I don't see anything fake about the dialect. The grammar, vocabulary, and phonology all seem real to me. I'll bet a half million people in these-here parts would either say it themselves or count it perfectly believable.

If there's a problem, I think it's the writer's self-conscious use of iambic pentameter. But personally I love it.

I also love the snakin', hoggin', and foxin', even if I don't know either what they mean or if the anonymous journalist just made 'em up. In fact, I hope he did.