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| West-Central Zone Alligator Permit Is This Summer’s Golden Ticket |
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| By Nick Carter |
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Posted Wednesday May 30 2012, 4:15 PM |
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The state record alligator was killed last year on Miller’s Ferry in the first season of hunts allowed in west-central Alabama. The monster gator measured 14-feet, 2-inches and weighed 838 pounds. In this photo by David Rainer, the hunting team (from left) included: Tag holder Keith Fancher, Mike Bailey, J.C. Peeples, Stacey Peeples, David Hatchett and Mindy Hatchett.
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In seven years of legal gator hunts, never before has Alabama seen results like last season’s in the newly opened west-central gator zone.
For the first time, hunts were allowed in a zone that follows the Alabama River through Monroe, Wilcox and Dallas counties. And even though only 50 permits were issued for eight nights of hunting, gator hunters were able to take advantage of a previously unhunted gator population to achieve an incredible harvest.
In gator hunting, anything longer than 10 feet is generally considered a big one. Anything better than 12 feet is enormous. Last year, the west-central zone produced 11 alligators longer than 12 feet—as many as the other two zones combined. Three gators from the west-central zone broke the 13-foot mark.
Harvest numbers were also good. Out of 50 permits, 40 were filled for an incredible success rate of 80 percent. On top of all that, the largest animal taken since alligator hunting began seven years ago was harvested on Miller’s Ferry last August.
The 14-foot, 2-inch alligator killed by Keith Fancher, of Shelby, and his crew weighed 838 pounds. It crushed the previous state records for both weight and length. Those gators, a 13-foot, 5-incher from 2009 and a 742-pounder from 2010, were both taken on Delta hunts.
So, the newcomer to the game usurped the Mobile-Tensaw Delta as the best gator hunting in Alabama last season. But things might not be quite as easy for hunters on the Alabama River this year, said WFF alligator hunt coordinator Keith Gauldin to DCNR writer David Rainer. With a season of being hunted under their belts, west-central zone gators might be a little more wary of boats this time around. And, some spectacular specimens have already been harvested from the population.
“With the west-central zone being new last year, those gators hadn’t been under any pressure,” said Keith. “I think you’ll see, like you see in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta or Eufaula area, a decrease in the number of large individuals. I don’t think it’s necessarily a decrease in the population; I just think the animals are more wary.”
All this hype over the west-central zone may also leave a bunch of gator hunters disappointed when it comes time for the permit drawing on July 13. More than 2,000 applications were submitted for those 50 tags last year. Expect many more applications this time around.
It may be hard to believe, but it was even tougher to get a Delta tag last season before it lost its status as the alligator hot-spot. About 9,000 applications were submitted for 125 available tags.
Once those lucky 125 got on the Delta swamps, they did pretty well, harvesting 78 gators for a success rate of more than 62 percent. There were some giant gators killed on the Delta hunts, too. Six alligators longer than 12 feet were checked in, with the longest measuring 12-feet, 7-inches and weighing 593 pounds.
A success rate of 62 percent on most any other type of public hunt would be considered astronomical, but for the Delta gator hunt, that’s about average. It’s actually a little lower than 2010’s 64 percent success rate.
“The first seasons we had it seemed people were just happy to get an alligator,” Keith told Rainer. “But when you have stories like the Fancher story with that large gator, more and more people want to trophy hunt. Instead of just going after that legal gator of 6 feet or longer, they’re going after a large gator. They tend to let several animals go that are not large enough for them, and they end up not getting anything. The clock runs out, basically.
“If they’re new to alligator hunting and they’re trying to harvest a 12-foot-plus alligator, the big gators are not stupid. They’re tough to hunt. They become very wary. Plus people start scouting with spotlights going everywhere and with the increased boat activity, they get spooked pretty quickly.”
Typical southeast zone harvest numbers may reflect the kind of pressure Keith was speaking of. Georgia and Alabama hunters both get a shot at gators in Lake Eufaula and the Chattahoochee River. The good news is, we will get there first, as the Georgia season doesn’t open until September.
Last year, 120 hunters were drawn from a pool of 3,700 southeast zone applications. They killed 40 gators for a 33 percent success rate. Five gators measured longer than 12 feet, and the largest measured 12-feet, 4-inches and 650 pounds.
The preceding information should help you decide where to hunt, but if you want a chance to kill Alabama’s biggest, meanest, toothiest game animal, you’ll need to apply. The application period begins June 5 and ends July 13 at 8 a.m. A random drawing will be held to determine who gets a permit. To register, go to <www.outdooralabama.com>.
The cost is $6 to apply, and individuals may register multiple times. Only Alabama residents age 16 years or older are eligible. Applicants selected to receive a permit must complete an online acceptance by 8 a.m. on July 16. After that date, alternates will be called by telephone to fill any vacancies.
All selected applicants will be required to complete an alligator training course provided by WFF.
2012 Gator Hunts
Mobile-Tensaw Delta
Tags: 125
Season dates: Aug. 16-18, Aug. 23-25
West-Central Alabama
Tags: 50
Season dates: Aug. 16-18, Aug. 23-25
Southeast Alabama
Tags: 120
Season dates: Aug. 10-26
Registration for the 2012 alligator seasons begins June 5 and ends July 13 at 8 a.m. Register for the alligator permit drawing at <www.outdooralabama.com>.
2011 Gator Results
Mobile-Tensaw Delta
Permits: 125
Gators killed: 78
Percent success: 62
Biggest gator: 12-7, 593-lbs.
Southeast Zone
Permits: 120
Gators killed: 40
Percent success: 33
Biggest gator: 12-4, 650-lbs.
West-Central Zone
Permits: 50
Gators killed: 40
Percent success: 80
Biggest gator: 14-2, 838-lbs.
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