# Alligators In My Lake, what next?



## Kenton (Nov 16, 2007)

Happy?

The big concern for me is my 1yr old daughter and smaller dog that like to play in and around the lake. Otherwise i would not mind them being there.


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## swhiting (Oct 4, 2007)

Step 1: read the PNJ archive of the guy in W Pensacola that took this same type of situation in his own hands.

Step 2: delete this thread.


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

delete


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## whyworry (Aug 17, 2010)

Call the FWC and ask for assistance. Tell them you are scared, not concerned, scared of what might happen to the kids and pets. 866-FWC-Gator


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

delete


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## CWBerube (Feb 9, 2008)

Could someone explain why you keep telling this guy to delete the thread?
This is a forum right? Has he broken some rule? WTF!


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## swhiting (Oct 4, 2007)

Not a rule here, but a general rule of:

say it with pearls
say it with mink
but don't ever
ever
ever
say it in ink!

He's gonna open a dang hornets nest when you get the tree huggers involved. He's gonna get mad, take things in his own hands, then get busted and go to jail for longer than he would if he would have killed a human.

That's why!


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## swhiting (Oct 4, 2007)

Disclaimer....

Not that I would condone that. That would be terrible if he did that. Never in a million years would I think of that myself. I heard someone say that and I'm just repeating what they/them said.... Alligators are great. They should be protected. Save the Gators!


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## Sailing_Faith (Mar 11, 2009)

A couple of years back there was a school official who was nearly imprisoned and (IIRC) lost his job over his approach to dealing with a problem alligator.

I am sure that those who are advising to delete the thread are concerned that the OP would find himself in a similar situation.


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## swhiting (Oct 4, 2007)

I told you to read the PNJ story. It reads a lot like your last post.

SailingFaith hit the nail on the head. It's that guy. He ran his mouth.


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## SolarFlare (Oct 3, 2007)

Ran across your post and wanted to comment. I think you should *call the FWC ASAP* and let them know these gators have taken residnce in your pond. They represent a very clear and present danger to you, your dog, and your family.

I wouldn't mess around with this.....

*FWC hotline*
*888-404-3922*


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## captainblack (Jul 4, 2010)

its screwed up but florida likes doing thing ass backwards man

to trap "nuisance wildlife" such as a gator that poses threat to pets, family, etc. you must have a contract with them for it and must be issued a permit, so when you call the hotline if they feel it qualifies theyll contact one of those trappers. the trapping and removal is actually trapping and killing. kinda ironic eh?

for hunting them, you must have a gator hunting license, the permit for it, and certain tags from what ive read

it is really screwed up you have to pay for license, then pay for permission, then have all the special little other things they can land you in trouble over. its all a screwed up but if you did get in trouble, argue it in court, the state of florida seems to always win in these situations.

i would suggest calling them instead of trying to deal with it yourself.


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## mike potter (Oct 3, 2007)

Yep..... GO GATORS!!!!!!!! Football that is.


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

delete


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## whyworry (Aug 17, 2010)

He does not need his back side protected if he does everything above board. Calling the FWC is above board. So it may cost a few bucks, are his child and pet worth a few bucks?


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

whyworry said:


> He does not need his back side protected


Not a problem, I won't make that mistake again in my life.


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## markw4321 (Oct 4, 2007)

Kenton said:


> t's sad to think of the type of America that we have created where a reptiles life and "comfy-ness" is valued more than a human life. I feel for the children of the coming generations. My hope is that they will take back Americas "b*lls" that have been sitting on the shelf for far too long now. Thanks for help. Delete this post if you have too. Put your jewels on the shelf while you are at it.....


People here are trying to help you...

I remember a case 20+ years ago back that was reported in the PNJ back when the road to FT pickens was paved. Guy coming back to his Ft Pickens campsite was driving near the campgrounds inside the Ft pickens gate., and he swerved out of his lane into the other lane to run over a 5ft or so rattle snake that he saw slithering across the road. 

Park ranger was driving behind him and saw him do it and ticketed the guy for intentionally killing the rattle snake. Can't remember what the charge was... and i don't remember the outcome of the case... but the guy explained to the ranger that he ran over and killed the snake cause it was near the campground where he and his children were staying...

...you and me both might be surprised with respect to where good common sense concerning big reptiles and children and where the law part ways when you decide to take matters into your own hands ... 

just saying...
Mark


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## P8NTMIKE (Mar 31, 2008)

Alligators will not attack your kid with you guys around. It will snack your dog like a chicken nugget. I would apply for permit and kill the gator and have it processed. Yummy gator tails. I ate some fresh gator last week and man it was delicious.


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## Sequoiha (Sep 28, 2007)

Kenton said:


> Wow. So people can go alligator hunting, post it on the forum, and be praised. But i mention RELOCATING an aligator and i am told to run, cover my rear, and wish i hadnt said anything at all. I say HAHAHA. I am not going to sensor something i said that is a legit concern. I will call FWC if i see Mr. Tik Tok, but i am sure that trapping an alligator on my own property, in light of endangering my family or pets, is justifiable. It's sad to think of the type of America that we have created where a reptiles life and "comfy-ness" is valued more than a human life. I feel for the children of the coming generations. My hope is that they will take back Americas "b*lls" that have been sitting on the shelf for far too long now. Thanks for help. Delete this post if you have too. Put your jewels on the shelf while you are at it.....


Kenton, i understand your stand on this and your concern for you family and pets, but it is against the law to trap, catch or harrass and alligator anywhere, even on your own property, if you do and you get caught you will be charged, the best thing to do is to call the FWC. even if it falls on deaf ears, you still need to call..


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## K-Bill (May 14, 2009)

P8NTMIKE said:


> Alligators will not attack your kid with you guys around


come on now... right or wrong, would you wanna take that chance? 100% agree with you on your suggested solution though. relocate 'em, all right. to the fryer. :thumbup:


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## P8NTMIKE (Mar 31, 2008)

Im in south Fl living on lake McCoy. We have alot of gators here. Lake Placid is across the street. My nine year old and six year old fish all day with gators staring them down. The gators are everywhere around here and people ski and swim all day. We havent had any attacks. The worst thing you can do is feed them or let anyone feed them. That's when they come to you to eat and if you don't have food....that's bad. Im not croc hunter but Im around gators eveyday and only see them run.


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

:gun_bandana: Then be:whistling:And you will be:thumbsup:


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## whome (Oct 2, 2007)

P8NTMIKE said:


> Im in south Fl living on lake McCoy. We have alot of gators here. Lake Placid is across the street. My nine year old and six year old fish all day with gators staring them down. The gators are everywhere around here and people ski and swim all day. We havent had any attacks. The worst thing you can do is feed them or let anyone feed them. That's when they come to you to eat and if you don't have food....that's bad. Im not croc hunter but Im around gators eveyday and only see them run.


My guess would be those gators around your place are used to the kids being there, the gators in this guys pond are new and not used to anything....I would def find a way to get them out of my pond...:thumbsup:


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## JoeyWelch (Sep 25, 2009)

This has got to be some of the silliest shit I have ever seen posted.
Kenton, Various types of poision are easily aquired and administered but it is against the law. Losing a child or pet, even if there is a small chance, well. You know.


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## CWBerube (Feb 9, 2008)

I must say that if anything good comes from this thread it would be the concerned advice about your options and the LOL I got from reading a few replys being:

*Kenton*: "I will call FWC if i see Mr. Tik Tok"
That's some funny shit. Referring to Peter Pan correct?

*Splittine*: :gun_bandana: Then be:whistling:And you will be :thumbsup:

Thanks for the laugh and the intel on what to do or not to do if I myself come across a "Mr. Tik Tok" in my yard. :blink:


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## Kenton (Nov 16, 2007)

Can i just say, that i read up on various cases of people getting charged with Alligator killings that were taken into their own hands. And i am appalled at the system. A man has a Gator in his yard. Calls the FWC multiple times, no response. Then the man, who is an AMERICAN citizen, on his OWN property, does what any good man/father SHOULD do. He kills the dangerous creature. (Let me also state that i can kill a man in my yard who is threatening me or my family with not so much as a slap on the wrist in Florida). Then, THEN! The ignorant neighbor calls the cops and says she feels THREATENED by the fact that the man discharged a high power rifle in HIS OWN yard. What kind of sissy place have we all created. I was raised to be a man, and a protector of what is mine, and to look after my neighbors. To the "Man" i give you my middle finger and say rotate! I will call FWC and let them "deal" with it. If in the mean time a couple of those tasty dinosaurs happen to crawl into my yard, then i cant say what my "dog" will do to them. Could be tragic. Boohoo. This thread is dead. NEXT!


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## K-Bill (May 14, 2009)

atta boy, kenton. atta boy. that's what tom and whiting were trying to say (without saying it) earlier. good luck. invite us over for some gator tail!


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## wld1985 (Oct 2, 2007)

Call Billy the extermatior.. He might come catch em for you, and put it on Tv..I would of never said anythign about this gator and took care of it..


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## C-monsters (Mar 28, 2008)

What happened to Joe-Z? Am I crazy, or did his signature say he was a "nuisance wildlife trapper" a while back?


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## ted-hurst (Oct 4, 2007)

You guys need to watch the show on TV that's about the FWC on Florida Sun Sports. There was an instance just like what has been posted here but was in south Florida. This little gator (about 2 ft) was in this neighborhood and FWC was called. One good samartian catches the gator, (doesn't want to hurt it) puts a wood chip in the tip of the gators mouth and uses some electrical tape to hold it closed. I guess he put the wood chip in there so the gator could breathe. This guys trying not to hurt the gator so he can be relocated and along comes FWC. This Lt. (his nickname was Big Poppa) gets out of his truck and starts talking about how you shouldn't do this and that to the gator, next he writes the guy a warning for MOLESTING the gator. The guy is pissed, all he was trying to do was keep the gator safe until it could be relocated and this MORON with no common sense gives him a ticket. I guess were lucky up here because every FWC officer I've meet has been good but you might want to give them a call before you have to go to court for molesting a gator.

Ted


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## dbyrd2100 (Jun 21, 2008)

As far as the FWC relocating the gator, in my experience, it probably won't happen. We had an 11' gator hanging around our swimming hole/boat dock in Crystal River. Reported it to the FWC and a trapper showed up a few days later. He tied a bait to the same post I tied my boat to and caught the gator the next day. I saw the gator caught and up in the sawgrass and thought they would relocate it. The trapper showed up a few hours later and hit it with a bang stick. As BT said repeatedly, DELETE. You can have the same result without all the aggrevation.


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## JoeZ (Sep 30, 2007)

C-monsters said:


> What happened to Joe-Z? Am I crazy, or did his signature say he was a "nuisance wildlife trapper" a while back?


Eight-fingers Animal Control went out of business. I'm down to seven now and deal mostly with gerbils, tree frogs and a few rabid chia pets.


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## wld1985 (Oct 2, 2007)

ahaha Joe Z..
I bet what he Really wants to say, since this turned into a 4-pager with half of them saying just call FWC or you could be fined with the yadda yadda.. He does'nt even want his name in it.


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## Comfortably Numb (Oct 1, 2007)

Sometimes a problem gator can accidently get caught on a properly set trot line(Large hook and live fish). If the line is deep enough and strong enough they can tragically drown under water after being hooked and rot away without anyone ever knowing they were there. No laws against trot lines....yet.


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## welldoya (Oct 5, 2007)

Don't confuse common sense with the law. 99% of us here know exactly how to handle that gator. Unfortunately we could get in big trouble for doing so. Call the authorities. Even though you could handle it yourself, the government likes to think that you need them to take care of you.


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## Joraca (Dec 29, 2007)

Kenton said:


> <snip> Then the man, who is an AMERICAN citizen, on his OWN property, does what any good man/father SHOULD do. He kills the dangerous creature. (Let me also state that i can kill a man in my yard who is threatening me or my family with not so much as a slap on the wrist in Florida). Then, THEN! The ignorant neighbor calls the cops and says she feels THREATENED by the fact that the man discharged a high power rifle in HIS OWN yard. <snip>


Well, I would feel more threatened by someone using my house as a backstop for say, a 30-06 fired across water, than I would a 4 foot gator.

Joraca


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## pappastratos (Oct 9, 2007)

OK, verify with local wildlife officals that you can kill a gator if it is threatening your child or pet. Get their name & contact info. If gator gets in your yard, BBOOOMMM ! Problem is there are more where that one came from,,,,


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## pappastratos (Oct 9, 2007)

ted-hurst said:


> You guys need to watch the show on TV that's about the FWC on Florida Sun Sports. There was an instance just like what has been posted here but was in south Florida. This little gator (about 2 ft) was in this neighborhood and FWC was called. One good samartian catches the gator, (doesn't want to hurt it) puts a wood chip in the tip of the gators mouth and uses some electrical tape to hold it closed. I guess he put the wood chip in there so the gator could breathe. This guys trying not to hurt the gator so he can be relocated and along comes FWC. This Lt. (his nickname was Big Poppa) gets out of his truck and starts talking about how you shouldn't do this and that to the gator, next he writes the guy a warning for MOLESTING the gator. The guy is pissed, all he was trying to do was keep the gator safe until it could be relocated and this MORON with no common sense gives him a ticket. I guess were lucky up here because every FWC officer I've meet has been good but you might want to give them a call before you have to go to court for molesting a gator.
> 
> Ted


I would have cut the tape off gator's mouth & tossed it into the cab of the FWC's truck,,,& say *"here you take care of it"* !!


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## pappastratos (Oct 9, 2007)

Joraca said:


> Well, I would feel more threatened by someone using my house as a backstop for say, a 30-06 fired across water, than I would a 4 foot gator.
> 
> Joraca


boy, you got that right. If you shoot one, needs to be at a close range, shot at a downward angle,,,


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## thataway (Oct 15, 2007)

The "incident in West Pensacola" happend on an arm of Bayou Marcus (Mill View area) about May 23 2005. The aligator involved was not agressive and about 5 feet long. The daughter had been feeding turtles from the sea wall on the property. The perpitrator had been shooting at this alligator almost every afternoon for about 2 weeks. He claimed to have called FLorida Fish and Wildlife--they had no record of his call--and he said he "couldn't get thru". The shots were fired across the boyou toward 4 houses which all had children who played in the back yard. It would have been very easy for a shot to richocet into one of the neighbor's yards (lots of debris in the water post Ivan). The perpitrator at first denied shooting at an alligator (claimed he shot at a water moc. with a shotgun)--he had given the 30.30 to a "Friend" to keep. Bullet in the gator matched the gun. 

There have been other gators on Bayou Marcus--and there currently are. FFW has been called and each time a trapper was sent out. I know of one which was relocated (so they say) and at least one which was shot. In each case when an alligator was removed, another came into that territory.

In this current case, the original poster has identified the problem in an open public forum. Thus he needs to contact Florida Fish and Wildlife, to have a trapper remove the gator. Understand that this appears to be on private property--but I believe that what ever the law against shooting gators without a permit, is still held on private property. 

Personally I can live with 5 foot gators, but when they get to be 12 to 13 feet, then there is a much more significant danger. The small ones are great to show to the visitors...plus there will always be gators in the swamps..


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## swhiting (Oct 4, 2007)

thataway: Do you think it's cool to show the visitors the moccasins too?

Both sides of this discussion are making "straw" arguments. No one was eaten or drowned by a gator and no one was shot by a ricocheting bullet.

What is the difference between a concern for gators/snakes and a concern for discharging a firearm?

This is the part of environmental stuff that irks a lot of people. We're not talking about Escambia River. We're talking about a private pond. The gov't needs to stop at the right of way line as far as I'm concerned.


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## gameaholic (Oct 1, 2007)

In my pond it would have lasted until I got to the closet and back, period. And I don't care who likes it.


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

Tastes like chicken yum.


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## hogdogs (Apr 19, 2010)

If gator tastes like chicken it is BOTH spoiled and poorly seasoned...

As for this situation, we real country-fied folks say "Shoot Shovel and SHUT UP!!!!":whistling:

Now if'n you want to invite a couple country boys to fish the pond:shifty: and dig a couple post holes... I know just the pair and we got our own "catfish" tackle and WE KNOWZ HOWZ TO UZE 'EM!!! I drink Busch or Bud and Junior likes Gatorade...:thumbup:
Brent


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## Pinksnappertrapper (Dec 7, 2007)

gameaholic said:


> In my pond it would have lasted until I got to the closet and back, period. And I don't care who likes it.


+ 1


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## jim t (Sep 30, 2007)

So... screw the RIGHT way?

If someone calls about a nuisance gator it is removed. Maybe killed, but if it's smaller it'll get released somewhere. I assume the trapper still gets a small payment.

Can I shoot a nuisance Bald Eagle on my own land too? Who's gonna know? 

Jim


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## jspooney (Oct 2, 2007)

Brilliant. Let's make a post that says we are going to accidentally kill a gator. That way when the authorities do investigate, they will have no proof that "accidental" was really "premeditated." Certainly no FWC guys are monitoring this thread. Duh!!!!


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

jim t said:


> So... screw the RIGHT way?
> 
> If someone calls about a nuisance gator it is removed. Maybe killed, but if it's smaller it'll get released somewhere. I assume the trapper still gets a small payment.
> 
> ...


 
Will you post a BGE report?:thumbup:


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## 20simmons sea skiff (Aug 20, 2010)

i love gators, with tartar sauce, one of my friends long passed away had a 8ft in his yard, when he walked out to it it died of fright my 4 yr old cried when we ran out, shes 25 now


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## swhiting (Oct 4, 2007)

Splittine said:


> Will you post a BGE report?:thumbup:


Splittine, you ain't right!


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## 20simmons sea skiff (Aug 20, 2010)

i was not telling someone to kill a gator, my friend that gave me the meat died 30 yrs ago, i fish around gators up to 13 ft every wk. never shoot anything was just saying meat is good can buy it even in winn dixe. u can get off eaiser shooting a person than a gator or an illegal fish game comm has gotten 3 or 4 12 to 14 foot gators last 20 yrs one off old chemstrant in ditch around kids, one 14 ft at 90 in pace macdonnals in median, 2 more giants in escambia bay aroung houses. have caught to while bass fishing, let them go fast about 2 ft long


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## pcolabeachbum (Jul 9, 2010)

Call the FWC. Don't try to take things into your own hands if you want to continue be with your child and your dog, and NOT in prison for "harassing" a gator. Good luck! =]


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