This same scenario rings true not just in south Florida, but all across the state. 2015). 2012). myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/managed/alligator/harvest/data-export, Miami-Dade issues no-swim alert after 2,800 gallons of wastewater entered Biscayne Bay, Massive Arctic creature spotted for first time in 25 years along coast of Scotland, They were pulled over for tinted windows in Florida. 48 (Mar. You can pick up your areas local edition at over 11,000 marine specific businesses, retail outlets or big box stores. Someone who is authorized to hunt a permit holder may assist them in their hunt. More than 87,000 between 2000 and 2015 by the FWC, which coordinates two gator hunting programs: the statewide nuisance alligator program and the recreational statewide alligator harvest program. Who has more alligators, Louisiana or Florida? When the state of Floridas alligator population reached 1.3 million in 1988, alligator hunting was established in 1988. 169 0 obj <> endobj 33 See Ian Nance, Annual Harvest Helps Alligators to Flourish, Orlando Sentinel (Sept. 7, 2016), available at http://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/os-ed-gator-hunt-pro-front-burner-09062016-20160907-story.html. 3 Exploring Florida, Florida Census: 1940, http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/docs/c/census/1940.htm. 25 Wamser v. City of St. Petersburg, 330 So. That hasnt always been the case. For 2015 there are five hunting periods which must be declared on your permit application and they are; Period 1, 5:00pm August 15th until 10:00am August 22nd; Period 2, 5:00pm August 22nd until 10:00am August 29th; Period 3, 5:00pm August 29th until 10:00am September 5th; Period 4, 5:00pm September 5th until 10:00am September 12th; and finally Period 5, 5:00pm September 12th until 10:00am November 1st for those participants who have any unused tags after their assigned harvest period. Most were sold for boots, shoes, saddles and other leather goods. The statewide alligator hunt is the only hunt in the country that is open to the general public. Accurate estimates of species counts coupled with the issuance of the right number of hunting permits can take much-needed pressure off a species that is often competing for a portion of an insufficient supply of habitat or food.33 Hunting also provides recreational opportunities as well as a revenue source to the state through licensing, gear, guides, meat, and hide sales.34 Moreover, hunting offers the added benefit of reducing the possibility of human-animal impacts.35 Florida witnessed this most recently in the much publicized and highly controversial black bear hunt.36 However, hunting for charismatic mega-fauna like the black bear generally attracts a different type and level of attention than the hunting of the mysterious and ominous alligator. Do you have a hunting permit or license in Florida to hunt alligators? Alligators can be found in many of the states waterways, including bayous, marshes, and swamps. Choosing a hunting rifle should consider the caliber, weight, and power of the gun. The license costs $272 for residents and $1,022 for non-residents. Its imperative that anyone permitted to harvest alligators be aware of, and abide by the regulations. Though alligators are found most often in freshwater, they can tolerate some levels of saltwater for a short period of time. Photos of the alligator, hunters and tag courtesy of Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. 36 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 2015 Florida Black Bear Hunt Summary Report; David Shiffman, 298 Bears Killed in Florida Hunt that Ignored Science, Washington Post, Oct. 29, 2015, available at https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/10/29/298-bears-killed-in-florida-hunt-that-ignored-science/?utm_term=.42cf5cfab9a9. The change only the third in the three-decade history of the state's alligator ranching program also means that Louisianas gator population is rebounding from historic lows reached in the middle of the last century and may be approaching a healthy level. In private land, you can buy tags for free. Hunting season generally runs from August 15 through November 1 of each year.42 Hunting is allowed only at night and in the morning, between 5 p.m. and 10 a.m.43 Two alligators are allowed per permit without size limitations except that hatchlings cannot be taken (i.e., a minimum 18 inches from tip of snout to tip of tail).44 There are several legal methods of taking alligators including, but not limited to, bows, crossbows, gigs, spears, harpoons, spear guns, hand lines, fishing poles, and bang sticks. Each year, an alligator hunting season is set aside between August 15 and November 1. Florida, the sunshine state teeming with alligators. The ownership of exotic pets is not regulated in five states, according to Born Free USA, a national animal advocacy nonprofit. Between Thursday and Nov. 1,Florida's population of1.3 million alligators may drop by about 15,000. 31 Three million alligators were killed in Florida between 1880 and 1900. tags will not be replaced unless they have been reported as stolen or lost. Thats not what a Florida doctor took out, state says, Florida man gets 6 years for bilking millions in PPP loans. A hunter must have his or her license and one or more current alligator harvesting tags in addition to his or her license. People enjoy the excitement of the hunt as well as the excitement of seeing an alligator in the wild. Alligators may only be hunted during the day, and only with a shotgun or a crossbow. Though you may skin and consume your own alligator, if the skin, carcass, or meat is to be sold; only permitted alligator processing facilities must be used to process the animal. Louisianas alligator harvest, which dates back centuries and has a significant economic impact on the state, continues to this day. Since the time 2003-2005, this area of the Mississippi Delta has seen a tremendous increase in the Asian carp population, the MWDFP stated. All sales have been completed, and no refunds will be provided to those who completed the application. Hunting American alligators for sport is permitted by law in certain circumstances and with a state license. Of those, the largest was 13 feet, 6 inches, found in August in the Kissimmee River. An Alligator Trapping License, a Harvest Permit, and two CITES tags will be awarded to the applicant who successfully completes the application process. Alligators may be taken only by the use of artificial lures, or baited wooden pegs less than two inches in length attached to a hand-held restraining line and hand-held snares, harpoons, gigs, snatch hooks, and manually operated spears, spear guns, crossbows and bows with projectiles attached to a restraining line. Its 1,066 more than the second-place alligator hunting destination, Lake Okeechobee. They relate to the taking of nuisance alligators, alligator farming, selling of alligator products, and much more. The Statewide Alligator Harvest Program enables the harvest of non- hatchling alligators, those greater than 18-inches, on specific public waters or within specific counties. Alligator management programs implemented by FWC emphasize the conservation of alligator populations for their ecological, aesthetic, and economic values while providing for public use and safety. And ranchers win by being able to sell a marketable product. If you submit false information or multiple applications, you will be disqualified. The Lottery Alligator Harvest Program, which provides approximately 1,245 alligators for harvest by resident alligator hunters at over 40 wildlife management areas and public lakes throughout the state, is managed by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. From 1948 to 2021, there were 442 . Keep watching and you are likely to see hundreds of alligators on your 100-mile journey from the Ft. Lauderdale area, across the Big Cypress National Preserve, to Naples. Each winner will receive a $25 alligator hunting license and a $40 alligator tag. FWC holds training seminars prior to the season to help informed the public on the requirements within the harvesting program. in a smaller area. Only sunrise and sunset are permitted as harvesting hours for alligator. After careful consideration, and backed by research,32 Florida reinitiated statewide alligator harvesting in 1988. Alligator hatchlings lounge in a viewing pool Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016, at the Insta-Gator Ranch and Hatchery near Covington. Alligator harvest permits will be required for the following dates: On the FWC website, there are numerous helpful tools for making these decisions. Estimate the number of inches between the bump on the gator's snout and its eyes. If you want to trap an alligator, youll need to purchase an Alligator Trapping License as well as two CITES tags. Ordinary care, however, does not mean the owner must prevent all injuries, but rather that the owner should use reasonable care to discover dangerous conditions on the property and to protect visitors from or inform visitors about those discovered conditions. We use asterisks (*) to indicate data points not used in analysis because of the deleterious effects on alligator nesting of Hurricane Rita (2005) and Hurricane Ike (2008). Alligators may only be harvested by residents who do not own land and are accompanied by an alligator guide during the sport season. "It is rare to document alligators of this size class with annual growth rates of this magnitude," the MWDFP stated on Facebook It's really amazing when contrasted with the growth rate of an. hbbd```b``"fHH &o^DY;`,X 32 See Keith Wood, Gator Hunting in the Sunshine State, NRA American Hunter (June 11, 2012), available at https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2012/6/11/gator-hunting-in-the-sunshine-state/. Its a win-win-win, said Ruth Elsey, a biologist manager with the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. The Florida alligator hunting laws are quite simple. 22 See Palumbo v. State Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, 487 So. What to know about the states fishing rules, Why two South Florida tour guides who freed 12 sharks are now paying for their actions, If a body of water is not a swimming pool, an ocean or a designated swimming area, dont go in it, Observe and photograph them from a distance. As a result, the lake elevation is slightlyless than 12 feet 6 inches instead of theaverage of nearly 14 feet for mid-August. Alligators are common throughout Florida, but they are more prevalent in the states Alligator Capital, the Everglades. Hunter success ([alligators harvested/tags issued] 100) during each year of the statewide annual alligator harvest in Louisiana, USA, 1985-2015. Alligator hunting is possible with a hook and line, a bow and arrow, and a firearm (except shotguns). Catching just one gator trout heavier than 5 pounds is a different story. The hunters caught the 12-foot, 1-inch alligator in Forest Home Chute off the Mississippi River south of Eagle Lake last week and turned in the tag, as reported this week by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. These conditions are compelling alligators to relocate in search of more suitable areas.16, Therefore, not surprisingly, with Floridas alligator population around 1.2 million, more of them on the move, and the human population approaching an all-time high of 20 million people,17 encounters with these prehistoric creatures are inevitable. Benefits are not limited to those in the alligator industry, either. Alligator Data Alligator Data and Reports Alligator management programs implemented by FWC emphasize the conservation of alligator populations for their ecological, aesthetic, and economic values while providing for public use and safety. Alligator trapping licenses cost significantly more to obtain from out-of-state applicants than they do to residents of Florida. As expected, and in an effort to manage the total numbers taken, alligator hunting permits carry with them many restrictions. Since at least 1962, WRD has used scientifically valid, survey methodology to get estimates of not only deer harvest, but also harvest estimates of other game species. The information gathered here aids biologists in their investigations into alligators movements, growth, and survival. The statewide numbers aren't quite so dramatic. The Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) which permits the harvest of alligators that are determined to be a threat to wildlife, to the public, or the publics pets, livestock, or property. If youre catching a research alligator, make sure to keep a record of the tag number (usually six digits), length, tail notch(es), and sex of the animal. All indications are that the program is working, Elsey said. (to control the number of alligators that may be harvested from each area). Harvest can only take place during the day, not at night. The total number of deer hunters in the state is obtained from the hunting license database. 28 See Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, Market Mechanisms: Understanding the Options (Apr. There was a problem saving your notification. The severity of the danger or injury could influence duty as well. The West Zone will open its doors on September 1. Its not always easy to tell when its time to take a reptile, but it generally goes something like this: $500 for the reptile 7 feet or smaller, and $500 for the reptiles over 7 feet. Alabama, Nevada, South Carolina, and Wisconsin are among the states represented. The advisory also means the public should avoid fishing and boating. Typically, hunters kill about70 percent of the harvest quota. It is a free-for-all. Most farming operations obtain their stocks via this program. The average male alligator size is approximately 11 feet and the. Asian carp. ", 'Naked and Afraid': Couple from Discovery TV show hunt gators in Florida. 13 See U.S. So what is the explanation given by experts? Unlike commercial trapping seen on TV, hunters follow strict guidelines to hunt in FL. Then came the body cavity search, Motorcyclist launched from bike when his girlfriend hits him with truck, Florida cops say, A man went in for kidney removal. Alligator hunting is typically a nighttime activity;legal huntinghours statewide are 5 p.m. to10 a.m. Growing up to 14 feet in length,18 with 75 to 80 sharp teeth, and thousands of pounds per square inch of bite strength, many of the human encounters with this apex predator end in serious injury and sometimes death. If you want to catch gator trout consistently, youve got to target them. The MWDFP Wildlife Bureau has documented alligators feeding on the Asian carp on many occasions. Interest in alligators as a source of meat and leather dates back to the early 19th century. This venue is open from August 5 to September 1 (the season is 60 days long). It was one of more than 8,000 nuisance gators harvested in 2017, and . "Fifteen years ago, the average size of the alligators I killed was 11 feet, 3 inches," Clanton said. Captured alligators should be killed immediately and their meat cooled as quickly as possible. Currently, the Commissions AMP administers five programs: Under AMP the harvesting of alligators is strictly regulated and the penalty is stiff for even first time offenders. Try to approach an alligator as quietly as you can, using either an electric trolling motor or paddles. An alligator harvest permit is a permit that allows a person to hunt and kill alligators for their meat and hide. The current state record alligator length is 14 feet 3.5 inches taken from Lake Washington in Brevard County. To apply, applicants must be legal Louisiana residents at least 16 years old and possess a valid hunting license. Floridas wetlands support only two of twenty-three different species of crocodilians in the world. Search for alligator harvest information using the CITES tag number or permit holder name. Hunting season typically runs from late August to early November. That gator taken in the Pearl River/Ross Barnett Zone grew only 24.8 inches in the 13 years since being tagged June 14, 2007. This year, hunters in Louisiana will be treated to 30 tags for hunting alligators on Cross Lake and Bistineau Lake. Coastal Angler Magazine and our interior (freshwater) publication, The Angler Magazine, are monthly editions dedicated to fishing, boating, and outdoor enthusiasts. 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