Somewhere along the confluence of gnarly hunting expeditions and deep-seeded tradition lies the storied culture of gator hunting in the South. As yet another season is now underway across many regions, there are some seriously massive dinosaurs being hauled out of the swamps.
The likes of some that have never been retrieved before.
The Mississippi Monster
With Mississippi’s hunting season kicking off slightly earlier than others, four hunters in the central zone got after it without hesitation.
Tanner White of Flora, Don Woods of Oxford, Will Thomas of Madison, and Joey Clark of Jackson got down to business on the Yazoo River in the West Central Alligator Hunting Zone last month and got themselves into something big.
The alligator was spotted as they began their hunt in an area in which they admittedly didn’t have a lot of experience. Judging from what they could see along the top of the water, the men initially estimated the gator to be about 12 feet in length – a large gator by any estimations.
“We saw him early in the evening. We didn’t know about him previously,” Thomas told Fox and Friends.
“We knew we were in a good spot, and so, we kind of scouted before it got dark,” he said.
“One of the team members, Joey Clark, was the first to spot this alligator. And we knew he was at least 12 feet,” Thomas continued.
The team went after the gator and after a 7-hour battle quickly came to the conclusion that their catch might very well be a state record. The reptile was hauled aboard their boat and brought into Red Antler Processing where its size captured the attention of many.
Following some detailed measurements, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP) later announced that the gator now held the state record for longest male alligator ever harvested.
“He measured 14 feet and 3 inches long, with a belly girth of 66 inches and tail girth of 46.5 inches. He weighed 802.5 lbs,” the MDWFP wrote in the agency’s Facebook announcement.
The Florida T-Rex
“We’re standing in the bottom of the johnboat, and I’m only 5 foot 3, so I was eye-to-eye with what felt like a T-Rex”
That was the quote from longtime gator guide Capt. Kevin Brotz last week after hauling in what is believed to be the second largest gator ever captured in the Sunshine State. Working the waters around the outskirts of Orlando for the better part of his life, Brotz and a pair of old friends headed out into an area he had longed to hunt.
Having an extra tag, the trio set out in an attempt to catch something truly special and that’s exactly how it went down. The spotted the massive gator and began casting his way in an attempt to get some hooks into him. After about an hour and a half of playing around, they finally were able to hook him, leading to the battle with the beast.
After three or four hours, they finally had the massive gator on the surface and were able to dispatch him safely. After spending some time untangling the gator, they were able to carefully tow him to shore and get a good look at him.
It wasn’t until the following morning that the crew was able to weigh the alligator. According to the scales, the gator weighed in at a whopping 900 pounds, just shy of the state record of a 1,043 pound gator that was taken way back in 1977.
If the measurements hold up, Florida wildlife officials believe it will take the spot of the second largest gator in the state’s history. Once the weight is official and the gator in the record books, Brotz is planning a full-body mount so as to preserve the sheer size of the animal forever.“It was an easy decision. There’s only one thing to do with a gator that big,” Brotz said. “He will live forever in the house as a reminder of the beast that he is.”
