Gators, fishing and locals
 

Having read some threads on these subjects, please help me understand:

Many people want "the locals" free to hunt and remove the 'gators from the ponds and lake in The Villages... but not allow them to catch and release fish?

With all the spraying of herbicides, and the run-off of pesticides (and who knows what else) in the TV water bodies, I wouldn't consider any Villages fish or gator to be edible. Ya'll just bump those amenity fees up and hire some trappers to make your pretend wildlife sanctuaries even more void of life.

Key word, “many”. Not all. Fishing sport to “Many”.

Gators seem here to stay. Just have to take some basic precautions to avoid being their dinner

The main thrust of the complaints that I read are people walking through yards to get to the ponds.

I don't know if alligators are a real danger as long as you use common sense. They're pretty timid creatures except the bulls during mating season. They just want to be left alone. The incidents I've heard or read about were about people who ignored some basic rules, like the guy who allowed his dog to run unleashed near the water at a dog park. Dogs like water and 'gators definitely see dogs as on the menu so you can't blame the gator for that. I also heard some years back that a golf course employee doing some landscaping work got a little too close to one and got bit. I'd certainly not favor removing them because some people are stupid.

This time around, yes. And fair enough, no one should have to put up with people walking through their yards.

A few months ago in CDD7 the complaint was simply that an expensive view was being sullied by "those" people fishing in the pond.

It’s illegal to kill gators in Florida. The Villages is no exception. They should stop putting in retention ponds if the people don’t want to share with the gators. Not kill the gators. I’ve lived in Florida born and raised and have swam in Lake Harris more times than I can count. Gators aren’t looking for a fight. They only want food and that’s whatever is smaller than they are. The only way they kill their pray is to drown them so if they can’t drag you to the bottom, they aren’t bothering with you. Specifically if they’re on land, just walk right by them. They couldn’t care less unless you do something quickly to scare them and then they’d just run off. Cottonmouths are the only venomous snake that’s actually sort of a threat though in my lifetime here I’ve never known anyone to be bitten by one. As for fishing, I’m guessing not only walking in yards but the home owners most likely wouldn’t have bought to overlook a small pond with fisherman setting up camp on the daily. I know I wouldn’t

Gators are a part of Florida living, after all, they were here before us.

I agree with your thought about the creatures living in TV lakes/ponds not being edible.
As for the wildlife, if they can survive in there, let them.
As for fising in TV lakes/ponds, it is my guess that they are all private property of TV and fishing is trespassing and should not be allowed (except possibly in designated fishing areas marked as such with parking areas, restroom facilities, etc, to keep fishermen from traveling thru homeowners yards).
Just my opinion.

Which came first? The gator or the gator egg?
Inquiring minds want to know! 🤔🤔🤔

I don't think there are "many" people that want the locals to hunt and remove alligators from their ponds, no one around our pond feels that way, we all enjoy seeing them swim around and sun themselves on the shoreline. However we certainly would not want anyone walking through our yards to go fishing in the pond.

Yes, so was the ice age. Time progresses only in one directions. I personally think small gators under 4 feet are fine. Once they become a possible threat, that is different.

Dogs cause more human injuries and deaths than do Alligators by a long shot and no one is hunting them down.

It’s catch and release so only thing eating fish in TV is the gators

10 ft gator left alone in a pond. No worry.
6 ft gator on your front porch. Worry.
10 ft gator resting on the grass near a pond. No worry.
6 ft gator resting on the grass near a pond with a leash hanging out of its mouth. No worry. He's been fed.

🫠😉

Crazy, huh?

Same with the fishermen, I guess.

Like the people who move from the cities, to rural areas, and want the bears removed.. maybe they should move back to where they came from.

Dogs in United States: ~87 million

Gators in United States: ~ 5 million

Maybe you missed it, but one of our frequent posters, posted a few known to them personally. I recall the Duval retention pond one with horror.

LMK when Gators pooping on people's lawns becomes a problem.

Until then... :icon_bored:

About seven (7) alligator attacks per year in the USA. Works out to be about one attack for every 800,000 alligators.


About 14.5 Million dog bites per year. Works out to be about one bite for every six dogs.

Who counted the gators?

Looks like Defenders of Wildlife: American Crocodile and Alligator | Defenders of Wildlife.

I understand that you find comfort in the past. Many older people do, to a large extent I do too.

Genuine wildlife preserves in The Villages
 

Pretend?! The Villages have done a great job in making sure that there are many wildlife preserves that are beautiful! Take some time to get out and walk along the many miles of paths near/through the preserves - and enjoy it. I'm glad that we have the gators, many birds and other wildlife.

They’re only a “possible threat” if you’re stupid enough to go near them. Just leave them alone and they’ll leave you alone.

I've been here for over a year and have seen exactly one alligator in the villages. That was like a couple days ago down by Spanish Springs. I was actually getting kind of disappointed, lol. I thought there would be gators everywhere from the way some people make it sound.

Best advice yet, it can be used on gators and most other unsavories.

Yes, I can say the same. The only time I’ve come across them is when I play golf. But I don’t go out of my way looking for them.

another ice age coming

Gators
 

Gators were here first, just like Native Americans, let's not repeat our past mistakes

Your in Florida now, they have been doing this for many, many years!

Not one retention pond built here had any alligators in it.
So "they were here first" is not true.
With millions of alligators in Florida, getting rid of every one here wouldn't make any dent in the population. There even stupid people, doing stupid tings, would not be at risk. Even smart people, who are walking on trails with their dogs on a leash, wouldn't have to fear an unprovoked gator attack

No gators in the retention ponds? So, did the developer bus them in for the ambience, or did they walk in? And the fish that are in the ponds. And the bobcats, coyotes and possums and frogs and turtles? Guess we should get rid of the retention ponds and no more wildlife to frighten us and make us shiver in our boots.
Yeah! I like the way you think. Let's pave paradise and put up a parking lot. 🤔🫠🙃

Yep. Let's get rid of all the retention ponds. Then when it rains let me know how you like all that water in your house. And where do the gators go? Where the water is. So would you rather have the alligators in a pond or in your house?

Using your thougt process, if a gator did actually make a meal out of some stupid person doing stupid "tings", not only would it not make a dent in the ever increasing human population, but it would raise the average IQ.
Oh, let's all go down to the water.....

If we all chain a gator to the front porch post that would cut down on door knockers selling water treatment systems.

WOW! That is pure Genius! Wish I had thought of that.
How large would you suggest? Dog food or cat food? And do they prefer the dog or cat dead or alive? (Don't get yer knickers in a twist, pet owners. It is only a joke!)

🤨😕🫤🤣😱😡😧 thats me in the middle

I was saying how stupid the statement "they were here first" is. It is a false narrative to try to justify an invalid argument.
Maybe they were on earth first, but not in the retention ponds. Humans were at these ponds first.

I want them all gone. Allow trappers to grab as many as they want, anytime between sunrise and sunset.