MCgunner
Member
Florida is going to have open season on them I bet. There are too many people invading the gators territory and some are going to pay the price.
At the risk of sounding like a tree hugger, people are encroaching on their habitat and the GATORS have to go???? Well, whatever, I guess so.
I think it's much paranoia about nothing, though. I have swam around here in lakes where gators reside, rivers, fish all over the place. I've played chase the fishing cork with 'em. They ain't comin' up out of the water like a crock, don't happen. The attacks I know about were swimmers, so stay away from wild areas where there are gators for your swimming holes. They ain't gonna come a huntin' you at the campground swimming area. Heck, the local reservoir, lake Texana if any from Texas knows it, is full of gators and there's skiers, jet skis, swimmers out there all the time. Stay out in the open water or in the campground swimming area and you're fine. There are some places I don't swim over there. We had our pontoon/house boat docked at the marina over there for three summers and I'd sit out on the dock and watch the gators. One idiot hand fed one Cheetos all the time, despite warnings not to. That one coulda become a problem gator. He was about 3 feet at the time. But, as much activity as there is on that lake and as many gators as are in that lake, there's never been an incident with 'em there. I ran jug lines out in the lake when I'd go stay on the boat down there, take my little boat to do that. I was always in or on the water there. I fish all the time. I've never had a problem. I've almost stepped on snakes more'n once. I always look where I'm walkin, though. Saved a buddy from a cottonmouth once, too. He hasn't let me forget it. LOL He almost stepped right in the middle of that thing. We were duck hunting early in the season. I shot the snake's head off and we checked out the fangs, like little hypo needles. Wouldn't wanna get hit with that thing. I've had run ins with rattlers down here, too, lots of 'em. I worry a lot more about getting snake bit than alligator bit. I know people that have been snake bit, not a fun experience. I worry more about stepping on a sting ray or bumping into a man-o-war (that's not a fun experience, trust me!) than getting alligator bit.
Use your head, don't swim in wild areas where there are gators. But, you don't have to stay 50 feet away from all shorelines to be safe. You have much more chance of being struck by lightening than getting alligator bit, more chance of getting into it with a bear, more chance of getting in a wreck on the way to your fishing hole, more chance of getting in a plane crash, more chance of slipping in the shower and killing yourself, etc, etc, etc. Tens of thousands of people fish these waters around here every day. I'm going tomorrow night, drum run has started. I know of ONE alligator attack in 20 or so years. Don't provoke 'em, don't be stupid, avoid getting close to 'em, but there's no need to be totally paranoid, either.