# Hero Gator Hunter



## FISHP (Jul 23, 2013)

Its crazy, just saw on the news they are trying to find the guy who shot the gator that they positively identified as the gator that killed and ate part of that guy in Orange. TPW wants to prosecute for poaching. *** the guy did a service for the community TPW probably could t have found it.

I'm impressed this anonymous hero hunted it found it and killed it and left it on a boat ramp. Is TPW saying they would have not killed it ?? Would they just leave it alone?? I think the idiot that jumped in the water is totally at fault, but you cannot let a man eater just go free. If this guy gets caught I will give money to his defense fund. What has the world come to? There is reported to be 500,000 gators in SE TX. That one needed to go.


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

while I agree the dragon needed to be killed, just can not have people going off killing animals at will when accidents like this happen


the scene from Jaws pops into my head where all the shark fishermen are running around in boats, screaming, drinking, running into each other,,killing everything they can find


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## SharkBait >*)\\\><( (May 16, 2012)




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## therocket37 (Jun 12, 2013)

**** that gator glad someone killed it


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## gater (May 25, 2004)

*Gator*



FISHP said:


> Its crazy, just saw on the news they are trying to find the guy who shot the gator that they positively identified as the gator that killed and ate part of that guy in Orange. TPW wants to prosecute for poaching. *** the guy did a service for the community TPW probably could t have found it.
> 
> I'm impressed this anonymous hero hunted it found it and killed it and left it on a boat ramp. Is TPW saying they would have not killed it ?? Would they just leave it alone?? I think the idiot that jumped in the water is totally at fault, but you cannot let a man eater just go free. If this guy gets caught I will give money to his defense fund. What has the world come to? There is reported to be 500,000 gators in SE TX. That one needed to go.


There was no reason to kill the gator, no reason for the Parks and Wildlife to intervene. The gator was not in a residential neighborhood eating family pets, it was in its own enviroment doing what gators do. If your dumb enough to jump in the water when you have been warned your going to pay for it.


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## Court (Jul 16, 2011)

Gator just did what gators do in his environment & got killed because some idiot was being an idiot.


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## Gilbert (May 25, 2004)

gater said:


> There was no reason to kill the gator, no reason for the Parks and Wildlife to intervene. The gator was not in a residential neighborhood eating family pets, it was in its own enviroment doing what gators do. If your dumb enough to jump in the water when you have been warned your going to pay for it.


x2


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

X3


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## Im Headed South (Jun 28, 2006)

X4,


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## Reel Girl (Jan 7, 2013)

X5!!!!!


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## dan_wrider (Jun 21, 2011)

therocket37 said:


> **** that gator glad someone killed it


Sorry. I agree with this guy. Glad that gator is gone.


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## TranTheMan (Aug 17, 2009)

X6! The gater just tried to help that idiot won a Darwin Award! 
Hero? Far from it ... hope that they slap him with a big fine.


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## Capt. Adam Jaynes (Mar 6, 2008)

I clean fish just down the bayou from there on a regular basis, I am nearly certain it wasn't much of a "hunt." Those gators swim up as soon as you tie the boat to the dock. Plug in an electric fillet knife and they'll really swim up in a hurry!


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## rat race (Aug 10, 2006)

Court said:


> Gator just did what gators do in his environment & got killed because some idiot was being an idiot.


This ^^^^^

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## therocket37 (Jun 12, 2013)

Have a little respect for a deceased young man


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## fishguru00 (Aug 10, 2011)

Reel Girl said:


> X5!!!!!


X v6


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## claudejrc (Oct 10, 2009)

As crazy as I think this guy was for doing what he did, have a little compassion for the deceased. This world is always going to have people that do this kind of stuff. Jumping in the water when they know an Alligator is around, lighting off a firecracker on their head, try to cross a busy freeway during rush hour. It seems like some people are just marked.

What if that was a family member of yours, or a friend? I know nobody would want to think that they are related to or friends with someone that would do something like this, but we all know alcohol makes us do crazy ****.

Anyways - the remains of the man that was killed was found in the alligator. I say job well done to the hunter. That will give some closure to the family. I'm not saying that the gator needed to go, you're right that it was just doing what a gator does but I do think it was appropriate for the remains to be recovered. No need in searching for the guy that did it IMO. Gators have been killed for lesser crimes.


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## therocket37 (Jun 12, 2013)

"Just doing what gators do" oh wait, that's the first fatality from an alligator attack in tx history.... Come on maaaan what happened to the "don't worry about the alligators they'll leave you alone" line? I guess we can flip the script anytime there is an opportunity to make someone look stupid, classic logic right there.


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## tigerhead (Jun 17, 2005)

I agree. Texas gators are typically NOT man-eaters! If that would have been your 5 year old child it took off the bank you would be singing a different tune. Screw that. That gator needed to be taken out of the gene pool. What is wrong with you people? Is this some sort of nature lovers political correctness? Geez.


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## TexasSlam18 (Aug 26, 2010)

fishguru00 said:


> X v6


X7. There were signs everywhere for a reason. If there is a sign on top of a bridge that says don't jump off, and someone does, who is at fault? The person who jumped for not using common sense...

Gators feed at night, they are nesting, and I'm sure they fed that gator there. All great reasons to not jump in. So yeah... Great idea... Kill the gator for just doing what they do. Come on.


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## TexasSlam18 (Aug 26, 2010)

tigerhead said:


> I agree. Texas gators are typically NOT man-eaters! If that would have been your 5 year old child it took off the bank you would be singing a different tune. Screw that. That gator needed to be taken out of the gene pool. What is wrong with you people? Is this some sort of nature lovers political correctness? Geez.


I agree if he would have taken a kid, or anyone, off the bank it'd be a different story. But he didn't take anyone off the bank. The ole boy jumped with him. What do you expect?


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## tigerhead (Jun 17, 2005)

Ok, so the guy was stupid, but again, what if the next victim was a kid walking on the bank? Everyone would be hollering why didn't TPWD take the gator out. I'm telling you I grew up in Louisiana gator country and this just doesn't happen unless a gator has lost it's fear of humans. Then that gator becomes dangerous. They start seeing humans as a food source. If I even thought for a second that a gator was getting too bold around a boat ramp or whatever, I would remove the gator or kill the gator. That gator's life is not worth taking a chance on a human life being lost.


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## Reel Girl (Jan 7, 2013)

claudejrc said:


> As crazy as I think this guy was for doing what he did, have a little compassion for the deceased. This world is always going to have people that do this kind of stuff. Jumping in the water when they know an Alligator is around, lighting off a firecracker on their head, try to cross a busy freeway during rush hour. It seems like some people are just marked.
> 
> What if that was a family member of yours, or a friend? I know nobody would want to think that they are related to or friends with someone that would do something like this, but we all know alcohol makes us do crazy ****.
> 
> Anyways - the remains of the man that was killed was found in the alligator. I say job well done to the hunter. That will give some closure to the family. I'm not saying that the gator needed to go, you're right that it was just doing what a gator does but I do think it was appropriate for the remains to be recovered. No need in searching for the guy that did it IMO. Gators have been killed for lesser crimes.


I'd like to think that everyone here has at least the smallest amount of respect for anyone who has had an "untimely" death... I don't believe any of us are that heartless (whether or not a few casually written sentences convey that).

As far as I'm concerned, what happened is unfortunate for the deceased man and the alligator. My heart goes out to the man's family... and to Mother Nature when we lack the respect "she" deserves.


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## JimD (May 25, 2004)

I do feel sorry for the family and friends.


Is the gator out of his habitat or is it that people feed the gators that cause the gator to not be afraid and come to eat what people feed him. This includes some one jumping in the water where people feed gators.

We still need to be able to take a gator by drawing a permit. Shame the permits go to big land owners to sell or give away and it is against the law for the common man to get to harvest a big gator.


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## keithlake (Dec 8, 2009)

JimD said:


> I do feel sorry for the family and friends.
> 
> Is the gator out of his habitat or is it that people feed the gators that cause the gator to not be afraid and come to eat what people feed him. This includes some one jumping in the water where people feed gators
> 
> this


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## Minnow Pause (Sep 4, 2013)

TexasSlam18 said:


> X7. There were signs everywhere for a reason. If there is a sign on top of a bridge that says don't jump off, and someone does, who is at fault? The person who jumped for not using common sense...
> 
> Gators feed at night, they are nesting, and I'm sure they fed that gator there. All great reasons to not jump in. So yeah... Great idea... Kill the gator for just doing what they do. Come on.


 Wrong. Someone needs to shoot that bridge...


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## SKIPJACKSLAYER (Nov 19, 2013)

I agree. This gator needed to go. However it didn't need to be left dead on the boat ramp for all to see. i wanna know just how big this gator was though. There were a bunch of Gators behind my moms house on clear lake. Lots of little kids in this neighborhood too. It took someone's dog getting eating for TPWD to get involved and remove them. Thank god it wasn't a kid. Also had a gator eat a small trout I hooked under the lights at night( that was a long fun battle) he was about 6 ft long. That guy shouldn't have jumped in but what if he had fallen in? This would be a completely different conversation. Or what if it was a shark? would anyone show any sympathy then? Man kind comes first, even the not so bright ones.


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## JimD (May 25, 2004)

I disagree. 

The state should have taken the gator out and not relocated it,

BUT since we are very short on protected gators in Jefferson county the state may have trapped (it but gators move where they want to and in the spring the big bull gators run all the smaller male gators off to find their own spot) 

who is to say it would not show back up in another populated area and be a threat to those people since it was not afraid of people and been ruined by feeding it.

I would want a dissection of the gator to make sure that it is the guilty gator and that the right gator was taken.


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## peelin' drag (Oct 21, 2005)

I guess they should have waited until he started eating pets or unfortunately, somebody's child. Then you would probably have the Swamp People doing a tv show out here. Glad to hear the marina is raising money to pay for the poachers fine. Careful there boys, karma has no boundries.


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## Kyle 1974 (May 10, 2006)

it's a friggen lizard.... the king ranch has been wiping them out with "special" permits, just because they felt like it. this one killed a person. seems like a pretty good reason.


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

Yeah, lets destroy all guns and fireworks 'cause they killed people too.


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## southpaw (Feb 25, 2009)

therocket37 said:


> "Just doing what gators do" oh wait, that's the first fatality from an alligator attack in tx history.... Come on maaaan what happened to the "don't worry about the alligators they'll leave you alone" line?* I guess we can flip the script anytime there is an opportunity to make someone look stupid, classic logic right there.*


The victim kind of made himself look stupid when he said "F*ck that alligator" and jumped in the water at 3am, you know during a time when alligators are most active and all.

Someone died. Yes it's unfortunate and my heart goes out to the family and everyone that had to witness that. But I'm sorry to me, the guy was 100% at fault for what happened. There has to be a level of accountability here and it doesn't always have to fall on an animal that acts on instinct.


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## robolivar (Oct 7, 2011)

southpaw said:


> The victim kind of made himself look stupid when he said "F*ck that alligator" and jumped in the water at 3am, you know during a time when alligators are most active and all.
> 
> Someone died. Yes it's unfortunate and my heart goes out to the family and everyone that had to witness that. But I'm sorry to me, the guy was 100% at fault for what happened. There has to be a level of accountability here and it doesn't always have to fall on an animal that acts on instinct.


I agree. No one is saying the young man deserved to get eaten, just saying when you jump in a gator hole at night...youll probably get eaten and you cant really blame a gator for doing what they do.


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## cva34 (Dec 22, 2008)

robolivar said:


> I agree. No one is saying the young man deserved to get eaten, just saying when you jump in a gator hole at night...youll probably get eaten and you cant really blame a gator for doing what they do.


I have to agree..


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## shallowminded14 (Jun 24, 2015)

tigerhead said:


> Ok, so the guy was stupid, but again, what if the next victim was a kid walking on the bank? Everyone would be hollering why didn't TPWD take the gator out. I'm telling you I grew up in Louisiana gator country and this just doesn't happen unless a gator has lost it's fear of humans. Then that gator becomes dangerous. They start seeing humans as a food source. If I even thought for a second that a gator was getting too bold around a boat ramp or whatever, I would remove the gator or kill the gator. That gator's life is not worth taking a chance on a human life being lost.


X2


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## sharkinaggie (Jan 21, 2008)

southpaw said:


> The victim kind of made himself look stupid when he said "F*ck that alligator" and jumped in the water at 3am, you know during a time when alligators are most active and all.
> 
> Someone died. Yes it's unfortunate and my heart goes out to the family and everyone that had to witness that. But I'm sorry to me, the guy was 100% at fault for what happened. There has to be a level of accountability here and it doesn't always have to fall on an animal that acts on instinct.


Exactly. As human beings, we have the advantage of a higher level of conscious thought (well most of us anyway). Gators on the other hand do not have that kind of mental capacity. There is no reason for killing an animal for acting like an animal...mother nature made it that way for reason. You can call me a tree-hugging hippie all you want but that animal did not deserve to die because someone thought it was a good idea to go swimming in a gator hole at night. There is level of accountability here for sure!

-SA


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## baffin_boy23 (Aug 4, 2014)

"it's a friggen lizard.... the king ranch has been wiping them out with "special" permits, just because they felt like it. this one killed a person. seems like a pretty good reason."

Exactly, I have alot of friends who work on the ranch and have seen some monsters come out of the bigger ponds. Taking out 1 man eating gator isn't going to effect the population, permit or no permit you would hunt that thing down if it killed a family member or close friend of yours too. It's easy for people to say it's wrong when your not the one directly affected. Props to the guy who was able to take it out.


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## traceman (Jun 8, 2012)

Minnow Pause, thats the funniest thing ive heard all week.....good stuff!


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## Beaux (Oct 11, 2012)

I think it says it all when he was quoted saying "F**K that alligator!" He tempted fate and lost. The signs where there for a reason. Don't go tromping around in the gators house and you wont get eaten, plain and simple. Did that gator deserve to die? Probably not, he did what any other wild animal would do, gators gotta eat, same as the worms. Relocation was probably a better idea. Cant go off killing something for doing what it naturally does when someone stupid caused it. That gator never attacked anyone before, he wasn't actively hunting people or pets, but an easy meal was put in his face. How is this even a debate?

As for the guy that killed it, its not his job to go off all vigilante. I cant say that if it was my family I wouldn't be wearing some Alligator boots, but he broke a major game law. What did he think was gonna happen? It was hunted down after the fact when he was no longer an immediate threat.


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## robolivar (Oct 7, 2011)

Beaux said:


> How is this even a debate?
> 
> .


this is exactly what ive been thinking the whole time...


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## keithlake (Dec 8, 2009)

Sad someone died , worse for the family , but when they feed it & lure it in , what do you really expect to happen. Not too smart to swim with the gators. You don't chum the gulf & then jump in to swim with the Sharks either , at least I won't


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## keithlake (Dec 8, 2009)

& no hero for me killing it after training it to come to people. Died for no reason


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## Lucky (Sep 1, 2005)

Good points on both side, BUT.... If my son is walking on the bank minding his business and this alligator come out and gets him, now that it has the taste for humans, I would be ****** that it wasn't killed when the chance was given.


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## robolivar (Oct 7, 2011)

but thats not what happened, why even bring it up.


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## keithlake (Dec 8, 2009)

exactly


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## jetbuilt (May 4, 2010)

Lucky said:


> Good points on both side, BUT.... If my son is walking on the bank minding his business and this alligator come out and gets him, now that it has the taste for humans, I would be ****** that it wasn't killed when the chance was given.


If your son was walking on the bank, minding his own business, he would've noted the warning signs, and watching for gators would be a part of him minding his business.

The deceased, whom I have no pity for, tempted fate and lost. Play Russian roulette and you might shoot yourself. Play in traffic and you might get hit by a car. Jump in the water with a large gator that has grown accustomed to humans, in an area clearly designated as potentially dangerous, and you might end up dead. These animals haven't survived for approximately 200 million years by accident, they've carved out a niche role on our planet, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand the potential dangers involved with alligator encounters. The deceased 28 year old knowingly entered the territory of a predatory animal, during mating season, and presumably splashed around in the water during the alligators most active time of day. I can feel empathy for the family of the deceased, but I don't blame the alligator for following the instincts provided to him through millions of years of evolution.

Respect is earned, not given. based on his actions, I see no reason to "respect the deceased", nor the poacher.


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## jampen (Oct 12, 2012)

I guess I somewhat reluctantly come down on the side of safety. I hate that a large, mature animal lost it's life...but it did kill a man (ignorant as that man was) and who wants to wait and see if that was an isolated incident or if some switch got flipped in that gators brain to where it learned what a tasty and easy meal, people really are. 

Sad situation all the way around.


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## Jpaulp (Nov 14, 2012)

I think we can all agree the guy was dumb for jumping in the water but a gator that big around a marina or boat launch is asking for trouble. Should have been removed long before this happened in my opinion. Those of you saying that he was in his natural habitat and should have been left alone are morons. Gators that big don't just naturally hang around crowded areas. Apparently he was hanging around from people feeding him and I believe it is illegal to feed wild alligators. Fine the people who fed the thing and made him hang around.

Saying an 11 ft alligator hanging around at a crowded marina is in its natural habitat is equivalent to saying a mountain lion in someone's backyard is in its natural environment because there is a tree back there.


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## GoneSouth (Jun 4, 2010)

Jpaulp said:


> I think we can all agree the guy was dumb for jumping in the water but a gator that big around a marina or boat launch is asking for trouble. Should have been removed long before this happened in my opinion. Those of you saying that he was in his natural habitat and should have been left alone are morons. Gators that big don't just naturally hang around crowded areas. Apparently he was hanging around from people feeding him and I believe it is illegal to feed wild alligators. Fine the people who fed the thing and made him hang around.
> 
> Saying an 11 ft alligator hanging around at a crowded marina is in its natural habitat is equivalent to saying a mountain lion in someone's backyard is in its natural environment because there is a tree back there.


+1

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## robolivar (Oct 7, 2011)

Jpaulp said:


> I think we can all agree the guy was dumb for jumping in the water but a gator that big around a marina or boat launch is asking for trouble. Should have been removed long before this happened in my opinion. Those of you saying that he was in his natural habitat and should have been left alone are morons. Gators that big don't just naturally hang around crowded areas. Apparently he was hanging around from people feeding him and I believe it is illegal to feed wild alligators. Fine the people who fed the thing and made him hang around.
> 
> Saying an 11 ft alligator hanging around at a crowded marina is in its natural habitat is equivalent to saying a mountain lion in someone's backyard is in its natural environment because there is a tree back there.


a big gator in a texas bayou. sounds pretty natural to me. hence the signs......and the guy wasnt a newbie to that...he worked there at the restaurant


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

Jpaulp said:


> I think we can all agree the guy was dumb for jumping in the water but a gator that big around a marina or boat launch is asking for trouble. Should have been removed long before this happened in my opinion. Those of you saying that he was in his natural habitat and should have been left alone are morons. Gators that big don't just naturally hang around crowded areas. Apparently he was hanging around from people feeding him and I believe it is illegal to feed wild alligators. Fine the people who fed the thing and made him hang around.
> 
> Saying an 11 ft alligator hanging around at a crowded marina is in its natural habitat is equivalent to saying a mountain lion in someone's backyard is in its natural environment because there is a tree back there.


No, the morons are the ones that don't understand that we've expanded into their territory and feel they should leave or die.


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## Bayscout22 (Aug 9, 2007)

therocket37 said:


> "Just doing what gators do" oh wait, that's the first fatality from an alligator attack in tx history.... Come on maaaan what happened to the "don't worry about the alligators they'll leave you alone" line? I guess we can flip the script anytime there is an opportunity to make someone look stupid, classic logic right there.


Circular saws are not generally killers either. Unless you stick your hand in front of one.


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## Jpaulp (Nov 14, 2012)

robolivar said:


> a big gator in a texas bayou. sounds pretty natural to me. hence the signs......and the guy wasnt a newbie to that...he worked there at the restaurant


Clearly you are not a very strong reader so let me say it again. Gators that big do not naturally hang around crowded areas like a marina or restaurant. I agree that the guy is a moron but that doesn't change the fact that this gator needed to go. Whether it was trapped and relocated or shot by a buddy of this moron makes no difference to me.


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## Jpaulp (Nov 14, 2012)

spurgersalty said:


> No, the morons are the ones that don't understand that we've expanded into their territory and feel they should leave or die.


No the morons are the ones who think that a marina and restaurant are natural habitat for a gator that size. I've been around alligators my whole life and have seen a handful in person that size, not including ones we caught, and when I did see them it was not for a very long time. Those gators don't get that big by sitting at a marina and restaurant eating leftover hush puppies and french fries. They get big by secluding themselves from any sort of danger, people, boats, restaurants, marinas, etc. A gator that big around a populated area is a recipe for disaster. If it wasn't this guy then it would have been someone's dog or kid or some other idiot who jumped into swim.


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## robolivar (Oct 7, 2011)

Jpaulp said:


> Clearly you are not a very strong reader so let me say it again. Gators that big do not naturally hang around crowded areas like a marina or restaurant. I agree that the guy is a moron but that doesn't change the fact that this gator needed to go. Whether it was trapped and relocated or shot by a buddy of this moron makes no difference to me.


hey dont get mad. this is a discussion forum right...
I can read just fine...like when I read this

"Those of you saying that he was in his natural habitat and should have been left alone are morons"

to which I responded to.

NOW if there are signs up saying "*NO SWIMMING!! ALLIGATORS*", THEY ARE IN THIER HABITAT and the folks at the marina know that. it doenst make a damm difference what size that gator is. there is really no argument here...


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## jampen (Oct 12, 2012)

You can't ignore a dangerous animal, free roaming in a populated, public area


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## robolivar (Oct 7, 2011)

i agree Jampen, you cant ignore it. I think that if it or any other gators had been a big threat in the past, they would have removed them... but looks like everythings been cool for 100+ years till someone ignored signs and jumped in a gator hole at night


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## jampen (Oct 12, 2012)

Yeah, this is a unique situation. Alligators do kill people. Here is a list of fatalities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_alligator_attacks_in_the_United_States_by_decade

Interesting note...all of those were in Florida until last week

100 years of history w/o incident doesn't mean that this particular, hand-fed gator with a taste for human flesh could be trusted to not repeat


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## robolivar (Oct 7, 2011)

I guess what im trying to say is this wouldnt be a discussion at all and that gator probably would have died of old age not having ever tasted human flesh, IF the guy wouldnt have ignored the facts of life. If in fact, after tasting human, they get more aggressive towards us and go on the hunt, then yes, remove the gator or killem. Im no gator expert so i dont know if thats the way it is.

sorry to drag this out....I just have alot of time to discuss stuff today..haha


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## jampen (Oct 12, 2012)

I agree...there is no accounting for stupidity, but whose to say somebody won't fall out of their boat or old person or kid stumble in to water.

Several of those fatalities in Florida were old people with dementia wandering too close to a canal.


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## Momma's Worry (Aug 3, 2009)

*Gator*

Texas wardens must and will prosecute all poachers...this act is not going away....Judge and jury will decide punishment if it goes that far ....then any sympathizers can help out with the fines.....


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## HoustonKid (Dec 29, 2005)

Momma's Worry said:


> Texas wardens must and will prosecute all poachers...this act is not going away....Judge and jury will decide punishment if it goes that far ....then any sympathizers can help out with the fines.....


Just like they did to the GW who was illegally hunting then got shot by poachers..... Just saying.

http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=1537394

Now on topic. The gator had to be killed once it learned man is a food source. Sucks for the gator but don't be eating humans!


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## Jpaulp (Nov 14, 2012)

jampen said:


> I agree...there is no accounting for stupidity, but whose to say somebody won't fall out of their boat or old person or kid stumble in to water.
> 
> Several of those fatalities in Florida were old people with dementia wandering too close to a canal.


Yep that is what I am trying to say. That guy was an idiot for jumping in water but that gator should not have been allowed to hang around there. If it wasn't for this guy it would have been someone else or someone's pet.

And it does matter what size the gator is. I highly doubt a 5 foot hush puppy eater is going to kill a full grown man.


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## jetbuilt (May 4, 2010)

HoustonKid said:


> Just like they did to the GW who was illegally hunting then got shot by poachers..... Just saying.
> 
> http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=1537394
> 
> Now on topic. The gator had to be killed once it learned man is a food source. Sucks for the gator but don't be eating humans!


I'm sure we all read/interpret the article a little differently, but I don't think that the gator looked at that man as a food source. I also don't think it had been around the marina too long, can someone clarify? I think that big old (surely it was as old as the swimmer?) gator came across that marina this spring and took up a temporary camp, had an easy food source, and decided it was a good place to defend for a while. Add an early morning swimmer, into a defendable area, and the gator merely tasted the intruder while defending its new turf. Had that gator thought of that man as food, he would've consumed quite a bit more flesh in the 2 hours prior to body recovery on my humble opinion.


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## Crusader (Jan 31, 2014)

TexasSlam18 said:


> X7. There were signs everywhere for a reason.


Interesting... You see guys? This is what you get when you offload raising your kids to the system (government/etc) without having any control on who and how raises them -- you end up with a generation indoctrinated in way you did not expect. I bet all these 7 fervently believe humans destroy Earth and climate change will get us all in 15 years.


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## tigerhead (Jun 17, 2005)

I don't understand some of you people. All this talk about respecting the gators territory is bs. This is not the gators territory, this is a marina. Gators do not build marinas, people do. Gators do not utilize marinas, people do. The day that marina was built, that surrounding water became a people habitat. The marina did not hang those signs to protect the gator, they hung those signs to protect the humans. A gator has a very primitive brain. You can't trust a gator to respect your territory. It's no different than a rattlesnake in south Texas. If you build your home there you know rattlesnakes are going to be there, "in their natural habitat" as you say. So if one finds it's way into your back yard, you kill it or remove it. That's because your back yard is no longer the snakes habitat, it's your habitat! Rattlesnakes don't hunt humans or eat humans either, but you would be a total fool to let one coexist with you or your family in your habitat. A gators brain is no more advanced than a rattlesnake. I love nature and all of it's creatures, and I would never advocate killing gators for the hell of it, or even for the meat and hide for that matter. But all of this misguided sentiment for this gator is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. You're no smarter than the dumbass that dove in the water, because you're advocating ignoring a potential danger that could be avoided. I can't even fathom how you're reasoning makes any sense to you.


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

tigerhead said:


> I don't understand some of you people. All this talk about respecting the gators territory is bs. This is not the gators territory, this is a marina. Gators do not build marinas, people do. Gators do not utilize marinas, people do. The day that marina was built, that surrounding water became a people habitat. The marina did not hang those signs to protect the gator, they hung those signs to protect the humans. A gator has a very primitive brain. You can't trust a gator to respect your territory. It's no different than a rattlesnake in south Texas. If you build your home there you know rattlesnakes are going to be there, "in their natural habitat" as you say. So if one finds it's way into your back yard, you kill it or remove it. That's because your back yard is no longer the snakes habitat, it's your habitat! Rattlesnakes don't hunt humans or eat humans either, but you would be a total fool to let one coexist with you or your family in your habitat. A gators brain is no more advanced than a rattlesnake. I love nature and all of it's creatures, and I would never advocate killing gators for the hell of it, or even for the meat and hide for that matter. But all of this misguided sentiment for this gator is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. You're no smarter than the dumbass that dove in the water, because you're advocating ignoring a potential danger that could be avoided. I can't even fathom how you're reasoning makes any sense to you.


The dumbass jumped pretty much on top of the gator. Don't tempt fate...

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


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## sharkinaggie (Jan 21, 2008)

tigerhead said:


> I don't understand some of you people. All this talk about respecting the gators territory is bs. This is not the gators territory, this is a marina. Gators do not build marinas, people do. Gators do not utilize marinas, people do. The day that marina was built, that surrounding water became a people habitat. The marina did not hang those signs to protect the gator, they hung those signs to protect the humans. A gator has a very primitive brain. You can't trust a gator to respect your territory. It's no different than a rattlesnake in south Texas. If you build your home there you know rattlesnakes are going to be there, "in their natural habitat" as you say. So if one finds it's way into your back yard, you kill it or remove it. That's because your back yard is no longer the snakes habitat, it's your habitat! Rattlesnakes don't hunt humans or eat humans either, but you would be a total fool to let one coexist with you or your family in your habitat. A gators brain is no more advanced than a rattlesnake. I love nature and all of it's creatures, and I would never advocate killing gators for the hell of it, or even for the meat and hide for that matter. But all of this misguided sentiment for this gator is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. You're no smarter than the dumbass that dove in the water, because you're advocating ignoring a potential danger that could be avoided. I can't even fathom how you're reasoning makes any sense to you.


I won't even get started on how the area that the marina was built in was gator habitat LONG before the it was developed in to marina. You question the intelligence of those who have sentiment for the gator....well I can definitely say that I question yours as well. It was ignoring the potential danger of the animal by the individual in question that got him killed. Everyone else knew well enough to stay out of the water. Don't be upset with those of us who see that an animal was killed for being an animal. Seems to me that if it was a regular at the marina, it would have been very easy to catch and relocate the animal instead of killing it after the incident. I love more nature and all her critters as well (many are very tasty) however, if you CHOOSE to live in an area where potentially dangerous animals live aren't you then ignoring a potential danger that could have been avoided by not living there in the first place?

-SA


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## skinnywaterfishin (Jul 1, 2015)

No doubt the guy showed bad/no judgement.

Gotta kill a man eating gator though...no question. I don't care if it was just doing its gator thing in its habitat.

Say a little kid gets away from the parents' watchful eye and wades in a few feet...


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

sharkinaggie said:


> I won't even get started on how the area that the marina was built in was gator habitat LONG before the it was developed in to marina. You question the intelligence of those who have sentiment for the gator....well I can definitely say that I question yours as well. It was ignoring the potential danger of the animal by the individual in question that got him killed. Everyone else knew well enough to stay out of the water. Don't be upset with those of us who see that an animal was killed for being an animal. Seems to me that if he was a regular at the marina, it would have been very easy to catch and relocate the animal instead of killing it after the incident. I love more nature and all her critters as well (many are very tasty) however, if you CHOOSE to live in an area where potentially dangerous animals live aren't you then ignoring a potential danger that could have been avoided by not living there in the first place?
> 
> -SA


That just makes too much sense:spineyes:

Tigerhead, how long has that marina been there without someone's precious pet or child being attacked? Simple question, so don't convolute with your opinion or another attack on others intelligence.


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## robolivar (Oct 7, 2011)

crazy how different we think yet we all have one thing in common..fish. ironic how we have that one thing in common with gators... we all just wanna fish and dont like potlickers...some of us (not me) have even thrown heavy weights at folks potentially killing one another...again ironic...haha. seems as if we are all pretty territorial and appreciate others respect for our territory.


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## Rooster 1 (Jul 8, 2015)

robolivar said:


> this is exactly what ive been thinking the whole time...


X2


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## Jpaulp (Nov 14, 2012)

tigerhead said:


> I don't understand some of you people. All this talk about respecting the gators territory is bs. This is not the gators territory, this is a marina. Gators do not build marinas, people do. Gators do not utilize marinas, people do. The day that marina was built, that surrounding water became a people habitat. The marina did not hang those signs to protect the gator, they hung those signs to protect the humans. A gator has a very primitive brain. You can't trust a gator to respect your territory. It's no different than a rattlesnake in south Texas. If you build your home there you know rattlesnakes are going to be there, "in their natural habitat" as you say. So if one finds it's way into your back yard, you kill it or remove it. That's because your back yard is no longer the snakes habitat, it's your habitat! Rattlesnakes don't hunt humans or eat humans either, but you would be a total fool to let one coexist with you or your family in your habitat. A gators brain is no more advanced than a rattlesnake. I love nature and all of it's creatures, and I would never advocate killing gators for the hell of it, or even for the meat and hide for that matter. But all of this misguided sentiment for this gator is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. You're no smarter than the dumbass that dove in the water, because you're advocating ignoring a potential danger that could be avoided. I can't even fathom how you're reasoning makes any sense to you.


X2

Tigerhead, some people argue just to argue I think. I don't understand how people think this gator should have been allowed to live after killing a man, whether he was an idiot or not. That gator did not belong in that populated area.

I think one thing we can all agree on is that the guy who jumped in the water made a very bad decision.

Here is a link to a video with the guy who killed it. I would have done the same thing he did.

http://abc13.com/836338/


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## TexasSlam18 (Aug 26, 2010)

Crusader said:


> Interesting... You see guys? This is what you get when you offload raising your kids to the system (government/etc) without having any control on who and how raises them -- you end up with a generation indoctrinated in way you did not expect. I bet all these 7 fervently believe humans destroy Earth and climate change will get us all in 15 years.


Great logic!!! Hahaha.

So everyone that is saying the the gator was living in people's territory and doesn't deserve to live there etc. If you are laying in bed, sitting at your dinner table, whatever... And someone comes and jumps on you and then out of reaction you shoot them, do you deserve prison or death penalty?

I'm by no means a tree hugger or whatever you want to call it. I just believe in conservation (letting big fish go, letting small deer walk, and not killing because you think it's right) I'm just as big of a hunter as the next guy, and I have hunted gators, legally, but I don't think you should just be able to kill gators because you imposed on its space. And obviously many agree because the person who killed the gator was prosecuted.. Everyone will obviously have different opinions, look at the world. No reason to "throw stones" because you disagree Crusader.

IF the gator would have drug someone off the bank or something of that nature, yes I agree something would have needed to be done... but jumping on top of a 11' gator and then getting mad at it for reacting? Somehow that means I was raised improperly?


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

If it makes some of you feel better that the gator got killed, so be it. Pitch in and help the guy pay his fine. When he decided to shoot the gator that was a chance he took, he knew it was illegal.


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## poppadawg (Aug 10, 2007)

The gator was trained that anything that hits the water is food. gator gots to go. As a wise man once said "F that gator".


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## southpaw (Feb 25, 2009)

tigerhead said:


> I don't understand some of you people. All this talk about respecting the gators territory is bs. This is not the gators territory, this is a marina. Gators do not build marinas, people do. Gators do not utilize marinas, people do. The day that marina was built, that surrounding water became a people habitat. The marina did not hang those signs to protect the gator, they hung those signs to protect the humans. A gator has a very primitive brain. You can't trust a gator to respect your territory. It's no different than a rattlesnake in south Texas. If you build your home there you know rattlesnakes are going to be there, "in their natural habitat" as you say. So if one finds it's way into your back yard, you kill it or remove it. That's because your back yard is no longer the snakes habitat, it's your habitat! Rattlesnakes don't hunt humans or eat humans either, but you would be a total fool to let one coexist with you or your family in your habitat. A gators brain is no more advanced than a rattlesnake. I love nature and all of it's creatures, and I would never advocate killing gators for the hell of it, or even for the meat and hide for that matter. But all of this misguided sentiment for this gator is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. You're no smarter than the dumbass that dove in the water, because you're advocating ignoring a potential danger that could be avoided. I can't even fathom how you're reasoning makes any sense to you.


I agree and disagree with you. When humans decide to live in a dangerous animal's habitat, whether it be a bayou, rattlesnake country, spider country, etc they are assuming a degree of risk. If I build a house in rattlesnake or gator country, I assume a risk that I or one of my family members may have a dangerous, possibly deadly encounter with that animal. After all, you are encroaching on their natural habitat so you have to expect at some point to have some sort of contact with that animal. I'll do everything I can to mitigate those risks and contact but there's no way to completely eliminate them. You're not going to go on a rattlesnake or gator killing spree (although I'd go on a spider killing spree) so at some point you'll have to learn to co-habitate to an extent. Humans are the intelligent ones, we have to do our jobs to be smart about knowing the risks and mitigating them knowing that we are living in an area with that animal. There's a degree of respect you have for the animal and the danger they present. On the other side of the coin, the animal acts on instinct and just wants to feed and f**k. He doesn't have respect for your space and can't make intelligent decisions so when he violates your space or presents a real threat, eliminate it.

However, in my opinion, this guy getting killed by a resident gator bc he jumped in the water at 2AM during their mating season is not necessarily the same as a rattlesnake being in your backyard. More like someone moving down a trail, hearing and seeing a coiled up rattlesnake in the middle of the trail and walking over it anyways. He took the risk and paid for it with his life. So in that regard, I'm kind of on the fence about killing the alligator, bc its hard to say whether or not that gator would've ever attacked a human had a human not been an idiot. Seems like people there had been coexisting with it for awhile. Sure, we could speculate that it might have attacked a child or dog or person, but you'd have to be a little dense to let your small child or dog play by the water's edge or go swimming in a body of water that you know has gators of any size swimming around in. Much like I wouldn't let me kid go trudging around in tall grass that I know rattlesnakes live in. In that same breath though, now that it had proven to be a threat (even though Tommie turned it into a threat) I can see the argument for killing the gator. I can also see why the guy who killed the gator did so. To him, he was eliminating what he saw no longer as a risk but a threat to his children, although he did it illegally.

For the sake of civil discourse I'll bring up Brazos Bend State park. There's probably thousands of gators in the waters of that park and some big ones at that. Tons of people visit that park yearly to look at the alligators and I can guarantee you that people feed them. Yet I don't think I've ever heard of anyone being attacked there since it opened up in the 80s. Why is this? Probably because people there do at least a half decent job of knowing and mitigating the risks of going to a park filled with alligators.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

> I won't even get started on how the area that the marina was built in was gator habitat LONG before the it was developed in to marina. You question the intelligence of those who have sentiment for the gator....well I can definitely say that I question yours as well. It was ignoring the potential danger of the animal by the individual in question that got him killed. Everyone else knew well enough to stay out of the water. Don't be upset with those of us who see that an animal was killed for being an animal. Seems to me that if it was a regular at the marina, it would have been very easy to catch and relocate the animal instead of killing it after the incident. I love more nature and all her critters as well (many are very tasty) however, if you CHOOSE to live in an area where potentially dangerous animals live aren't you then ignoring a potential danger that could have been avoided by not living there in the first place?


There are more gators out there than could be killed, skinned and eaten. If you want to protect gators move them out and into a state park like Bayou Bend.

For me they're just pests, same as sharks.

TH


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

southpaw said:


> I agree and disagree with you. When humans decide to live in a dangerous animal's habitat, whether it be a bayou, rattlesnake country, spider country, etc they are assuming a degree of risk. If I build a house in rattlesnake or gator country, I assume a risk that I or one of my family members may have a dangerous, possibly deadly encounter with that animal. After all, you are encroaching on their natural habitat so you have to expect at some point to have some sort of contact with that animal. I'll do everything I can to mitigate those risks and contact but there's no way to completely eliminate them. You're not going to go on a rattlesnake or gator killing spree (although I'd go on a spider killing spree) so at some point you'll have to learn to co-habitate to an extent. Humans are the intelligent ones, we have to do our jobs to be smart about knowing the risks and mitigating them knowing that we are living in an area with that animal. There's a degree of respect you have for the animal and the danger they present. On the other side of the coin, the animal acts on instinct and just wants to feed and f**k. He doesn't have respect for your space and can't make intelligent decisions so when he violates your space or presents a real threat, eliminate it.
> 
> However, in my opinion, this guy getting killed by a resident gator bc he jumped in the water at 2AM during their mating season is not necessarily the same as a rattlesnake being in your backyard. More like someone moving down a trail, hearing and seeing a coiled up rattlesnake in the middle of the trail and walking over it anyways. He took the risk and paid for it with his life. So in that regard, I'm kind of on the fence about killing the alligator, bc its hard to say whether or not that gator would've ever attacked a human had a human not been an idiot. Seems like people there had been coexisting with it for awhile. Sure, we could speculate that it might have attacked a child or dog or person, but you'd have to be a little dense to let your small child or dog play by the water's edge or go swimming in a body of water that you know has gators of any size swimming around in. Much like I wouldn't let me kid go trudging around in tall grass that I know rattlesnakes live in. In that same breath though, now that it had proven to be a threat (even though Tommie turned it into a threat) I can see the argument for killing the gator. I can also see why the guy who killed the gator did so. To him, he was eliminating what he saw no longer as a risk but a threat to his children, although he did it illegally.
> 
> For the sake of civil discourse I'll bring up Brazos Bend State park. There's probably thousands of gators in the waters of that park and some big ones at that. Tons of people visit that park yearly to look at the alligators and I can guarantee you that people feed them. Yet I don't think I've ever heard of anyone being attacked there since it opened up in the 80s. Why is this? Probably because people there do at least a half decent job of knowing and mitigating the risks of going to a park filled with alligators.


And hopefully a drunk East Texas ******* does not jump in at night and it probably will not happen.


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## poppadawg (Aug 10, 2007)

If a gator in Brazos bend killed someone, that would be a dead gator. No matter how at fault or stupid the person was.


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## Jpaulp (Nov 14, 2012)

http://www.12newsnow.com/story/29511460/texas-game-wardens-wrap-up-alligator-attack-investigation


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## Crusader (Jan 31, 2014)

TexasSlam18 said:


> I'm by no means a tree hugger or whatever you want to call it. I just believe in conservation (letting big fish go, letting small deer walk, and not killing because you think it's right) I'm just as big of a hunter as the next guy, and I have hunted gators, legally, but I don't think you should just be able to kill gators because you imposed on its space. And obviously many agree because the person who killed the gator was prosecuted.. Everyone will obviously have different opinions, look at the world. No reason to "throw stones" because you disagree Crusader.
> 
> IF the gator would have drug someone off the bank or something of that nature, yes I agree something would have needed to be done... but jumping on top of a 11' gator and then getting mad at it for reacting? Somehow that means I was raised improperly?


I just said that you were indoctrinated with different ideology ("conservation" in your case). Your grandpa would have shot the critter without second thought.

Not gonna argue with you on other points, one day you will get older, wiser and your opinion may change.


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## Court (Jul 16, 2011)

Let's go kill all the sharks-Same mentality.


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## gater (May 25, 2004)

*Gator*



TexasSlam18 said:


> I agree if he would have taken a kid, or anyone, off the bank it'd be a different story. But he didn't take anyone off the bank. The ole boy jumped with him. What do you expect?


Totally different, that is the sign of an over aggressivel alligator and would need to be shot or captured and relocated. Alligators being fed everyday are not the same as one you come across wade fishing. They are normally shy and will keep their distance EXCEPT during mating and nesting season when they are more aggresive and territorial. I feel for the young mans family and not wanting to be a tree hugger here but everytime a WILD animal kills a human in the WILD you think the animal needs to be shot.

It's one thing if it's in the backyard swimming pool or in the neighborhood swimming hole where they shouldn't be. But when it's in its normal enviroment minding it's own business and you know they are there and you have been warned they are there and you you have been warned not to swim there who's at fault, not the alligator!


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## bill (May 21, 2004)

Hero?


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## TexasSlam18 (Aug 26, 2010)

Crusader said:


> Your grandpa would have shot the critter without second thought.


I'm sure there are multiple people that have the same view as me that are older than you.. It's a difference of opinion, not a matter of age.

With respect to my late grandpa, he also used to deal directly with benzine which led to him passing on. Times have changed and people have learned what right and wrong with time and technological advances.. since I'm "young" doesn't mean anything except I can learn from previous generations mistakes. That's all I'm going to say about this topic.


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## Tator Salad (Apr 13, 2008)

The man who killed the gator is one of the Texas boys on Swamp People. My son noticed the name and face.On the radio this am , a game warden said there would be like a 50$ fine for him.


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## skinnywaterfishin (Jul 1, 2015)

A small child grabs a dog, pulls its ears, nuzzles its face and then gets badly bitten/attacked.

What happens to that dog?

Stupid child should know better.

What happens to black and grizzly bears when dumb people do dumb things around them and they get mauled and killed?


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## EdK (Jun 20, 2012)

After a wild animal realizes humans are a viable food source they have to be destroyed irrespective of whether the decedent was doing something foolish. Wild animals repeat whats successful and puts food in their belly.

Reminds one of this stupidity:


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## mchildress (Jul 11, 2009)

It is one thing if an animal is protecting its nest or mate and runs someone off but when one starts eating people it has to go.


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

Tator Salad said:


> The man who killed the gator is one of the Texas boys on Swamp People. My son noticed the name and face.On the radio this am , a game warden said there would be like a 50$ fine for him.


According to the article above,; " The alligator suspected of attacking Woodard was killed by a man who told investigators he acted out of concern for the safety of his family and others. Game wardens issued a warning citation to the individual for the illegal take of the alligator; his identity is being withheld since no criminal charges were filed."


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## gater (May 25, 2004)

*Gator*



Jpaulp said:


> X2
> 
> Tigerhead, some people argue just to argue I think. I don't understand how people think this gator should have been allowed to live after killing a man, whether he was an idiot or not. That gator did not belong in that populated area.
> 
> ...


Populated area, it's in the freaking swamp, there are more alligators than people. Should the guy go down there tonight and shoot the other 30-40 gators hanging around there just in case next week some other not so bright individual decides to go for a midnight swim in a gator pool.


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## poppadawg (Aug 10, 2007)

gater said:


> Populated area, it's in the freaking swamp, there are more alligators than people. Should the guy go down there tonight and shoot the other 30-40 gators hanging around there just in case next week some other not so bright individual decides to go for a midnight swim in a gator pool.


Just the ones that have killed humans

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## LongTallTexan (May 19, 2009)

Populated area or middle of no where doesn't matter. Gators fault or Swimmers fault doesn't matter.

Fact is, that gator killed someone. He proved himself to be a man-eater. He had to go. 

Good job to the dude that got him.


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## Crusader (Jan 31, 2014)

http://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20150709a

I am glad Texas uses common sense and overly emotional people (who tend to anthropomorphise animals) do not have too much influence here. Proud to end up here among rational ones.

Kudos to TPWD. Seriously, thank you, guys! It is not the first time you beat my pessimistic expectations. I am gonna make a donation to TPWD.


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## keithlake (Dec 8, 2009)

Tator Salad said:


> The man who killed the gator is one of the Texas boys on Swamp People. My son noticed the name and face.On the radio this am , a game warden said there would be like a 50$ fine for him.


This is not true. Mr. Hatcher , aka BIGFOOT on Swamp People , was called in by TPWD after the gator was killed


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## roundman (May 21, 2004)

http://abc13.com/news/gator-killer-tells-abc-13-why-he-pulled-trigger/836338/


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## JimD (May 25, 2004)

Doubt you could find 12 people to find him guilty in a jury trial. 
Parks and Wildlife did the right thing. 

Still be nice to have county drawings to thin the population.


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## keithlake (Dec 8, 2009)

LongTallTexan said:


> Populated area or middle of no where doesn't matter. Gators fault or Swimmers fault doesn't matter.
> 
> Fact is, that gator killed someone. He proved himself to be a man-eater. He had to go.
> 
> Good job to the dude that got him.


After they feed it what would you think the gator or gators will do? there is a reason it is illegal to feed them. The people there trained that gator to come to people


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## FISHP (Jul 23, 2013)

Its funny how people seem to have a sense of fairness when it comes to this gator. As if its not fair to kill the gator because he is just doing what gators do so he doesn't deserve to die. We are on a fishing message board we all fish and hunt, those fish I'm gonna catch this week end surely don't deserve to end up in my skillet if you apply that sentiment to my fishing. 

"Deserves got nothin to do with it" Will Mundy to Little Bill in Unforgiven, a great movie line. 

Its that simple, there is no fairness, there is no deserves, we hunt we fish we kill for sport it has nothing to do with the animal or anything the animal has done. I don't understand placing any more value or sense of fairness in consideration of this gator than you place on taking any other wild animal of any sort or reason. 

Millions of gators have been taken for money and I'm sure they were all in natural habitat doing what gators do. Where is the concern for that?
This gator had to go, it killed a man, its taking has no impact on conservation or wildlife management efforts any more than killing a deer or catching a fish. 

If you feel that the Gator didn't get a fair shake how can you go yanking fish out of the water? I truly cannot connect the logic.


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## Crusader (Jan 31, 2014)

keithlake said:


> After they feed it what would you think the gator or gators will do? there is a reason it is illegal to feed them. The people there trained that gator to come to people


And you propose yo let him go after he killed a man? Yeah, it is a catch 22 for the gator. Life is not fair, especially if you aren't human. Get over it.


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## keithlake (Dec 8, 2009)

Sad for the family he made a very bad or not so smart choice to swim with the big gator. Myself I call that plain STUPID. But really , gator was taught to come & get it when people showed up. Yes , it had to be taken but the people that fed or trained it that way should also be held accountable, but they won't. Again , really bad for the friends & family , but still a dumba$$. I'm over it


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