191 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<8CBFE19D2ED2B647BBAA00E4105AE958>]/Index[169 33]/Info 168 0 R/Length 108/Prev 365416/Root 170 0 R/Size 202/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream It reminds us that even in a highly developed and populated state such as Florida, there are areas and animals that will always remain wild and untamed. To inculcate in its members the principles of duty and service to the public, to improve the administration of justice, and to advance the science of jurisprudence. The Florida alligator hunting laws are quite simple. The American alligator can be found from parts of the Florida Keys all the way to the western panhandle. Louisiana alligator hunting regulations state that lottery hunters can only be assigned six lines for each of the three alligator tags they are issued. Ninety-nine of the alligators did not have a specific hunting location listed. All rights reserved. A permit is required to hunt alligators in Florida and can be obtained through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Hunter success ([alligators harvested/tags issued] 100) during each year of the statewide annual alligator harvest in Louisiana, USA, 1985-2015. 35 Michael R. Conover, Resolving Human-Wildlife Conflicts: The Science of Wildlife Damage Management 48 (2002). People enjoy the excitement of the hunt as well as the excitement of seeing an alligator in the wild. By encouraging landowners to care for the coastal marsh zones where the majority of alligators breed, the program benefits other species as well, Elsey said. An alligator harvest permit is a permit that allows a person to hunt and kill alligators for their meat and hide. The license costs $272 for residents and $1,022 for non-residents. Interest in alligators as a source of meat and leather dates back to the early 19th century. 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. Habitat preferences and several physical characteristics distinguish the American alligator from the American crocodile. In 2011, 8,103 gators were taken, well up above the number just a . Goody! quote attributed to Will Cuppy, American Humorist (1884-1949). When the program was first implemented, the percentage of hatched 48-inch alligators that had to be released into the wild within two years was 17 percent. "Now I hope to hit 10 feet.". Most were sold for boots, shoes, saddles and other leather goods. Restrictions on alligator hunting during the early part of the century were almost nonexistent and the regulations that followed were much looser than they are today with essentially no hunting permits, tags, or quotas.5 Hunting for this top-of-the-food-chain species was managed in a fashion more similar to that of raccoons and rabbits, which was often year-round and with few limits. Swamp People follows the hunt for the Louisiana alligator. 16 See Jackson Landers, Alligators in Your Backyard, Slate (Feb. 19, 2013), available at http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/animal_forecast/2013/02/alligators_in_virginia_climate_change_could_be_pushing_cold_blooded_species.html. In some states, alligator hunting is only allowed during a specific season and with a permit, while in other states no permit is required. Most farming operations obtain their stocks via this program. Ranchers wont actually be able to return the lower percentage until 2018 at the earliest. Greg Braselton, a certified alligator hunter from South Carolina, recommends using a 17 HMR or a 22 WMR when shooting an alligator. Press, 2014). Its a little opposed to the method of total protection, hands-off, she said. The proposal must go through a public comment period. Swamp People follows a group of alligator hunters as they hunt alligators during Louisianas 60-day alligator hunting season. Conclusion But not all: 12 percent of hatched 4-footers must be returned to the wild within two years of the eggs being collected. As a result, the lake elevation is slightlyless than 12 feet 6 inches instead of theaverage of nearly 14 feet for mid-August. Fish and Wildlife Service CITES Species Database, http://www.speciesplus.net/#/taxon_concepts/6810/legal. Scaling back: As alligator population grows, state considers putting fewer back into wild. BY FAIMON A. ROBERTS III | froberts@theadvocate.com. It is not possible to transfer Alligator Hunt permits in the state of Florida. 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. Landowners win because they are able to make money by providing a good habitat. More than 15,000 applications were submitted for7,679 permits to hunt alligators during the 11-week season, according to theFlorida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. A female alligator guards her nest in the Louisiana marsh. Alligator hunters finished the season strong after a slow start. Of nonvenomous animal fatalities, a majority (approximately 72 per year) resulted from interactions with mammals or dogs (Forrester et al. You find them in all the suitable habitats around the state: coastal marshland, rivers, bayous and swamps.. The total number of deer hunters in the state is obtained from the hunting license database. County-wide permits allow hunting in most public water bodies within that specific Florida county. Some tips from the FWC on how to hunt alligators: The number of alligators harvested in previous hunts: Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Association. October 5, 2022 by Arnold. The Florida record for weight is a 1,043 pound (13 feet 10.5inch long) alligator taken from Orange Lake in Alachua County. 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. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Farris Bryant Building A CITES-tagged alligator is required for two hide validation tags and an alligator trapping license is required for the first alligator season. Though you may skin and consume your own alligator, if the skin, carcass, or meat is to be sold; only permitted alligator processing facilities must be used to process the animal. This column is submitted on behalf of the Animal Law Section, Ralph A. DeMeo, chair, and Deborah C. Brown, editor. Hunting for alligators is legal, but not for the majority of people. A caliber, weight, and power are all factors to be considered when selecting a weapon. For 2015 there are five hunting periods which must be declared on your permit application and they are; Period 1, 5:00pm August 15th until 10:00am August 22nd; Period 2, 5:00pm August 22nd until 10:00am August 29th; Period 3, 5:00pm August 29th until 10:00am September 5th; Period 4, 5:00pm September 5th until 10:00am September 12th; and finally Period 5, 5:00pm September 12th until 10:00am November 1st for those participants who have any unused tags after their assigned harvest period. Like so many areas of the law, environmental law and policy is a balancing act. The harvesting of alligator is available in a variety of locations, including coastal, upland, and public lakes, but the coastal and upland WMAs provide the most opportunities. Captured alligators should be killed immediately and their meat cooled as quickly as possible. The experience of harvesting an alligator can provide a lifetime of memories and campfire stories. 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. In 2014 there were 5,862 permits issued and 7,374 alligators were harvested. Estimate the number of inches between the bump on the gator's snout and its eyes. Some will say this is never an option and that human development should yield to the alligators; after all, they have been around for millions of years longer than humans.30 Others will contend that there is no such thing as a good alligator and, therefore, their complete elimination from Florida would be welcomed, perhaps like the disease-carrying mosquito.31 The vast majority of Florida residents, however, fall somewhere in between. Though alligators are found most often in freshwater, they can tolerate some levels of saltwater for a short period of time. Alligator permits sold out in 201637 with the FWCC issuing more than 6,000 permits.38 Two types of hunting licenses are generally offered: by county or by harvest unit. The Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) which permits the harvest of alligators that are determined to be a threat to wildlife, to the public, or the publics pets, livestock, or property. Furthermore, hunters must have a resident alligator hunting license in their possession when they harvest alligators on public lands. Alligator Harvest Permits can be purchased if you choose a quota hunt and must be held by a member of the alligator hunting party. Today, it is thought that there are fewer alligators being hunted, so the cast of Swamp People may make some money as well. The West Zone will open its doors on September 1. Those who pursue alligator hunting, on the other hand, can make a little money. To get an estimate on the population size, officials flew helicopters over the marsh in straight lines, which remains the best way to estimate the population size. Each year, alligator management units are established with harvest quotas that provide recreational opportunities and maintain alligator populations at targeted levels. An Alligator Trapping License, a Harvest Permit, and two CITES tags will be awarded to the applicant who successfully completes the application process. In order to ensure that population trends didnt reverse course, many other statutory and regulatory protections were implemented and remain in place today. In 1975, the American alligator was also listed as an Appendix I species during the Convention for the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), thereby prohibiting the export of alligator hides.13. On May 31, 2022, a 47-year-old man, later identified as Sean Thomas McGuinness, was found dead in John S. Taylor Park in Largo, Florida, with one arm torn off.. Paul Cozzie, the director of Parks and Conservation Resources in Pinellas County, told The New York Times that "he . 201 0 obj <>stream Most of all, stay safe. Wear dark-colored clothes, so you can blend in better with the night sky. 27 Seelbinder v. County of Volusia, 827 So. Elsey said the hunting and ranching program differs from some other methods of species conservation. Instead, he collects the eggs every summer from wild gators' nests on private land. Photos of the alligator, hunters and tag courtesy of Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. Fish and Wildlife Service. FWC holds training seminars prior to the season to help informed the public on the requirements within the harvesting program. Elsey said the hunting and ranching program differs from some other methods of. Impacts from herbicides, pesticides, and other environmental factors were also partly to blame. 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. In that first year, officials counted just 8,600 nests. The largest in Sarasota County was 12 feet, 6 inches out of Curry Creek. The advisory also means the public should avoid fishing and boating. hbbd```b``"fHH &o^DY;`,X The change only the third in the three-decade history of the state's alligator ranching program also means that Louisianas gator population is rebounding from historic lows reached in the middle of the last century and may be approaching a healthy level. It wont happen immediately, however. ", 'Naked and Afraid': Couple from Discovery TV show hunt gators in Florida. 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. 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. 36 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 2015 Florida Black Bear Hunt Summary Report; David Shiffman, 298 Bears Killed in Florida Hunt that Ignored Science, Washington Post, Oct. 29, 2015, available at https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/10/29/298-bears-killed-in-florida-hunt-that-ignored-science/?utm_term=.42cf5cfab9a9. That gator taken in the Pearl River/Ross Barnett Zone grew only 24.8 inches in the 13 years since being tagged June 14, 2007. Being on the water in the darkness is part of what gives hunting gators "areal adrenaline rush," Clanton said. Alligator meat currently sells for around $20 a pound, which is quite high. 47 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 2016 Guide to Alligator Hunting in Florida, http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/managed/alligator/. When it comes to the business of hunting alligators, which has become a lucrative business across the state in recent years for their skin and meat, Florida residents and non-residents aged 18 or older can register for a permit, which allows for hunting two gators. The harvest program establishes a series of Harvest Management Units which have specific boundaries and times which the permit holder can hunt by. "A$WH2/NV@L %`700@g`` J Protecting People In addition to the number of chances and percentage of applicants selected, the department has posted a map with a list of the 48 areas. Louisiana residents will have an excellent chance to get their hands on some alligator hunting equipment. 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. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissions Statewide Alligator Harvest Program offers permits for the harvest of two gators per year. A link to the Florida alligator harvest statistics by year (Provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation . Floridas wetlands support only two of twenty-three different species of crocodilians in the world. Providing recreational opportunities and revenue, hunting decreases competition for a finite supply of food and habitat, and reduces the likelihood of human-species interactions. Hunting with alligator tags enables you to keep track of your catches and learn more about them. The average male alligator size is approximately 11 feet and the. Each year, a total of 5,000 hunting permits are issued, and hunters can only hunt two alligators during each season. The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is another one of those enduring symbols of Florida. Hunting is one of those important tools in the species management toolbox. This program is a model for other states and countries to properly manage and conserve important animal species. Increased Human Interaction The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission estimates the state is home to about 1.3 million of the freshwater reptiles. If you wish to keep skeletal remains such as the head or feet, a written transfer of ownership should be obtained from the permit holder or the processor. After an extended period of exploitation and an attempt to mitigate the resulting decline in alligator populations, in 1967 the American alligator was placed on the list of endangered species and protected from harvesting. 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. 0 Visitors to Louisiana enjoy a wide range of activities, one of which is visiting the swamps. 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. Contrary to popular belief, bang sticks are the only firearm allowed for alligator hunting; no hand guns or rifles are allowed.45 But, of course, these methods are not without some controversy themselves, as some aspects have been denounced by critics as cruel.46, After harvesting, the permittee must attach a CITES tag within six inches from the tip of the tail. No longer on the list of endangered species, today the prognosis for their long-term survival appears favorable. The statewide numbers aren't quite so dramatic. Report injured, orphaned or dead manatees, Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network, See a full list of our Social Media accounts. 2d 1095, 1097 (Fla. 5th DCA 2002). That hunting took a big bite out of the wild gator population, and by 1962 hunting was outlawed. 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. Choosing the right firearm for hunting can be a difficult task. Catching just one gator trout heavier than 5 pounds is a different story. 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 price per foot for a whole alligator is estimated to be $22 in 2011, and the price per foot for a skinned alligator is $24. 2d 352, 353 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986). Its 1,066 more than the second-place alligator hunting destination, Lake Okeechobee. To about 1.3 million of the animal law Section, Ralph A. DeMeo chair! Alligators during the 11-week season, according to theFlorida Fish and Wildlife Conservation,... Only hunt two alligators during each season good habitat the 11-week season, according to theFlorida Fish Wildlife. Her nest in the state of Florida hunters in the darkness is part of what hunting. 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