Useful And Essential Facts About Gator Hunts

By Christopher Brooks


Alligators and similarly large reptile are very dangerous animals. In most cases, these big reptiles are usually apex predators in their habitats. That means that they usually thrive in population without the danger of predation from other animals within the same habitat. When the population of alligators grows so huge that they start to interfere with human existence, the situation can be very dangerous. Here are facts regarding Gator hunts.

Alligators pose a big challenge to human beings in several states in the US where they exist in plenty. Examples of such states include Florida and Texas. These animals invade properties and scare people. They also attack pets. Alligators are found basking on outdoor stairways in the morning often. In such scenarios, the animal control department is informed to come and remove them.

Even though animal control department is called to remove them, this does not provide a lasting solution to the problem. A lasting solution should be sought to handle this problem. For that reason, some states in the United States where these reptiles are many permit harvesting. For a period of one or two months every year, citizens are asked to participate in the open hunting season on alligators.

Citizens in the States which allow alligator hunting are provided with licenses for them to participate in the activity. Texas, North Carolina, Mississippi, South Carolina, Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida and Georgia are examples of such states. Even though citizens are permitted to hunt the gators, there are regulations in place to govern the exercise. This is to prevent overhunting which might lead to extinction of the species. Strict laws are enforced to prevent this.

In the history of gator hunting, there was a time when unregulated hunting was allowed and the animals were hunted to almost extinction. At that time gator population had risen to a very high level that they had become a serious threat to people. They terrorized homesteads and they injured and killed people as well. However, with the legalization of unregulated hunts, it did not take long to eliminate the threat.

In order to restore gator population, the US government prohibited any kind of hunting exercises against them because of their significant reduction in number. Gators are a sustainable resource and that is the good thing about them. Their population can be restored if enough time is given to them. The fact that these animals are apex predators contributes to their ability to restore their own populations.

Within no time, gator populations came back up and regulate hunting was introduced. Regulation is achieved by limiting the legal hunting period to one or two months in a year. Also, not everybody can engage in this process. Only individuals who have licenses can hunt gators legally. Hunting without a license is against the law.

Strategies are established to ensure there is no biasness in the distribution of hunting licenses. Licensed persons are only allowed to hunt a certain number of gators during the season. The licenses are only valid for one year hence needs to be renewed yearly. Use of bow and arrow, hook and line, gig and snare, and firearm are examples of the hunting methods used.




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