Woman admits to killing alligator

StarBanner.com ^ | March 15, 2000 | JOE CALLAHAN

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

FORT McCOY — A Fort McCoy woman who killed an alligator with a shotgun last month and cooked gator tail for dinner admitted Monday to shooting the state-protected reptile because it had gotten dangerously close to her children.

Donna Marie Brown, 31, of Fort McCoy, who pleaded guilty Monday in misdemeanor court, said she killed the alligator in mid-February after she spotted it behind her home, lying on the bank of a small creek in a swampy area near Bully Lake.

Brown retrieved a Remington 12-gauge shotgun and fired.

''I wasn't going to stand for it,'' said Brown, who moved from Tampa several months ago. ''I know it's illegal, but what am I supposed to do? I've been taught to eat what you kill. I've had alligator tail before, so I decided to cook it.''

Her husband, Michael Robert Brown, 32, pleaded guilty to possession of an alligator after he dumped the rest of the carcass in a remote area near his home. The Browns each received three months' probation, and each was ordered to perform 20 hours of community service.

They were each ordered to pay $308 in fines and court costs. Adjudication of guilt was withheld, meaning the charges will not appear on their permanent record if they successfully complete probation, Assistant State Attorney Susan Simmons said.

Lt. Joy Hill, regional spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said wildlife officers Brian Lambert and Kevin Steinke received an anonymous tip about the killing and went to the Browns' Northeast 207th Lane home to investigate.

They first talked to Marie Brown, who denied killing the alligator and allowed officers to search her freezer for evidence. Not finding any meat, officers then interviewed one of the Browns' children, who said his mother killed, cleaned and cooked an alligator for dinner.

Both Browns were then given citations, ordering them to appear Monday in court.

''Alligators are protected by law because they are on a list of animals of special concern,'' said Hill, adding the commission supervises alligator harvesting activities in the fall. These hunts are to help reduce alligator populations in certain lakes throughout the state.

Joe Callahan can be reached at joe.callahan@starbanner.com or paged at 898-9649.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

The women was wrong to use her gun. A cop on the phone would have protected her kids just fine. < /sarcasm >

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Ping!

[mountaineer]

''Alligators are protected by law because they are on a list of animals of special concern,'' said Hill, adding the commission supervises alligator harvesting activities in the fall. These hunts are to help reduce alligator populations in certain lakes throughout the state.

Seems to me she was doing the commission a favor. She reduced the alligator population without spending one cent of taxpayers' money. If the state is trying to reduce the alligator population, what the heck does "special concern" mean, anyway?

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I think "special concern" means that they are on the Endangered Species list even though there is an overpopulation of them.

[glock rocks]

i would hope she could use her 20 hours of community service time
to document proper alligator dressing methods as well as her recipes.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

What does cooked alligator tail taste like? I'd be willing to give it a try.

[mountaineer]

Maybe she could just teach 20 hours of cooking classes to the locals who are sick and tired of alligators wandering onto their property and hungrily eyeing their children.

[general_re]

Tastes like chicken.

Okay, no idea, but I wonder if it tastes like turtle, which in turn tastes like...chicken ;)

[glock rocks]

Most alligator comes from Louisiana. Alligator can be sold either wild, which is difficult to get commercially, or more commonly farm raised. The meat is used for a variety of different Creole dishes, and is popular throughout the country. Most alligator is processed in September.
 

Taste

Alligator is a light-colored meat that has a unique mild taste, that is neither chicken nor pork. Alligator meat is grown in water and has a fishy aftertaste.

Texture

To accurately describe the texture, it is a marinate between the chicken and halibut. It has the meatiness of halibut, and the tooth of chicken. Because it is a water mammal, alligator meat can have a watery texture, with a little fat and not a lot of sinew.

Best Methods of Cooking

Tail and Jaw- the largest pieces of meat in an alligator, can be cut into medallions and sautéed or grilled

Ribs- good for BBQ

Body and Leg- tougher cuts of meat, best for stews, casseroles and soups

Presentation include Alligator Jambalaya and Breaded Alligator Medallions with Caper Sauce

Worst Methods of Cooking

The meat should not be seared or served rare.

Degree of Doneness

Thoroughly cooked (like chicken).

Why Buy Alligator

Unavailable in most restaurants, alligator is more than a novelty, it is another example of a meat high in protein, low in calories, fat and cholesterol. Alligator meat is a good source of Omega-3 fatty acid, which is good against heart disease.
 

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Sounds pretty good!

[glock rocks]

$12 per pound for tail meat.

[Consort]

[Mike Johnson]

Because it is a water mammal, alligator meat can have a watery texture, ...

Who are these folks who think alligators are mammals? Must be some government agency.

[glock rocks]

To accurately describe the texture, it is a marinate between the chicken and halibut

marinate is a verb. hey, maybe its translated from the original creole.... take you treee o mebbie two
o deese tail un boy o boy dey is gooood wid deese marinate on dee fahr deah.

well... maybe not.

[Mike Johnson]

Oh! It's that third world country to the east of Texas! Now I understand.

[MissEdie]

Yeah, the same third world country that gave us Serpenthead (remember Carville) :)

[glock rocks]

It has the meatiness of halibut, and the tooth of chicken.

chicken teeth?

[Issaquahking]

Had Gator once and it was really good! If your really a good lil' freeper and we are in the south at the same time I'll turn ya on to some.

[Sungirl]

I hate to break the news to this ignorant woman...but the alligators will be back. They always wander to other streams and creeks esp during mating season. SHe should of done what other people do when you find a gator in your garage or yard or pond......you call the wildlife dept and they come right out and capture it and relocate it. This is not a reason to justify killing it....thae gator doesnt' know any better....this ignorant woman should know better...but then we are dealing with a hunter mentality. (See South Park) I will bet you any money that the gators were there before her house was built.....she should pay big time.

[alnick]

''Alligators are protected by law because they are on a list of animals of special concern.''

Well, I think that human children are of more special concern.