2d 146 (Fla. 1972). Cites tags must be worn on the body to avoid entering the skin of the animal and may only be used once. Protecting People 2023 The Florida Bar. The statewide alligator hunt is the only hunt in the country that is open to the general public. People enjoy the excitement of the hunt as well as the excitement of seeing an alligator in the wild. The license costs $272 for residents and $1,022 for non-residents. So associated with and prevalent in the state, it was designated as the official state reptile by the Florida Legislature in 1987.2 Just take a drive across State Road 84, or Alligator Alley as it is often referred to by native south Floridians, and glance over into the dark tannic acid waters of the drainage canals that parallel this mostly desolate road. The highest number of harvest unit permits were issued in Lake Okeechobee, the St. Johns River, and Lake Kissimmee.41 In addition to applying for a permit, hunters must also obtain two CITES tags as well as an alligator trapping license. Fish and Wildlife Service, Species Profile for American Alligator, http://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=C000. 1:41. 620 S. Meridian St. Tallahassee, FL (850) 488-4676 Floridas wetlands support only two of twenty-three different species of crocodilians in the world. Angie Douthit, South County Inshore & Freshwater: December 2021, 2020 Roland Martin Marine Center Series Results. Alligators less than 4 feet long can be relocated. They can swim and eat, and their numbers have risen dramatically in recent years as a result of their popularity as pets. Report fish kills, wildlife emergencies, sightings, etc. So after you see one, try using a dimmed or filtered light as you approach. Each year, a total of 5,000 hunting permits are issued, and hunters can only hunt two alligators during each season. When the state of Floridas alligator population reached 1.3 million in 1988, alligator hunting was established in 1988. The ownership of exotic pets is not regulated in five states, according to Born Free USA, a national animal advocacy nonprofit. Catching a cooler full of seatrout can sometimes be downright easy. Wear dark-colored clothes, so you can blend in better with the night sky. People have observed alligators feeding on carp floating in the waterways following a die-off and feeding on live carp. The MWDFP Wildlife Bureau has documented alligators feeding on the Asian carp on many occasions. When you think of Florida, images of sandy beaches, orange groves dotted with fragrant white blossoms, or the many cypress swamps and wetlands might come to mind. Between 1880 and 1933, more than 3.5 million alligators were killed, a rate greater than 64,000 per year. Because of its larger caliber, he believes it is possible to put more energy into a shot, but it is also possible to damage something in the process. When it comes to alligators in Louisiana, you must have a hunting license. Alligator Harvest Unit Maps Harvest units 101 - 112 If you do not want to have a permit, the chance to hunt with it is gone. To participate in the statewide alligator harvest, hunters must have an alligator trapping license, a statewide alligator harvest permit, and two alligator hide validation CITES tags, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Because of its lightweight frame and lack of power, the 22 rimfire is a popular hunting rifle. The American alligator can be found from parts of the Florida Keys all the way to the western panhandle. In addition, a copy of the alligator harvest report form must accompany the alligator carcass until processing. Report injured, orphaned or dead manatees, Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network, See a full list of our Social Media accounts. Asian carp. Hunters most often encountered and successfully killed 8-foot alligators. Alligators, grouped by age and size, inhabit a pool Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016, at the Insta-Gator Ranch and Hatchery near Covington. For example, the presence of poison ivy on a property may carry with it a lower level of due care than the presence of a 12-foot bull alligator. When first tagged, the alligator measured 6.4 feet, meaning it grew an average of 8.6 inches each year over nine years. However, the act was amended in 1969 to cover amphibians, reptiles, mollusks, and crustaceans, including an increase in penalties and even prison time. Luckily for themand not so much for usalligators will regrow their teeth quickly. You can complete the alligator harvest report form online or by submitting a printed hardcopy. The FWC receives over 15,000 applications each year and only issues around 7,000 permits. %%EOF Swamp People follows the hunt for the Louisiana alligator. In 2011, 8,103 gators were taken, well up above the number just a . After careful consideration, and backed by research,32 Florida reinitiated statewide alligator harvesting in 1988. That samenumber will be the distance,infeet, from the tip of the animal'ssnout to the tip of its tail. Hunting or fishing are not required in Florida for the alligator hunting season. 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 current prices for alligators are $20 per foot for a 9-foot or longer gator, $17 for 8 feet, $13-$15 for 7 feet and $13-$14 for 6 feet, according to local hunters and processors. If an owner voluntarily decides to warn his or her guests, the owner could become liable if the warning or precautions are not sufficient and someone is nevertheless injured.27. 21 F.A.C.R. Their skins are used to make boots, shoes, belts, and saddles. This same scenario rings true not just in south Florida, but all across the state. Less than a decade later, officials began an attempt to count the wild alligators in an effort to develop a program that would satisfy the commercial demand while allowing the population to recover. "You get up close and personal with alligatorswhen you hunt them," Clanton said, "because you have to catch them before you can kill them.". 10 32 Federal Register No. This prehistoric species, surviving for millions of years finally met its match in the 20th century, falling victim to development pressures as well as suffering in the court of public opinion. 3 Exploring Florida, Florida Census: 1940, http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/docs/c/census/1940.htm. Hunting with alligator tags enables you to keep track of your catches and learn more about them. Fish and Wildlife Service CITES Species Database, http://www.speciesplus.net/#/taxon_concepts/6810/legal. The establishment of alligator hunting in Florida in 1988 was made necessary by the states need to control alligator populations. 19 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Alligator Bites on People in Florida. If you want to trap an alligator, youll need to purchase an Alligator Trapping License as well as two CITES tags. Alligator hunting is regulated by state wildlife agencies, and laws vary from state to state. Alligators are a popular topic of discussion in a number of states, including Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Texas. When it comes to the business of hunting alligators, which has become a lucrative business across the state in recent years for their skin and meat, Florida residents and non-residents aged 18 or older can register for a permit, which allows for hunting two gators. 2d 352, 353 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986). Alligators in this part of the state (tributaries of the Mississippi River) have significantly more body mass than alligators anywhere else in the state.. Heres what to know, Signs of Everglades recovery emerge. 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. In order to hunt alligators, you need a license from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. It is a free-for-all. Providing recreational opportunities and revenue, hunting decreases competition for a finite supply of food and habitat, and reduces the likelihood of human-species interactions. Owner John Price checks on his alligators Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016, at the Insta-Gator Ranch and Hatchery near Covington. Benefits are not limited to those in the alligator industry, either. The permits will be issued in random drawings over four periods. A safari jeep full of tourists were observing two fighting rhinos when the animals suddenly turned their attention on the jeep and charged. That extra foot-and-a-half of water spread out over the marshes along Lake O's western and northern shores would "give alligators a lot more places to hide," Clanton said. The largest in Sarasota County was 12 feet, 6 inches out of Curry Creek. Photos of the alligator, hunters and tag courtesy of Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. In addition, the hide can be tanned and made into leather products. A larger caliber would be more powerful, but it would also increase the likelihood of causing damage. The commission publishes data showing where the gators were hunted and how many were hunted each year, as well as the carcass size. County-wide permits allow hunting in most public water bodies within that specific Florida county. The State of Louisiana administers an alligator program in which ranchers collect over 350,000 alligator eggs, trappers harvest over 30,000 wild alligators and farmers harvest over 250,000 farm raised alligators annually. In addition to the state program, some Florida counties issue a county- wide alligator harvest permit. Alligator meat currently sells for around $20 a pound, which is quite high. For the upcoming 2015 season there are 4,827 permits issued. Its a little opposed to the method of total protection, hands-off, she said. In 2014 there were 5,862 permits issued and 7,374 alligators were harvested. The FWC estimates that the state is home to approximately 1.3m alligators of every size across its 67 counties, which offer around 6.7m acres of suitable wetland habitats for the animals. 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. While necessary to support a growing population and economy, these chemicals were believed to be contributing to a variety of maladies, such as endocrine disruption, decrease in egg viability, and neural decline.7 Eutrophication of water bodies and fertilizer runoff also affected the alligator.8 Green algae that choked water bodies and prevented light infiltration to the water column caused an imbalance in the food chain affecting the availability of prey.9 As a result of these various factors, the population of alligators declined. Following the end of the alligator season, hunters are required by law to return lost or stolen alligator tags to LDWF within 15 days of receiving them. Alligators can be hunted using a variety of methods, including firearms, bows, and spears. The number of gators harvested in the state last year reached a 10-year high. Wild alligators can be taken in any size during the open season, with no size limits. The harvesting of alligators in Florida is an important component of alligator management in Florida and is regulated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservations Commission (FWC). 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. 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. Customers who have a valid FWC Resident Disability License are exempt from the purchase of an Alligator Trapping Agent License. 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). Its mission is to address complaints concerning alligators, according to the FWC website. There is a $272 fee for residents of Florida, $22 for residents with disabilities, and $1,022 for non-residents, who must pay the full amount. On hooks and lines, alligator hunters may use firearms (except shotguns) to harvest free swimming alligators or dispatch them. 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. In that first year, officials counted just 8,600 nests. Permits are assigned in each unit or county based on a calendar year. 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. Of those, the largest was 13 feet, 6 inches, found in August in the Kissimmee River. The . Alligator hunting is estimated to pay an average of $10,000 per season. An alligator rests in the Louisiana marsh. More: Lake O's lower level debated by stakeholders. This venue is open from August 5 to September 1 (the season is 60 days long). More: Nuisance alligator found in Indian River Lagoon at Sewall's Point. Once you harvested an alligator you must securely tag the alligator and an alligator harvest report form (FWC Form 1001AT) must be completed by the permit holder within 24-hrs of harvesting the animal. It is similar in appearance to the threatened American crocodile which is classified in the Family Crocodylidae. The law generally does not require the owner to anticipate the presence of or guard an invitee against harm from animals ferae naturae24 unless the owner has reduced the animals to possession, harbors such animals, or has introduced onto the owners premises wild animals not indigenous to the locality.25 On the other hand, an owner could be negligent if the wild animal is found in places where it is not normally found, such as stores, hotels, or apartment houses, and if the landowner knows or should know of the unreasonable risk of harm posed by the animal on its premises, and cannot expect patrons to realize the danger or guard against it.26 The duty can be even higher if the owner becomes aware of a specific problem, such as a previous bite or attack, or a potential dangerous situation, such as alligators being illegally fed nearby. Copyright 1999 - 2023 State of Florida. Permits are randomly assigned during Phase I, II, and III, and they are available on a first-come, first-served basis during Phase IV. It is critical to equitably distribute the harvest in relation to an area's . https://ftw.usatoday.com/2020/09/alligator-grows-at-alarming-rate-officials-think-they-know-why, reported this week by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, Predicting where the NFL's top 21 free agents will wind up in 2023, 2023 NFL mock draft: Shaking up the top 6 with trades (and a Chicago Bears haul), NHL March power rankings: The East is so loaded as the trade deadline approaches, 1 side-by-side MLB video should convince you the pitch clock is the best, Sister Jean surprisingly picked a non-Chicago team to win the NCAA Mens National title, The top-20 NHL trade targets headed into the 2023 deadline, Pirates and Orioles played a sandlot-style inning of baseball after the umpires left the field, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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