The Old Folks Home

[LTAY1946]

It's 66° outside now here near the FL/AL state line. Must be the Ice Age is returning again.

 

[ShrekDawg]

They’re considered endangered!? But there’s soooooo many!!!! LOL

 

[pertnear09]

I usually look at the local news on a daily basis. This year, there are an unusually high number of mentions about having to relocate alligators. This is followed by instructions on dealing with alligators. I've been saying for years, they are NOT endangered. The idiots that count them, have no idea how to find, and count them.

Alligators are primarily nocturnal, when it cools down from the high heat of the day. The local alligator counters got inflatable boats, small propellers to go on them, and drove them around a couple of the local lakes all day long. The next day, they moved on to a couple other lakes. Rinse, repeat, until they covered most of the lakes.

It never dawned on them that prior to their visual approach, upon hearing the noise from the propeller, the alligators that were floating on the surface, submerged themselves, until the rubber boats were gone. It never dawned on them that the ones resting on rocks, fallen tree branches, banks, etc., were sliding into the water to hide, before the boat ever got near enough to spot them. That's why we are now having an over-abundance of alligators.

It's confusing to the eco-nuts. Obviously with the high number of nuisance alligator complaints, it's a clear indication that they are not as endangered as believed, but their count indicates they are endangered. The eco-nuts have been forced to upgrade the alligator from endangered, to recovering. Maybe if they would learn how to count them, we woudn't be having so many nuisance problems with them, and so many complaints.

They're all just a bunch of nuts. It's amazing how ignorant those in charge are.

 

[pertnear09]

They need to Get A Clue about how to count gators. Soon every mud puddle will have its own gator.

I remember a TV series not that long ago about gator hunting. Cajun boys down on the bayou

 

[LTAY1946]

I remember a TV series not that long ago about gator hunting. Cajun boys down on the bayou

I watched a lot of them. Most entertaining. My dad hunted gators at night from a small boat with a 22 rifle. Shot them in the eye. Great Depression Era. Went to school with a kid whose dad hunted gators (poached) in the 50's - early 60's. He worked with my dad and would come to work covered in blood after skinning one he got the night before. People did what they did to survive back then.

 

[getaclue]

They need to Get A Clue about how to count gators. Soon every mud puddle will have its own gator.

It's already that way. Culverts in ditches are housing gators, every pond, and puddle of any size has gators. When the airport, and Air Force Base have to have large gators removed from their runways, twice in the last couple months, not to mention the multiple properties, and highways they've had to remove them from, it's very clear they are NOT endangered.

It's not uncommon to have some removed over the course of several months during mating season, but their mating season is just starting. When they're kept under control, there is enough food, and space for them, so they don't become such a problem.

 

[LTAY1946]

It's already that way. Culverts in ditches are housing gators, every pond, and puddle of any size has gators. When the airport, and Air Force Base have to have large gators removed from their runways, twice in the last couple months, not to mention the multiple properties, and highways they've had to remove them from, it's very clear they are NOT endangered.

It's not uncommon to have some removed over the course of several months during mating season, but their mating season is just starting. When they're kept under control, there is enough food, and space for them, so they don't become such a problem.

I've seen so many of them in FL roadside ditches in the last few decades. They are truly everywhere. At least they didn't follow me up to the land of my ancestors here in AL. There's no way they would be protected here by some ink on a piece of paper.

 

[getaclue]

You "shine" gators. Go out in the dark, sit real still for 20+ minutes, then use a high powered light, or flashlight to shine across the water. The red orbs are the gator eyes. Quietly, and gently paddle your boat to the eyes, and sit there quietly. If you're gentle, and quiet enough they'll stay put. If they do submerge, just wait quietly in the same area where you saw their eyes. They will resurface in the same spot.

 

[LTAY1946]

A kid I was in the HS band with could call gators with her saxaphone... I've listened to them bellow at night. What a lot of people don't know is just how fast a gator can run on dry land for a short distance. They could sure enough catch me but I'm never going to give them a chance. I got closer than I should have once to take a photo trying out a new camera lens. Afterwards I got nervous. I was over 20 years younger then and that big gator (12' or more) could have caught me. I wonder now if I still have that photo? I was in Lake Kissimmee State Park at the time.

 

[LTAY1946]

I'm guessing this is about a 10-11' gator that was part of a rodeo act down in Lakeland, FL. No way I'm getting in the ring with a bull gator. I was safe behind some steel bars.