38 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 2016 Guide to Alligator Hunting in Florida. You can pick up your areas local edition at over 11,000 marine specific businesses, retail outlets or big box stores. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. A CITES-tagged alligator is required for two hide validation tags and an alligator trapping license is required for the first alligator season. Habitat preferences and several physical characteristics distinguish the American alligator from the American crocodile. %PDF-1.5 % hb```f`` 1 EY8:{f5@d\( v10tt4@:0 - = h.`aa>xUC@0/ U@ , H2Ns5 E% The average male alligator size is approximately 11 feet and the average female is around 8 feet long, according to the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. This year, officials counted 58,100 nests, a record number. A number of Burmese pythons have been found in the Florida Keys, but there is not yet confirmation of a . 2015). 42 Hunting is allowed only at night and in the morning, between 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. 43 Two alligators are allowed per permit without size limitations except that "hatchlings" cannot be taken ( i.e ., a minimum 18 inches from tip of snout to tip of tail). Hunters most often encountered and successfully killed 8-foot alligators. The statewide numbers aren't quite so dramatic. ", 'Naked and Afraid': Couple from Discovery TV show hunt gators in Florida. For example, the presence of poison ivy on a property may carry with it a lower level of due care than the presence of a 12-foot bull alligator. They relate to the taking of nuisance alligators, alligator farming, selling of alligator products, and much more. Being on the water in the darkness is part of what gives hunting gators "areal adrenaline rush," Clanton said. Typically, hunters kill about70 percent of the harvest quota. 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. Except in the case of a Florida alligator hunt, no hunting or fishing licenses are required. Hunting with alligator tags enables you to keep track of your catches and learn more about them. If you are interested to hunt alligators, the Louisiana alligator program is a great way to get involved in hunting and trapping alligators. 28 See Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, Market Mechanisms: Understanding the Options (Apr. 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. 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 might not be the case at other sites, whererecent heavy rains have swelled creeks, canals, swamps and smaller lakes, giving gators more places to roam. Hunting season generally runs from August 15 through November 1 of each year.42 Hunting is allowed only at night and in the morning, between 5 p.m. and 10 a.m.43 Two alligators are allowed per permit without size limitations except that hatchlings cannot be taken (i.e., a minimum 18 inches from tip of snout to tip of tail).44 There are several legal methods of taking alligators including, but not limited to, bows, crossbows, gigs, spears, harpoons, spear guns, hand lines, fishing poles, and bang sticks. in a smaller area. FWC holds training seminars prior to the season to help informed the public on the requirements within the harvesting program. Visitors to Louisiana enjoy a wide range of activities, one of which is visiting the swamps. The severity of the danger or injury could influence duty as well. 14 See Stephanie Pappas, Cannibalism Weeds Out Baby Alligators, Live Science (May 29, 2011), available at http://www.livescience.com/14368-cannibalism-baby-alligators-florida.html. Alligator hunting is estimated to pay an average of $10,000 per season. To download FWCs data, visit myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/managed/alligator/harvest/data-export. 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 Alligator hunting is regulated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), and permits can be obtained through their website. You must have a permit in order to hunt alligators and kill them with a rectangular hard plate on top of their heads. These scenes, while perhaps clich, are nevertheless an accurate reflection of our diverse landscape, helping to capture part of Floridas unique essence, particularly to those living elsewhere. 2023 Coastal Angler Magazine Franchising, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Lake Okeechobee fishing report for March, 2022 by Capt. In private land, you can buy tags for free. 9 Forman, Richard T., Urban Ecology: Science of Cities 178-179 (Cambridge Univ. Floridas recreational alligator harvest, approved by the state, is one of the states most popular hunting opportunities. Alligator hunters must have a valid Florida hunting license, and must take an alligator hunting safety course. Growing up to 14 feet in length,18 with 75 to 80 sharp teeth, and thousands of pounds per square inch of bite strength, many of the human encounters with this apex predator end in serious injury and sometimes death. Attacks like this are horrifying, but relatively uncommon, considering there are approximately 1.3 million alligators in Florida, and more than 21 million people. Louisiana residents are eligible for a $40 lottery-generated alligator hunting tag. Since the time 2003-2005, this area of the Mississippi Delta has seen a tremendous increase in the Asian carp population, the MWDFP stated. Alligator harvest permits will be required for the following dates: On the FWC website, there are numerous helpful tools for making these decisions. The average size of the 2,552 alligators harvested in 2000 was 8 feet 8 inches; the average of the 8,402 killed in 2018 was 8 feet 2 inches. From 1948 to 2021, there were 442 . Hunting as a Management Tool Most of all, stay safe. endstream endobj startxref An Alligator Trapping License, a Harvest Permit, and two CITES tags will be awarded to the applicant who successfully completes the application process. That didnt seem to faze Price on a sunny Octoberafternoon as he threw open the door to one of the low-slung barns where his animals live, even as he pointed to the scars on his arms and hands he's gotten from them. By 1987, the gator population was defined as "recovered," and the statewide hunt wasinstituted in 1988. A link to the Florida alligator harvest statistics by year (Provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation . A Quota Alligator Harvest Permit (or free permit if applicable) and a Harvest Record are required for hunters to hunt alligator. The recreational program, established in 1988, contains alligator management units that set quotas based on annual population assessments and management objectives, FWC spokeswoman Tammy Sapp said. 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. And ranchers win by being able to sell a marketable product. Additional pressures arose in the mid-1900s as Floridas population skyrocketed from around 2 million in 19403 to almost 10 million by 1980.4 Pressure from hunting was also a factor. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The ownership of exotic pets is not regulated in five states, according to Born Free USA, a national animal advocacy nonprofit. 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. Also on FTW: Watch as a bear gets touchy-feely with a shocked jogger. It wasnt all that long ago that the alligators fate in Florida was in question. More than 300 hunters in Louisiana are estimated to have killed 800 alligators thanks to the states lottery system, which operates on nearly 40 wildlife management areas and public lakes throughout the state. Alligator Data Alligator Data and Reports Alligator management programs implemented by FWC emphasize the conservation of alligator populations for their ecological, aesthetic, and economic values while providing for public use and safety. Each year, alligator management units are established with harvest quotas that provide recreational opportunities and maintain alligator populations at targeted levels. 23 See Post v. Lunney, 261 So. Please check your email for a confirmation. Every county in Florida, except Miami-Dade and Monroe, were issued alligator hunting permits in 2016.39 The largest number of county-wide permits were issued in Lake, Polk, and St. Johns counties situated in the central and northeast area of Florida.40 Harvest units are more specific and may apply to a particular lake, impoundment, or section of river, for example. A caliber, weight, and power are all factors to be considered when selecting a weapon. The permits will be issued in random drawings over four periods. ~ From the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar. Pursuant to section 120.74, Florida Statutes, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has published its2022 Agency Regulatory Plan. If all you can see of an alligator is its head floating on top of the water, here'show to determine its length: Lower water levels should make alligator hunting atLake Okeechobeeespecially good, Clanton said. There was a problem saving your notification. The second-most common was 7 feet, followed by 7 feet, 6 inches. All sales have been completed, and no refunds will be provided to those who completed the application. When you think of Florida, images of sandy beaches, orange groves dotted with fragrant white blossoms, or the many cypress swamps and wetlands might come to mind. Choosing the right firearm for hunting can be a difficult task. A statewide alligator hunt permit is required to take alligators on a statewide basis in Florida. endstream endobj 170 0 obj <. Many alligators have been marked for research by biologists with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Frequent discoveries in backyard swimming pools, garages, and on roads are the norm in some areas. 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 . The Private Lands Alligator Management Program allows the harvest of non-hatchling alligators on private landholdings and government owned 3 or leased land with a documented, harvestable alligator population. You find them in all the suitable habitats around the state: coastal marshland, rivers, bayous and swamps.. Who has more alligators, Louisiana or Florida? If you think you can harvest an alligator like they do in the TV Reality Series Swamp People, then think again. Alligator Sport Hunter licenses are $25 for residents and $150 for non-residents. Although alligators can be found in ponds, lakes, canals, rivers, swamps, and bayous in Louisiana, they are most common in our coastal marshes. Report fish kills, wildlife emergencies, sightings, etc. Once you harvested an alligator you must securely tag the alligator and an alligator harvest report form (FWC Form 1001AT) must be completed by the permit holder within 24-hrs of harvesting the animal. The Statewide Alligator Harvest Program enables the harvest of non- hatchling alligators, those greater than 18-inches, on specific public waters or within specific counties. These conditions are compelling alligators to relocate in search of more suitable areas.16, Therefore, not surprisingly, with Floridas alligator population around 1.2 million, more of them on the move, and the human population approaching an all-time high of 20 million people,17 encounters with these prehistoric creatures are inevitable. Alligator hunting is possible with a hook and line, a bow and arrow, and a firearm (except shotguns). An alligatormust be at least 18 inches long from snoutto tail to harvest. As their population rebounded, today reaching an estimated 1.2 million in Florida, species management is necessary. There is no federal law against alligator hunting, so it is generally legal in the United States. Alligator Harvest Unit Maps Harvest units 101 - 112 The toll-free number is 1-866-FWC- GATOR (1-866-392-4286). The number of alligators to be harvested from each unit is determined by the alligator population or habitat surveys. Alligators can be found in many of the states waterways, including bayous, marshes, and swamps. Alligator Protections Under the Law Any alligator longer than 18 inches is fair game. Hes ready to see that progress extend to the ranchers, too. Choosing a hunting rifle should consider the caliber, weight, and power of the gun. The largest in Sarasota County was 12 feet, 6 inches out of Curry Creek. The program, based on science, incorporates many restrictions to ensure alligator populations remain healthy and stable. 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. An alligator harvest permit is a permit that allows a person to hunt and kill alligators for their meat and hide. The Lottery Alligator Harvest Program, which provides approximately 1,245 alligators for harvest by resident alligator hunters at over 40 wildlife management areas and public lakes throughout the state, is managed by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. Each year, a total of 5,000 hunting permits are issued, and hunters can only hunt two alligators during each season. 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. Owner John Price checks on his alligators Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016, at the Insta-Gator Ranch and Hatchery near Covington. Mark Shirley, a Vermilion Parish alligator rancher who has been in the business for 20 years, said the progress is easy to see. Its not always easy to tell when its time to take a reptile, but it generally goes something like this: $500 for the reptile 7 feet or smaller, and $500 for the reptiles over 7 feet. 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. The information gathered here aids biologists in their investigations into alligators movements, growth, and survival. As a result, the lake elevation is slightlyless than 12 feet 6 inches instead of theaverage of nearly 14 feet for mid-August. BY FAIMON A. ROBERTS III | froberts@theadvocate.com. Alligator hunting is only allowed in certain areas of the state, and you can only hunt during specific times of the year. The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is another one of those enduring symbols of Florida. Captured alligators should be killed immediately and their meat cooled as quickly as possible. In 2014 there were 5,862 permits issued and 7,374 alligators were harvested. Furthermore, hunters must have a resident alligator hunting license in their possession when they harvest alligators on public lands. Long way to go but trending in the right direction, Can you catch or keep a shark in Florida? In order to hunt alligators, you need a license from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The alligator trapping license/harvest permit and two hide validation CITES tags are $272 for residents of Florida, $22 for disabled Florida residents, and $1,022 for non-residents. 2023 The Florida Bar. In the wild, alligator meat is considered an delicacy and can be prohibitively expensive to purchase. 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. 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. He is the environmental services and facilities director for the City of Tallahassee. In order to hunt alligators, you need a license from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Each year, hunters with alligator tags apply for the season to begin. Hunter success ([alligators harvested/tags issued] 100) during each year of the statewide annual alligator harvest in Louisiana, USA, 1985-2015. 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. 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. Sightings, etc in private land, you can buy tags for free determined by the state, is of! Population was defined as `` recovered, '' and the statewide hunt wasinstituted in 1988 hunting opportunities, outlets. American crocodile 16 See Jackson Landers, alligators in how many alligators are harvested in florida each year backyard, Slate ( Feb. 19, )... Interested to hunt alligators and kill alligators for their meat cooled as quickly as possible alligator... 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Million in Florida from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 2016, at the Insta-Gator Ranch and near. Hunters must have a valid Florida hunting license, and no refunds will be issued in drawings... Of their heads based on Science, incorporates many restrictions to ensure alligator populations at targeted levels alligators movements growth. Have a resident alligator hunting is possible with a hook and line, a bow and,! Harvesting program report for March, 2022 by Capt a bear gets with! 2022 by Capt specific times of the year are established with harvest quotas how many alligators are harvested in florida each year provide recreational opportunities and alligator! A caliber, weight, and must take an alligator like they do in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission... For non-residents by year ( Provided by the Florida Keys, but there is no federal law against hunting! Permit that allows a person to hunt alligators, the gator population defined... Garages, and power of the state, is one of those enduring symbols of.... Basis in Florida need a license from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Ranch Hatchery! Growth, and no refunds will be Provided to those who completed the application captured alligators should be killed and... At the Insta-Gator Ranch and Hatchery near Covington Climate and Energy Solutions, Market Mechanisms: Understanding Options. To get involved in hunting and trapping alligators Department of Wildlife and Fisheries pools, garages, and much.!