WLBT 3 - Jackson, MS: The Great Alligator Hunt - Part Two

The Great Alligator Hunt - Part Two

By Bert Case - bio | email

Pearl River, MS (WLBT) - The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, estimates there are more than 8,000 alligators in Hinds, Rankin and Madison counties of Mississippi. 

The department trys to help mange the alligator population by catching the gators and tagging them to learn more about the prehistoric creatures. 

Corey Hunt traps alligators. He snagged one female alligator who bit the side of a metal boat, as she resisted being reeled in.  Hunt got the gator into the boat and Ricky Flynt, Alligator Program Coordinator for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, was thrilled to find that gator had been captured before, earlier this spring. 

"We captured this gator back in March, so this recapture of this alligator allows us to get information.  We know the last time we handled this alligator, know exactly what it's measurements were, we can date back and we are gonna measure it right now, and get some real precise measurements, we'll know how much it's grown," said Hunt.

Over 300 alligators have been tagged, 230 of them on the Pearl River.  Because of the ever increasing numbers of the alligator on the Pearl River and in the main lake, another alligator season has been opened up to allow the general public to hunt the gators.  This  year it will be in September and October.  

There has never been a documented case of an alligator attacking a human being in Mississippi, according to the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.  The Department cautions, however, do not try to capture an alligator, unless you have been trained to do so, and have the proper license.