Useful Information Regarding Gator Hunts

By Martha Long


Alligators are a hot topic in states such as Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Texas, and South Carolina. People in these states are used to living among alligators because these animals are many in numbers. They swim in local water bodies and sometimes invite themselves into personal spaces such as door steps and swimming pools. Some people have also had awful encounters with these animals. Here are facts regarding Gator hunts.

In fact, in the recent years, the population of alligators has been rising to dangerous levels that they need to be controlled. That is why controlled hunting of these animals is allowed by the law today. There was a time when hunting gators was not regulated and people hunted them almost to extinction. The government intervened and banned the activity in order for the animals to increase in population.

During the ban period, alligators increased and were a major issue once more. Other animals do not threaten their population because they are apex predators in their habitat. Hence, their population can rise beyond control. When this was an issue, gator hunting was legalized by the government. But this is only allowed for a particular period within the year.

The hunting of gators is an activity that s regulated by state governments. That means that the state is responsible for issuing licenses to hunters and controlling how the activity is conducted with the state boundaries. In most states, the open season on gators starts in August and ends in November. This gives residents about 2 months of gator hunting.

Hunters should have licenses before they can hunt within a state. It is only licensed individuals whose names are on the license that can use the license. Licenses are not transferrable. Also, the license becomes invalid when a person moves out of the particular state that issued it. A fresh application must be made when an individual moves to another state.

Applying for a license involves a fee and it must be paid in full before one is granted the license. The government issues the licenses a month earlier before the open season begins. The name of applicant and the state issuing it is written on the license. It is a requirement to always have the license whenever one is hunting.

The number of permits that each state issues usually varies. For instance, the state of Florida only issues 5000 permits each year. Every holder of a permit is allowed to hunt only two alligators during the open season. Exceeding this number is illegal. Out of state applicants are also granted licenses in states that they do not live. However, out of state applicants usually have to pay more for the license than what residents pay.

Since there are always more applicants hoping to be given licenses to hunt, random drawings are used to distribute them. Random drawings eliminate bias. Those with permits are allowed to hunt on public lands only. If one wishes to hunt on private land, they must obtain permission from the owner of the property.




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