Last Thursday I was out at the range teaching area on a field trip. Dr. Rector noted that the tank out there had had about a 6' alligator in it. Apparently a larger tank nearby had one or two 8 footers.

Let that soak in. Brazos County. <1,000' from Easterwood Airport. Alligators. Seemed out of place to me but Dr. Rector knows his $&!%.

I'd thought that gators would only be really common much closer to the coast. Now I'm thinking they may be in every half acre tank with a fish population as far inland as You Name It County. Being outside of the 22 county core area (meaning a longer season) I'm thinking a gator hunting lease may be high on my list of things to get.

What say the OB?

I've seen gators in the ocean (yes salt water) in Laguna Vista. That's 20 miles from South Padre Island.

They can live in almost any water that stays warm enough.

They catch one every few years in the area parks around CS. They are alot more common than you would think.

I remember them being out there when I was a student ('06). Rumor was a prof introduced them. Glad to see they've grown

They are in quite a few areas around the Metroplex. Two huge gators were killed last year in Kaufman county. The Grimes/Brazos/Madison counties accounts for quite a few of the non-core alligators. The area around Gus Engling WMA was the site of an inland alligator population study years ago. There is another decent population up around parts of Smith/Wood/Upshur counties. All around East Texas there are pockets of alligators.

And there was a gator in that tank at least back in the late 90's.

Alrighty then! Anybody want to let a working student hunt gators in their tank in the Brazos/Washington/Grimes County area come the end of the semester? Unfortunately, I don't have time during the semester.

Normal... To sustain a population of gators you wouldn't really be able to have a lease just for them. Core county areas are given tags during the season and if one is killed I think it has to be called in and a GW comes out or it goes to a check station.

In non core counties you can kill them without regard but I think in order to have them processed (professionally/commerocally) a GW has to come out and inspect it. If you kill one in a protection event you are suppose to alert the GW and I think you can't keep it either.

But yea there are gators up in brazos county an further north. They require much more than just fish to survive so they are not going to be in lots of general stock tanks. They will also need to be a reasonably short distance (<2-3miles) from a major body of water; either a river or river fed lake (Conroe/Livingston). Lots of times these gators like the one in that range pond won't breed for some reason even if mates are available.

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The area around Gus Engling WMA was the site of an inland alligator population study years ago

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They sometimes make trotlining on Catfish Creek an exercise in futility.

And when I say they account for "quite a few", I mean like 10-15 for all three combined.

As Oneandonly mentioned, there are lots of factors involved. All the populations I mentioned are associated with major water bodies.

OnlyForNow...I wasn't really thinking of a self sustaining population in a single water body. There aren't large enough water bodies in the area that are private (a requirement for hunting them). I was mostly wondering if it would be possible to snag a transient in a sizable tank somewhere locally. Probably would have to be close to the Brazos or Navasota. The range area is only 3 miles or so from the Brazos.

A few years ago, there was one caught in the creek area behind the Brazos Center off of Briarcrest Dr. in Bryan and relocated to another area.

they were there in '96

I personally know of two stock tanks around College Station that have had the occasional visit from alligators.

I used to see them on occasion when I lived on Doc Briner's place (which bordered the Navasota) off of 30.

A buddy of mine grew up near Pine Bluff, AR and they had plenty of them in the river up there.

CS isn't any further north than the north end of the Atchaflaya swamp, so a gator in the right environment in the area wouldn't be uncommon at all. They are hardy creatures that can travel further than you think and live in much more diverse environments than most people realize.

And they are mighty tasty.

Edited for state abbeviation failure.

[This message has been edited by schmellba99 (edited 2/11/2011 9:17a).]

"And they are mighty tasty."

I know! I want to source some locally...myself!

Also looking for a squirrel hunting spot in the area.

My BIL let two loose in a golf course in the Woodlands years ago. Heard they flourished well.

Also had some buddies from Baytown who brought a one footer back to their bathtub at A&M. It was the highlight of the party. They then proceded to let it loose in Somerville.

I don't condone any of this, nor was I a part of any of it.

Edited for further details and clarification.

[This message has been edited by BlueLacyAg08 (edited 2/10/2011 11:10p).]

Leon County (30 minutes east of BCS) has a substantial population of gators....some of which are very large. I hooked a decent size one for a 7 year old last year on a gator hunt that was purchased at our Delta Waterfowl banquet in 2010. She was 8' 8" and weighed 489 pounds. The little guy could really shoot well and shot her with a 45 long colt. Had a full body mount done and brought her to our 2011 banquet. She made quite an impressive display. Found out on January 22 that while gators do hibernate that they also will be active during cold weather. Broke ice, put out decoys, were killing some birds when about 30 minutes after legal shooting time a nice 10 footer pops up in the decoys. He was very slow moving but did manage to claim one down Wood Duck. Really surprised us that he would be out in that cold of weather. It was 21 degrees or so. Can hook you up on a good gator hunt if interested when season opens if you are interested.

My brother caught an alligator while fishing in Lake Lewisville near his home several years ago. It was probably about 2' long making it a young gator. He turned it over to the game warden. GW told him that they pick up probably a dozen a year out of Lewisville. I do not know where it's momma is. We have never seen her.

Alligators in Bryan Muni Golf Course... Alligators in some tanks on my uncles place in Normangee...

Their ervrywhere

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Let that soak in. Brazos County. <1,000' from Easterwood Airport. Alligators. Seemed out of place to me but Dr. Rector knows his $&!%.

I'd thought that gators would only be really common much closer to the coast.

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The Trinity River is full of gators as is the Brazos. I know guys that used to float the Trinity up in the Dallas area gator hunting. Doesn't surprise me at all that there would be some in Bryan. About 6-8 years ago there was a gator in Lewisville Lake over 10 feet long.

There is an alligator in the DFW area that is a legit 12'+. But yes, most of the Metroplex "lakes" have some small population now. People really like to freak out about those too.

There is actually some research going on alligators in the area.

[This message has been edited by ursusguy (edited 2/11/2011 8:42a).]

My crews were doing cross sections of the little river in SW Ark in a 12' john boat. They had at least three swim by that were larger than the boat. Also saw another 15 on the banks of the river.

I find all of this terribly interesting.

There was one living on campus at TAMUG a year and a half ago. Everyone wigged out and they made some effort to catch and relocate it. I never heard anything about it after the initial notice that one had been spotted.

edit; The only one I've ever seen was dead on the side of the road out east of Houston. I thought it was pretty huge. The front half was in the grass with the back half on the shoulder of the highway. The base of his tail as about as big around as my thigh.

[This message has been edited by IsleAg11 (edited 2/11/2011 8:58a).]

This 11+ came out of flooded gravel pit in Eagle lake.

Alligators do not relocate well at all. In Texas, if the alligator is over 6'+, and deemed a nuisance, it can NOT be relocated. However, most officials will usually say they are relocating the gator to avoid a fuss. Even if it is a permanent relocation.

we had them in the tanks on our lease in Tilden. you can find them all over South Texas...not just near the coast

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A buddy of mine grew up near Pine Bluff, AK and they had plenty of them in the river up there.
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The Trinity river I can believe, but Alaska? I had no idea global warming had gotten so bad.

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Oops. I fail at the state abbeviations.

Arkansas = AR

As far west as Choke Canyon Res.

ursusguy....where's the 12' located in the Metroplex area? I don't live there anymore, but I'm curious.

And regarding the 15'in SW Arkansas, I obviously can't call bull on something where I wasn't there, but do you know how rare gators that size are? That's a really old gator. Especially that far north. Once again, not judging, just commenting.

Stive, I would prefer not to say flat out, but his buddies (a 9' and a 10') make it into the news at least once a year. During flooding events, they tend to get flushed out into the main portion of the lake. Within 48-72 hours, they are back to their marsh area and not heard from again.

I have some good fun gator stories from B/CS that after some statute of limitations research and a few drinks I might be willing to share.

Sounds like the best use for golf course water hazards that I have heard of.

Sean, me too! I know of one that may have been released back in '91, or maybe not.