The discovery helped the Naples resident land first place in the 2025 Florida Python Challenge, which drew 934 hunters competing to make a dent in the state's invasive Burmese python population, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced Aug. 13.

Half of the winners in this year’s Python Challenge were women, the highest number of huntresses to take home prizes in the annual contest that pits wits and skill as much as muscle against the slithering scourge of the Everglades.

A total of 294 Burmese pythons were eliminated during the 2025 Florida Python Challenge – the most of any python challenge since the event started in 2013. But only one snake by a hunter was declared the longest of this year's competition.