Alligators run amuck

The Brazosport Facts, Clute Texas ^ | 5-18-2003 | Carlos Armintor

[NEBO]

ANGLETON — Six alligators were caught earlier this week after some fishermen on a private lake near Rosharon complained about the animals.

Lt. William Skeen, a game warden with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said the fishermen reported seeing an 11-foot alligator Monday.

On Monday, Jason Newsom, of Newsom Wildlife Co. in New Caney, which specializes in rescuing unwanted animals, went to the lake, located near the CR 42 and FM 521 intersection, and saw 20 to 30 alligators.

On Tuesday night, Newsom and some game officials captured six alligators ranging from 5-and-a-half to 13 feet. Newsom said he saw 40 to 50 alligators at the lake Tuesday.

The largest alligator caught was 13 feet and weighed 667 pounds.

“We weighed him at a truck stop,” Newsom said. “We never dreamed we’d find a 660-pound alligator.

Newsom said five of the alligators will be taken to his ranch in New Caney, where they will reside. He said the 13-foot alligator was too dangerous and had to be shot.

“The 13-footer was out of control,” Newsom said. “He bit the boat and put a hole in it. We had to get in another boat so we didn’t get in the water.”

Skeen said that in the Houston area, including Brazoria County, has a seen a rise in nuisance alligator calls since 1999. That year there were 195 nuisance alligator calls. In 2000, there were 280 calls; in 2001, there were 320 calls; and in 2002, there were 336 calls.

“We are on track this year to exceed that,” Skeen said.

Newsom said he comes to Brazoria or Fort Bend counties at least once a week on a nuisance alligator call.

Skeen said the state agency only responds to nuisance calls. Just because someone sees an alligator, it doesn’t necessarily make it a nuisance alligator, he said.

“We don’t need to know about an alligator,” Skeen said. “They are just doing their thing. We just respond to dangerous ones. If an alligator is in its habitat we are not going to mess with it. But if it’s a danger to humans or humans are a danger to it, we will respond to it.”

Newsom said in the case of the alligators in Rosharon, one was bumping the boat of the fishermen.

Skeen said he thinks there has been a rise in nuisance alligator calls because of a larger alligator population and residential developments encroaching on their habitat.

“You’ve got an increase in the alligator population cause we’ve done a good job of protecting them,” Skeen said. “The population has increased so there is more alligator-human interaction.

“You have an increase in residential and commercial development into what was wildlife habitat,” he said. “Where you have subdivisions and developments, they are being forced into other habitats. That increases human interaction.”

Newsom said the private lake isn’t near any residential developments, but thinks that since the alligators’ hibernation season recently ended, they are venturing out trying to find food.

[NEBO]

The largest alligator caught was 13 feet and weighed 667 pounds.

One was shot in MY neighborhood a couple of years ago, it was 11 1/2 ft. long. Maybe we SHOULD return our town to WETLANDS! LOL

[annyokie]

I have a nice briefcase made from gatorhide.

[NEBO]

Would you please come pick up a few thousand more gators, you can eat the meat, and tan the hide.... we don't care.... just come get them! LOL

One night there was a 3 1/2 ft. long gator on my neighbor's front porch, 1 1/2 blocks away. One day my husband was leaving the neighborhood, and he saw the game warden and his men roping an alligator. That was a few blocks from my house. I do not let my cats go outside anymore!

[Grampa Dave]

Tastes like chicken raised in a swamp!

[Grampa Dave]

Shermy since you appear to be our official collector of odd alligator data, here is more.

[annyokie]

Their hides make nice shoes, too. And, I understand they taste like chicken. ; )

Get your shotgun out and take care of the suckers!

[Dog]

“The 13-footer was out of control,” Newsom said. “He bit the boat and put a hole in it. We had to get in another boat so we didn’t get in the water.”

When tassled loafers attack!

[Dog Gone]

I like it better when we drag them through the subdivision and make the soccer moms all hyper.

[Drew68]

I've read that gators like cats.

[buffyt]

But they PREFER dogs and small humans. At Brazos Bend State Park which is close to my town, they request that you leave Rover at home, there are MANY gators running loose there, and they consider Rover to be LUNCH. They also like to carry off granny and small children. They have a more difficult time sneaking up on cats! Cats are sneakier than 'gators.

[buffyt]

....you can take Rover for a walk at Brazos Bend, but keep him on a short leash! Them gators is HUNGRY!

[buffyt]

They have GREAT fried alligator at the Papadeaux restaurants in Houston area. it is YUMMMMMY

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

They make great boots also.
I need a new pair as mine are about
30 years old and has been resoled
and reheeled many times.

[annyokie]

Yes, they do. I had gator boots that I finally got rid of after 25 years and many reheeling and resolings.

Let's get us a new gator. Do you know a tanner for the hide?

[stboz]

Their hides make nice shoes, too. And, I understand they taste like chicken. ; )

Ever try to make a suitcase out of chicken hides? Eat mo' gator!

[30-06 Springfield]

I have a friend in Orlando who has invited me down for a gator hunt. Might have to do that sometime. Sounds like a good time is had by all.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

A friend of mine knows a boot-maker that will
make a person a pair of handmade boots if you
get a legal gator tag and give it to him.

[STONEWALLS]

....problem with a big gator?....no need to call 911; you can handle the job yourself....take a very heavy shark fishing hook[about a 12/0 or 13/0] with about 12 feet of 1/8" cable....then go shoot a crow and bait your hook with him....drape the hook and cable off a tree limb that extends over the water...you want your baited hook about three feet off the water; that way only the bigger gators can get to it....then tie the end of your cable to a length of chain and tie the chain around the trunk of the tree....in a day or so that crow will get pretty ripe and draw a gator...he'll lunge up out of the water, swallow the crow and hook himself....shoot him in the eye to kill him and drag him out with your pick-up truck....

this technique was shown to me by an old Louisiana alligator poacher in the early 70s....it's very effective but I don't know if it's legal....BTW to estimate the size of a gator swimming in the water notice the distance between his eyes and nostrils in inches.....if it's say 10 inches he'll be about 10 feet in length...12inches; about 12 feet..and so on....alligators are expanding their range....I now see them in eastern North Carolina where they were once uncommon.....

[Shermy]

Thanks for the ping.

Nature is a funny thing. Two years ago, spring and summer, there was the plague of Shark bite attacks in the Gulf. Then last year few.

Last year, spring and summer, there was a plague of alligator incidents, especially in Florida, some with the gator as victim. But this year, few.

[Grampa Dave]

What do you use on these critters which are really big with armor plating all over them?

I would be tempted to leave my 30-06 home and use a 12 gauge 3.5 mag with rifled slugs.

Keep me posted if you go and what you will use.