Gators on the move

[Ohio RailGirl]

This morning this 200 lb, almost 9 ft. gator was caught at the end of Crestview Street, off St. Charles. We are not near a golf course pond so gator walked a distance before being found here this morning.

[teamC]

Is he alive? What do they do with them when they are caught?

[mulligan]

Skin 'em and sell the meat. Good stuff

[Ohio RailGirl]

Is he alive? What do they do with them when they are caught?

The trapper said the gator was over the length limit to relocate back to a pond so he had to kill it. He said it was considered a nuisance gator. He used a bang stick that had a bullet in it.

[VillageOyster]

That meat would have fed a small community event. LOL
Can we find it for sale on the square? Kidding:a040:

[kittygilchrist]

I hate this killing. I feel guilty for taking gator property.
Kitty

[buggyone]

The regulations are really harsh. If the alligator is over 4 feet long, it will be killed by the trapper. Under 4 feet long, it will be relocated to another area.

No reason that alligator could not have been relocated to another area where there are no people around.

[tag460]

As long as the meat gets donated to a local charity I am okay with killing nuisance gator.

[My Daily Run]

A friend of mine found one in her neighborhood of Hemingway a few days ago and a trapper also had to come and remove it.

[Bogie Shooter]

If no one had called the trapper, would the gator have found a pond?
Sometimes it may be best to wait. Why was he, the gator, a nuisance?

[duffysmom]

Sad to see that this magnificent creature had to be destroyed. It irritates me no end to see people feeding the alligators at the Sumter boardwalk; it's a death sentence and beyond stupid. Let's get educated and have some respect for all the creatures who live in this enviornment with us.

[towgo]

are you serious?

[Bogie Shooter]

are you serious?

its even against the law. how serious is that?

[CFrance]

The regulations are really harsh. If the alligator is over 4 feet long, it will be killed by the trapper. Under 4 feet long, it will be relocated to another area.

No reason that alligator could not have been relocated to another area where there are no people around.

If no one had called the trapper, would the gator have found a pond?
Sometimes it may be best to wait. Why was he, the gator, a nuisance?

I agree with both of you and wonder why another poster asked, "Are you serious?" What did it do to be constituted a nuisance? Charge somebody? Eat somebody's dog? Damage property?

[Ragman]

This morning this 200 lb, almost 9 ft. gator was caught at the end of Crestview Street, off St. Charles. We are not near a golf course pond so gator walked a distance before being found here this morning.

I think this was the same gator spotted on Hames Lane (almost directly across St Charles) overnight Saturday and was in the pond by Southern Star # 7 all day Sunday. He was gone on Monday AM so wonder where he was Monday and Tuesday?

Too bad, he was a fine gator just lookin' for love in all the wrong places.

:oops:

[Ohio RailGirl]

I agree with both of you and wonder why another poster asked, "Are you serious?" What did it do to be constituted a nuisance? Charge somebody? Eat somebody's dog? Damage property?

The nearest golf course pond from us is down St. Charles, across that street, then clear across the course. Not very close. Our CYV's are walled in and no water views. How it got on our street without being noticed is beyond me. It was found laying in front of the garage hissing at everybody, at the end of the street.

[gomoho]

I would say that is probably a gator that needs to be moved - not removed from the world!

[billethkid]

just think what it would be like if they treated us for invading their space as we seem to think we have a right to do when they "invade ours"!!!!

Leave them alone and they will get to where they are going.

I think to kill rule is almost as ridiculous as the need to complain about them.

btk

[bluedog103]

If no one had called the trapper, would the gator have found a pond?
Sometimes it may be best to wait. Why was he, the gator, a nuisance?

Good point Bogie. That's how we deal with bears in NY.

[CFrance]

Thanks, BTK, Bogie, and Bluedog. I agree.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

just think what it would be like if they treated us for invading their space as we seem to think we have a right to do when they "invade ours"!!!!

Leave them alone and they will get to where they are going.

I think to kill rule is almost as ridiculous as the need to complain about them.

btk

Sounds to me that you're saying that alligators are equal to humans.

[bluedog103]

Sounds to me that you're saying that alligators are equal to humans.

I didn't hear that at all.

[asianthree]

good reason for not letting your puppy out alone

[mulligan]

By state regulation, a gator that has lost it's fear of humans in considered a nuisance. A gator over 4 feet is likely to return to it's home, just like the unwanted dog someone dropped off at the "farm". they will wreak all sorts of havoc along the way. Over 4', they must be killed. It's also a pretty fair way to compensate the trapper, who works for the state/county unpaid doing a fairly dangerous job.

[duffysmom]

Actually the local trapper has posted here on TOTV and is a savy compassionate fellow with what I think is a horrible way to make a living. When he can he relocates the gator. I believe that the gators will be on the move now that the mating season has started.

[CFrance]

Actually the local trapper has posted here on TOTV and is a savy compassionate fellow with what I think is a horrible way to make a living. When he can he relocates the gator. I believe that the gators will be on the move now that the mating season has started.

Perhaps I should rethink walking my dog after dark for a bit...:22yikes:

[billethkid]

Perhaps I should rethink walking my dog after dark for a bit...:22yikes:

after 10 years and over 100,000 people and probably half that in number of pets......and when is the last time there was a prt/alligator incident?

Statistically the odds are overwhelming that you and your dog will go without incident.....that does not imply it could not happen!

btk

[samhass]

after 10 years and over 100,000 people and probably half that in number of pets......and when is the last time there was a prt/alligator incident?

Statistically the odds are overwhelming that you and your dog will go without incident.....that does not imply it could not happen!

btk

Last year a gator grabbed my neighbor's dog. Bounce lived to tell the tale. Yesterday I thought Bounce was going to get bitten by a snake in my yard but that dog has nine lives. I pulled apart two large pots and a magnificent corn snake was in the bottom pot. Bounce and Gator Gus were visiting and Bounce stuck his nose right in the pot. The bite would have been non-poisonous, but unpleasant.

[CFrance]

after 10 years and over 100,000 people and probably half that in number of pets......and when is the last time there was a prt/alligator incident?

Statistically the odds are overwhelming that you and your dog will go without incident.....that does not imply it could not happen!

btk

BTK, you are most likely right. I was trying to inject a little humor into the subject. Actually, we do walk by a pond every night, and I always check it out with my flashlight when approaching.I've never seen a gator, but we would backtrack quickly if I did.

[DougB]

I agree with both of you and wonder why another poster asked, "Are you serious?" What did it do to be constituted a nuisance? Charge somebody? Eat somebody's dog? Damage property?

Don't know if I agree with killing it, but I would say a gator laying in front of my garage hissing at everybody would be a nuisance. Besides, whose gonna pick up the gator poop?

[Villageshooter]

Actually the local trapper has posted here on TOTV and is a savy compassionate fellow with what I think is a horrible way to make a living. When he can he relocates the gator. I believe that the gators will be on the move now that the mating season has started.

There are a lot of horrible ways to make a living killing alligators is not the worst is Troy says choot em!

I always felt sorry for the guy that had to cut their heads off of hogs when they butchered him with a chainsaw Now that's a horrible job

[buggyone]

Last year a gator grabbed my neighbor's dog. Bounce lived to tell the tale. Yesterday I thought Bounce was going to get bitten by a snake in my yard but that dog has nine lives. I pulled apart two large pots and a magnificent corn snake was in the bottom pot. Bounce and Gator Gus were visiting and Bounce stuck his nose right in the pot. The bite would have been non-poisonous, but unpleasant.

If I remember that incident - and if it is the same one - the dog was off the leash and running loose when an alligator grabbed it. The gator was killed just because the dog's owner could not follow rules and keep the dog on a leash.

Secondly, very, very doubtful if a corn snake would have bitten a dog's nose. Corn snakes are not apt to bite. BTW, the proper term is non-venomous. A venom is injected as by a snake's fangs. A poison has to be ingested as by someone eating a poisonous mushroom.

If I see parents and kids feeding one of the alligators at Lake Sumter off the boardwalk, I always tell them they are signing the death warrant for that animal - and I try to make them feel very bad about it. I also tell them there is a $400 fine for feeding alligators. You may think this is a wrong thing to tell them but lots of people do not know what happens when a wild animal becomes dependent on people for food.

[DonH57]

I agree buggy. I hate to see any animals having to be destroyed because of human interference. May not be the right word to use but causing their dependance on us certainly seals their fate.

[renielarson]

Post from buggyone: "If I remember that incident - and if it is the same one - the dog was off the leash and running loose when an alligator grabbed it. The gator was killed just because the dog's owner could not follow rules and keep the dog on a leash."

"...And is is not against the law to have your dog off leash in their own yard. Outside the yard is a different story."

If I remember correctly, that dog was in its own yard that abuts the pond where the gator was.

[buggyone]

Post from buggyone: "If I remember that incident - and if it is the same one - the dog was off the leash and running loose when an alligator grabbed it. The gator was killed just because the dog's owner could not follow rules and keep the dog on a leash."



If I remember correctly, that dog was in its own yard that abuts the pond where the gator was.

I honestly do not know all the details about if the dog was or was not in it's yard - but I do seem to remember hearing that alligator was a known resident of that pond - and it does seem foolish of the dog's owner to let the dog run free to the pond where it was known there was a resident alligator.

Anyhow, that situation is over and done with and no need to re-hash it anymore. Just a shame that an alligator had to be killed when relocation would have taken care of the situation just as good.

[Barefoot]

just think what it would be like if they treated us for invading their space as we seem to think we have a right to do when they "invade ours"!!!! Leave them alone and they will get to where they are going. I think to kill rule is almost as ridiculous as the need to complain about them. btk

Sad to see that this magnificent creature had to be destroyed. It irritates me no end to see people feeding the alligators at the Sumter boardwalk; it's a death sentence and beyond stupid. Let's get educated and have some respect for all the creatures who live in this enviornment with us.

I agree buggy. I hate to see any animals having to be destroyed because of human interference. May not be the right word to use but causing their dependance on us certainly seals their fate.

I agree with the above posters. We are now living on what used to be the undisturbed habitat of gators, coyotes and foxes. If at all possible, surely we should try to live harmoniously with the animals we've displaced.

[rubicon]

While I would not want to see or hear of anyone abusing any sort of critter it is obvious that since the beginning of time the war of humans vs critters as prevailed. Out bear that's my cave now. Taste like chicken. Love the feel of that fur. He came riding in with is snakeskin boots on and the alligator belt with the big buckle. Cashmere you say?:D

[perrjojo]

I agree with the above posters. We are now living on what used to be the undisturbed habitat of gators, coyotes and foxes. If at all possible, surely we should try to live harmoniously with the animals we've displaced.

:BigApplause::agree:

Amen...what do you expect when you move to a swamp? I LUV our swamp creatures but would not invite them to dinner. I would like to see us coexist, but then that is what the Native Americans:crap2: wanted too.

[kittygilchrist]

The trapper said the gator was over the length limit to relocate back to a pond so he had to kill it. He said it was considered a nuisance gator. He used a bang stick that had a bullet in it.

I'm glad gators have bounced in population enuf to be a nuisance instead of endangered. Hope he's in Gator Heaven, up over Gainesville.

[kittygilchrist]

I agree with the above posters. We are now living on what used to be the undisturbed habitat of gators, coyotes and foxes. If at all possible, surely we should try to live harmoniously with the animals we've displaced.

If I were God, I'd make a planet where all the creatures simply breathe and don't need to kill something to survive. Apparently the plan was that everything living has to consume something that's alive to survive. It's hubris to think anything can subsist otherwise. I think this is true. If not, cite your references! :read:
If I lived with guilt every day because animals and plants were encroached on or destroyed I would have no joy and neither would any other human.