[Rick Hall]

Time to increase harvest tags on gators all across the south!!!

Prices being what they were, $8 a foot at best for 8s and over, a lot of folks didn't fish the tags they were allotted this year.

 

[Danno]

Almost stepped on this guy while training at a city park.

Quick pic and it was home to change the pants...

Only good snake is a dead snake. Isn't that in the bible or something?

 

[Rick Hall]

Looks like a fish snake.

 

[Bob Glover]

Biggest cottonmouth I've ever seen killed was 52" long. Measured it myself. Boy, did it stink!

 

[jlmauney]

In my experience a 30 06 works fine to discourage gators.

 

[Granddaddy]

With gators in FL & so. GA, I'm comfortable right here in W. GA. Training is good most year round here, no gators, above the nat line, few snakes & very little cold weather - just enough to keep the preceeding away. I'll go down to south GA after the gators get cold after mid-Dec or in Jan.

 

[Pals]

Gee we've never had a gator or poisonous snake here in the corn belt.....dang good thing too I would lose it if I saw one anywhere near my dogs.

Yep, I'm staying here. You guys can just keep the dinosaurs.

 

[badbullgator]

In my experience a 30 06 works fine to discourage gators.

Spoken like a man who does not have to deal with them much. 30-06 WTF….waaaaay tooo loud, waaaay too much gun, and you better be one heck of a good shot with it to drill them in that tiny few inches of target sitting out of the water. There is no such thing as a safe shot at a gator in the water and you better be real sure of what is beyond the pond with that kind of fire power since more times than not that bullet is going to skip off the top of the water and fly for miles
22 mag or 223 at best and both of those are only if you can’t catch it or get close enough to use a bang stick or 357/44 on it.

 

[Thomas D]

David, I have heard the "gator line" is slowly creeping north. Is that true? Is there a hypothetical line across GA where north of would be safe?

 

[2tall]

Tom, I don't think the important line is north/south, but distance from the coast. I have seen gators in coastal waters are far north as Wilmington, NC. But If I drive about an hour or so west from here, I can swim my dogs after a careful check of ponds.

Just this morning I got assigned the job of obtaining the permits to get rid of the two monsters in our pond. One is about 8 feet and the other has to be over 12'! I have been pushing for this for over a year now and finally the story about the attack on Fripp Island has convinced our neighbors that they are not just "part of the ambiance"

 

[Roger Perry]

Franco, the full article is posted above. It appears on follow up that the gator came up OUT of the water. Nobody has said whether it was visible or hidden when the guy reached out to pick up the ball.

The golfer was trying to better his lie. Had he played the ball where it layed he probably would have not lost an arm.

 

[Rick Hall]

The golfer was trying to better his lie. Had he played the ball where it layed he probably would have not lost an arm.

Just a leg.

 

[BonMallari]

David, I have heard the "gator line" is slowly creeping north. Is that true? Is there a hypothetical line across GA where north of would be safe?

I know in Texas there are confirmed reports of gators in Lake Dallas ( Lewisville) which is in Dr EdA back yard, which is north of Dallas, since gators are federally protected and have no natural enemies except man and other gators their range will continue to grow and flourish.

I also think that invasive non native species like pythons in Florida are also a big danger to wildlife and the public too

 

[Juli H]

I was just reading a thread on SAF (southern airboat forum) about all the snakes a gators in Florida and other southern states. Brings up the question, HOW DO YOU FOLKS IN THE DEEP SOUTH COPE WITH SNAKES, GATORS AND DOGS. I would be scared to death every time I sent a dog on a retrieve that he might get either ate or bit by something. This would be a real and common problem there, not just occasional nusance. Bud

AND...you all can keep your TICKS and HEARTWORMS! (yuck!!!, and double YUCK on the TICKS!)

BTW Bud,

Haven't you come across any of those Matanuska Glacier Gators in your spiffy airboat?:razz:

 

[Granddaddy]

David, I have heard the "gator line" is slowly creeping north. Is that true? Is there a hypothetical line across GA where north of would be safe?

I think the issue is as much over-population as warmer weather. As populations are increasing they are spreading north. And they are spreading north. Aside from the Flint/Chattahooche basin & coastal GA, gators are rare 100 miles north of the FL line. Some reports as far north as Montezuma along the Flint River. Just down the road from me here in W GA, a guy had a "pet" gator that grew to 11ft. before a neighbor took matter into her own hands & dispatched the gator.

 

[david gibson]

I know in Texas there are confirmed reports of gators in Lake Dallas ( Lewisville) which is in Dr EdA back yard, which is north of Dallas, since gators are federally protected and have no natural enemies except man and other gators their range will continue to grow and flourish.

I also think that invasive non native species like pythons in Florida are also a big danger to wildlife and the public too

Bon - not that it matters too much, a gator in the bush is just that, a freaking gator, but i am not sure it they are actually native there. maybe this was a released "pet"?? and even if so, exactly how far north can they survive? i can see where they may not spread long distances over land, even though climate may be conducive to survival. they have to actually lay their own eggs in place, not like fish where egrets/herons/etc do the pollination for them

gators are not native to Town Lake/upper Colorado river system in Central Texas, but i remember some were released when i was in college around 1980 right in the city in town lake. Berke Breathed (Bloom County cartoonist) was accused of doing it as a prank but it was never proven...

 

[2tall]

It is amazing to me how many people have responded to the article about the attack on Fripp Island, are blaming it on the GOLFER! I agree, it probably was not a good idea to lean over to pick up your ball near one of these lagoons, but he was a visitor. These same people seem to think it is perfectly all right to have a multitude of large reptiles in the same areas where people are EXPECTED to play and congregate. I guess I just don't get it once again.

 

[david gibson]

It is amazing to me how many people have responded to the article about the attack on Fripp Island, are blaming it on the GOLFER! I agree, it probably was not a good idea to lean over to pick up your ball near one of these lagoons, but he was a visitor. These same people seem to think it is perfectly all right to have a multitude of large reptiles in the same areas where people are EXPECTED to play and congregate. I guess I just don't get it once again.

i hear ya.....we are plying our "game" in their 'real world"

i am happy today, found about 200 acres of "dry" land with 2 little creeks going thru, detention pond but open.. a tree or briar bush here or there to add substance......and gator free! perfect for winters here, we now finally have tolerable temperatures.......

 

[badbullgator]

I think the issue is as much over-population as warmer weather. As populations are increasing they are spreading north. And they are spreading north. Aside from the Flint/Chattahooche basin & coastal GA, gators are rare 100 miles north of the FL line. Some reports as far north as Montezuma along the Flint River. Just down the road from me here in W GA, a guy had a "pet" gator that grew to 11ft. before a neighbor took matter into her own hands & dispatched the gator.

Unless there is a significat increase in temps gators will not expand their range much past where it is now. Gator sex is determined by the temp at which the eggs are incubated and hatched. 90-92/93 and they are all male. 82-86 and they are all female. They can regulate the temp some by building a nest and burring the eggs. Breeding season begins in about May and eggs are usually in the ground for about 60 days in June and July. The big key is that they will not mate until the water temperature is right for them and that in generally in water 80+ degs. As far as I know most water very far north is not of that temperature in May and would not allow eggs to be laid in June. Pusing it back a month or two would leave the eggs in the incubator too long for the temperature to be maintained. Gators don't get to loving until they are eating well and they aint eating well till the water is warm enough.
Now Algore may disagree, but I don;t think you have much to worry about very far north of Macon unless you are on the coast. A stray here and there sure, but they are not moving in

 

[Granddaddy]

...Now Algore may disagree, but I don;t think you have much to worry about very far north of Macon unless you are on the coast. A stray here and there sure, but they are not moving in

That's just fine with me, you keep them all down there! Pythons too...