Florida wetlands, combining conservation with healing.

"I was on a mission to get one of our veterans a big snake," Rahill said at a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission meeting. He succeeded, helping a veteran wrangle a 17-foot female python that left the servicemember "over the moon."

After that mission was complete, Rahill went deeper into the Glades. That's where he found his record-breaking 96 snakes, all within Everglades National Park.

This year's challenge drew 907 participants from 30 states, Canada, and Vietnam. Together, they removed 280 Burmese pythons from eight designated hunting areas across South Florida between July 10 and July 19.

The Ripple Effect

Every python removed creates a ripple of protection for Florida's ecosystem. Burmese pythons, native to Southeast Asia, have decimated native wildlife since establishing themselves in the Everglades. These camouflaged predators are notoriously difficult to spot, and conservative estimates place their population in the tens of thousands.

The challenge now takes place in summer to coincide with python hatching season. This timing lets hunters remove young snakes before they spread or begin preying on native animals.

Sarah Funck of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says there's no single solution to the python problem. But every removal counts.

"The elimination of even one python is a win for Florida's native wildlife," Funck told the Naples Daily News.

Christina Kraus won the professional division with 36 snakes, while defending champion Taylor Stanberry finished second with 34. Stanberry made history last year as the first woman to win the grand prize, removing 60 pythons in the 2025 competition.

Tom Rahill proved that passion, purpose, and persistence can create powerful change for both people and wildlife.