IN THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES — The man known as ‘‘Alligator Ron’’ has a lifetime of experience in the Florida Everglades, a fleet of airboats at his disposal, and knows the habitats of furry prey for large reptiles. He still couldn’t lead a pack of hunters to a single Burmese python.

That’s the catch in Florida’s Python Challenge: Even experienced hunters with special permits to regularly stalk the exotic snake through Florida’s swamp lands are having trouble finding them for a state-sponsored competition.