Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater, Texas - March 8-10, 2024

The world’s largest Rattlesnake Roundup is hosted on the second weekend of March every year in Sweetwater, Texas, and is hosted by the Sweetwater Jaycees.  Weekend events include a parade, carnival, pageant, gun/knife/coin show, cook-off, guided hunts and more. These events serve to entertain and educate the public about rattlesnakes in general, and all the ways they can be used— from food to products like snakeskin and antivenom production.

Everything dealing with the roundup is located inside and around the Nolan County Coliseum located at 220 Coliseum Drive in Sweetwaterwater.

Few sounds will make a Texan freeze or take flight faster than a “rattle,” but folks also recognize the important part that snakes play in our ecosystem, including keeping populations of mice and other rodents in check. Most people do not agree with the old adage “the only good rattlesnake is a dead rattlesnake.”  Only 15 species of snakes found in Texas are venomous, and some of these are in remote areas where contact with humans is rare. There are four groups of dangerously venomous snakes in North America, and Texas has all four: rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths, and coral snakes (another good reason to wear snake gaiters when hiking, hunting, and working around brush).

The most famous feature of the rattlesnake is, of course, its rattle.  The rattle is found at the tip of the tail and used by the snake to warn potential aggressors to back off. The rattle can also be used to distract the snake’s prey. The rattle sound is created when hollow and bony segments (buttons) bang together. Each time the snake sheds its skin, a new button appears.  Until a rattlesnake has two or more buttons, it does not make a sound. That means baby rattlesnakes can be extra dangerous— they have no buttons to warn off a target.

Rattlesnake babies are born venomous and often are more aggressive than the adults. As the rattlesnake ages it learns to control the amount of venom it releases, whereas young snakes don’t have that kind of control.  Spring is breeding season for rattlers. Adult female rattlesnakes are ovoviviparous, meaning the egg sacs are incubated within the mother so the young emerge fully developed. The longest rattlesnake in Texas so far has been recorded at 81.5 inches long.

Whether you are a wildlife biologist, university scientist, herpetologist, snake collector, or just someone interested in seeing and learning more about rattlesnakes, head to Sweetwater, Texas March 8-10, 2024 for the world’s largest Rattlesnake Roundup.  Residents say their usual population of 11,000 people soars to approximately 40,000 for the festivities, and all are welcome. Since the first half of the 1900s, rattlesnake roundups have brought a sense of adventure and excitement to rural communities, and this year is no different.