Alligator in the Pond

[Texas Ranger]

Danny, I am sorry, just cannot help it.  Your pretty spry for an old retired forester. 8) You opened the door, and here I am.

[WDH]

Old and spry is not a bad combination  :D.

[thecfarm]

Jeff is about to go on his road trip. Wait for him to get there,and than tell him he has to catch dinner.  ;D

[isawlogs]

 Once its caught , tell um he needs to fix it. He should know how he watched the Swamp people do it.  ;)

[Mooseherder]

We had 2 alligators in the pond today.  One was bigger than the other and the bigger one got away.
The smaller one was captured and released in the back canal.
Here is the one that got away. :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMTJV2aBI30&feature=youtube

[WDH]

Shoot em, Elizabeth, shoot em!

[Norm]

That bigger one is eating size!

[Mooseherder]

Here is the one caught and released.
The video I took of this one is only able to be viewed on my camera for some reason.
It doesn't play on my computer or let me upload it to movie maker or utube. :
This last clip was at the very end of it.  Too bad because it was an interesting catch.
It was hooked under the front arm and was quite a challenge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1mggHi9_0Q&feature=youtube

[Mooseherder]

This guy has been hanging out in between our pond and our neighbor's pond.
I had set up a game cam on a small Palm tree on the other side to try and get pictures of him up close but he hasn't been to that side since I put it up.  The Cam did catch a Raccoon on Saturday night.  The Raccoon is dead today down by the canal and now surrounded by Buzzards. :
Either a turtle bit him, the gator or snake?
Here is a picture of the gator.  He is slim but around 5 foot with the tail.



 

[WH_Conley]

And you don't have him on the grill?

[Mooseherder]

Too many folks within earshot of the bang. ;D

[doctorb]

I thought the raccoon was already dead! :D :D

[Mooseherder]

I have a picture of that poor raccoon alive. It's on the card of the game cam next to the pond.  Too dark to go retrieve it at the moment. :D

[Texas Ranger]

Went to a wild game supper Saturday night, where one of the offerings was coon.  Bar-b-cued.  Well folks, I have eaten coon before, and it has not changed, it  is tough, and will work your jaw muscles.

Gator is wet land chicken, only red meat.

Oh, at the dinner, black buck and elk wraps were spectacular.

[WDH]

Glenn,

Alligator pizza done in your outside oven would be nice  ;D.

[Mooseherder]

At the rate these gators show up here there could be a full blown Pizza party.
I've tasted gator a couple times at restaurants.  I like grits much better. ;D

[Mooseherder]

My wife had noticed a small Alligator sunning itself a few days ago on the bank so I reinserted the video card in the game camera that had been by the pond for a couple months.  I had taken the card out last weekend and the only thing on it was birds, a couple of raccoons,  my neighbor and me mowing our yards and a picture of a canal maintenance truck.  No gators on it.
Last night when I got home a small gator was sunning himself and I went down and got a real short video just before he jumped into the pond.
When I got home tonight, the pond was surrounded by people.  My neighbor had called the Acme gator people.  I'll keep their real business name out of it but it did include the word Hook in it.  This was a ragtag couple who apparently had been around my pond all afternoon trying to catch 2 Alligators.  Seems the larger gator moved over from my neighbors after he had harassed it some.  They were trying to catch these gators with hookless bait that was in a ball and tied to the end of a fishing rod.  So much for that hook word associated with their business.  They must have felt uncomfortable at my arrival and left within minutes.  This is the third group my neighbor has called in.  The first guy was successful and left with a gator.  He was a one-armed person by himself.  The second group a few months ago didn't come close either.  My son in law Kevin is a gator catching machine when around with a little help from me.  Fat chance of that happening with Acme around.
I'm hoping they trek back to my neighbors tonight.  The game cam is set up and should trigger if they cross.
This is a real short video of the small gator jumping into the pond last night.
If you blink, you will miss it.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5GIMeI20lE&feature=player_detailpage

[fishpharmer]

Gonna start calling you gatorherder. ;)  I caught a glimpse, that is a speedy gator.

Recently watched a minute or two of a show with gator catchers that didn't use hooks, they wrastled them.  Said it was more humane.  He had only been bit a half dozen times or so.  I will get their number for your neighbor next time I see the show :D.

[Mooseherder]

Kevin usually catches them the same way he catches Bass.  Sets the hook in their tough mouth on a wire leader and drags them to shore.
I forgot to mention my neighbor Wayne saw the larger gator eat a Turkey Vulture yesterday.
Gatorherder----kinda catchy.

[Al_Smith]

Raccoon is a greasey pot licker .You about have to roast it on a rack slow and for a long time .

The gator I've had did not taste any more like chicken than they say turtle neck meat does .It tasted like gator .Kind of fishy in a reptilian sort of way .I'll bet his hide would make nice western style of boots though .

[WDH]

Kind of fishy in a reptilian sort of way.

Kinda like a few wood customers that have stopped by  .

[Al_Smith]

Ah sooo ,snake in the grass  in a fishy type way .

Tell me now why do a majority of people think some things taste like a chicken ? Like a bull frog .A frog tastes like a frog .If it tasted like a chicken it would have feathers .

[isawlogs]

 Al. guess some people just don't eat chicken, and try to dream what chicken should or might taste like.

[WDH]

Maybe Glenn can serve you up some gator when you come to Florida, fresh out of the pond.  Maybe some gator pizza in his new oven  :D.

[Mooseherder]

If Marcel comes to South Florida I'll cook the man whatever he wants including dat nasty reptile. ;)