My FL peeps, please come in

[AMGtuned]

So; I've been in FL (Kissimmee, Orange Lake resort, specifically), for a week and a half so far, on vacation. I'm a native Mainer, so I'm used to outdoor life and it's critters.

Its been funny watching folks run from the trash pandas, that will climb in and out of the trash cans. Normal for us, we just shoot em if need be (rabid, aggressive, etc. Type behavior). I've been on the gator tours before, from the Everglades, to Boggy Creek. Can't believe how small the cows were there, and that they wander in the lake wi5h the gators. Also couldn't believe that the boat driver said the scariest part of his job, is avoiding hunters that camo out in the same swamps .

There's been gators in the resort ponds this year; we've never seen that before here, only heard and see the "don't feed" signs. My question is this:

Is living with this guy


Taken from 10' from waters edge, at 13x on my phone. My terminator eye says about 4', nose to tail;

Akin to a fisher? I understand the speed and strength of large gators, and I'm not auditioning for Florida Man. Just genuinely curious, as a gators, in general, would be considered more dangerous than most of our predatory creatures. Maybe black bears aside

 

[oneshot86]

No concern, keep on trucking.
Alligators are safe, crocks are another story

 

[AMGtuned]

No concern, keep on trucking.
Alligators are safe, crocks are another story

That was my initial thought. Still didn't let my kids too close . Figured I might have a shot with a little one. Lol. Doomsday type scenario, I know.

 

[DRandi]

You can make the drive the Circle B Bar a reserve between Lakeland and Winter Haven and walk right up to the gators. It’s a big open nature preserve and the gators will sometime be right out on the trails. Bald eagles might be nesting in the tall trees on the south east corner where the trail cuts back in away from Lake Hancock.

Guy in that pic looks bigger than a 4fter . General rule of tumb, inches from nostrils to eyeballs in inches is snout to tail in feet.

Gators are easy to deal with, leave nature alone and it will leave you alone. They can run up to 30mph in a straight line for about 50 yards and climb a 4ft chain link fence, (prop themselves up on their tail and push over).

Only ever had a few instances where one got a little too curious. Picked a rock up off the trail and plugged him right in the head. Swam off after that.

Edit: I’ll check tonight when I get home and see if my gator is still hanging out in the backyard pond.

 

[DRandi]

Oh and there are no crocodiles inland up here except what’s in the zoos. Mainly the southern tip as it wraps around Naples to Miami, so basically the Everglades.

Most dangerous thing to worry about other than people is water moccasins. Black bear will mostly just run away at first sight.

 

[DRandi]

Zoom in to read my chicken scratch.

Park location

You can usually see gators on both sides of the trail all along the path that parallels Lake Hancock.

 

[_Windrider_]

Oh and there are no crocodiles inland up here except what’s in the zoos. Mainly the southern tip as it wraps around Naples to Miami, so basically the Everglades.

Most dangerous thing to worry about other than people is water moccasins. Black bear will mostly just run away at first sight.

Cottonmouth are mean mofos.

 

[DRandi]

Zoom in on the tree branches in the middle and you can see a Bald Eagle staring at me. He’s just above the Spanish moss hanging down.

 

[roostercogburn98]

I played a round of golf at Patrick AFB once, the lady at the desk told us to just play around the gator if it showed up on the course.

 

[Mike Casselton]

Lake Hancock is about 35 minutes from me.

Here's two hours worth of gator hunting from a couple of years ago.
The two biggest were 10'-7" and 10'-4".

Mine was the 10-4.

 

[The D]

OP, they’re not that dangerous. Jump in and start playing with em. They like that

 

[Mike Casselton]

They like a good belly rub.

Hey, who doesn't?

 

[oneshot86]

And you do know why they are so ornery don't you?
Mamma sez cause they have all those teef and no toofbrush

 

[lash]

If there’s water that sticks around for a year in Florida, there will eventually be a gator or gators in it. I consider it part of our ecosystem.

 

[mosin46]

pretty much NP. lake alice on UF property is loaded with them. no students eaten. they often get dogs and i keep my gr.grands well away when fishing where they are. armed and do have a low threshold for shooting one that gets aggressive. but,never seen that. only ever see pics of bl bears around naples,family has never seen one. both are wild animals. don't fuck with them,stay away and they are not particularly aggressive. they aren't crocs or griz. never seen crocs around SW FL,SE a diff matter.

 

[Glowie]

The small gators, ones that can fit in a cooler are the best. Nothing like motoring over to your buds boat give them the cooler so they can look at what I caught. Oh the looks are fantastic

 

[mosin46]

so is the taste if you don't get caught. gator hunting is another gov scam. i am well> 65 and need really no FL license for any fish/game except gators. gator meat is sold commercially. so,getting the license is a huge hassle with the usual dance of obstructive process needed. deliberately complex like all FL fish/game laws. easier to do if related to a local pol. the outfitters requirements are also a rip off. pay big $ to go on a hunt and they usually keep and sell the meat in addition. don't remember that being the deal on any other paid for hunt/fish trip. waaaay more gators in FL than bl bear and hunting those is always a war by pro/anti interests.

 

[lash]

Gator meat is delicious when fresh…or so I’m told.

 

[buffalowinter]

 

[nso123]

After the replies in this thread, we fully expect a picture of you riding a gator rodeo style by tomorrow.

 

[Glowie]

Oh no don't kill the gator to eat it. You put it in the cooler ALIVE. For the surprise of course. Priceless. Unless it starts grunting. Then you better get the hell out of there cause momma is a coming

 

[Ronws]

That was my initial thought. Still didn't let my kids too close . Figured I might have a shot with a little one. Lol. Doomsday type scenario, I know.

Tastes like chicken.

 

[TheBigCountry]

And you do know why they are so ornery don't you?
Mamma sez cause they have all those teef and no toofbrush

 

[The D]

 

[DRandi]

pretty much NP. lake alice on UF property is loaded with them. no students eaten. they often get dogs and i keep my gr.grands well away when fishing where they are. armed and do have a low threshold for shooting one that gets aggressive. but,never seen that. only ever see pics of bl bears around naples,family has never seen one. both are wild animals. don't fuck with them,stay away and they are not particularly aggressive. they aren't crocs or griz. never seen crocs around SW FL,SE a diff matter.

Ever go out on the t-dock in Paines Prairie in the middle of 441 at night? Tons of little floating red dots!!!

 

[mosin46]

yea

 

[nso123]

Wait, did you already try this?