The 86-year-old Okeene Rattlesnake Roundup kicks off this week and is one of several rattler-themed community events in western Oklahoma.
If you’re interested in hunting for snakes or just want to visit the county fair-like celebration, the Rattlesnake Roundup runs from Thursday, April 10, through Saturday, April 12.
Visitors can step into the “Den of Death” to see snake handlers put on a show with live rattlesnakes, enjoy carnival rides and games or just hang out in the atmosphere of a small-town festival.
How to attend the Rattlesnake Roundup
The Rattlesnake Roundup kicks off Thursday in the small northwest Oklahoma town of Okeene.
Along with the carnival and live musical performances the three-day event will include vendors selling food (including snake meat), gifts and a whole bunch of rattlesnake-themed merchandise. There will also be a competition for rattlesnake hunters.
Okeene is located about half an hour northwest of Oklahoma City in Blaine County, near Canton Lake.
How to hunt for a rattlesnake
H.H. Tomlinson of Watonga shows the proper technique in holding a live rattlesnake in 1958. Joe Durham/The Oklahoman File
Those who want to compete for a cash prize and bragging rights at the Okeene Rattlesnake Roundup must sign in to enter the contest, according to the Rattlesnake Roundup website. Measurements of western diamondback rattlesnakes will be taken and winners will be announced by the event sponsor, the Okeene Diamondback Club.
Oklahoma law allows individuals to obtain a five-day rattlesnake hunting permit. Persons with a valid hunting license are exempt from needing the rattlesnake permit.
More: Oklahoma is home to several venomous snake species. How to spot them, what to do
Rattlesnakes can be hunted in Oklahoma between March 1 and June 30. Permits are available online at GoOutdoorsOklahoma.com, by calling (405) 521-3852, or at any hunting or fishing license dealer.
The following reptiles are legal to harvest with no daily limit: prairie rattlesnakes, western diamondback rattlesnakes, timber rattlesnakes, and massasauga.
Missed Okeene? There are other Oklahoma hunts this month
Okeene isn’t the only place in Oklahoma where you can attend a rattlesnake festival or hunt. Here is a list of other events this April:
April 10-13 — Waurika Rattlesnake Hunt
April 17-20 — Apache Rattlesnake Festival
April 25-27 — Waynoka Rattlesnake Hunt
April 25-27 — Mangum Rattlesnake Derby
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Okeene Rattlesnake Roundup this week: How to attend Oklahoma festival