Gator removal

In the backyard, we had a gator that was entirely too comfortable around people. So I called MDWFP to come remove it. 2 men from there came out yesterday evening to catch it. After locating the gator under the dock, they tried to lure it out. I don’t have a picture of them doing this, but I so wish I did! 2 grown men laying belly down on a dock with their heads hanging inches above the water trying to find the gator that was right under them. They finally caught the gator, got it on land, and did the whole wrestle it to get its mouth taped shut. I asked them if I could take a picture of it. He said Sure! then asked if I wanted to sit on it! After my initial response of “say what now???”, I jumped over the fence and went to sit on this 6 ft live alligator.

As the conservation officer was taking the picture, I felt the gator take a deep breath, then all its muscles in its neck under my hands started tensing up…. It jerked backward (with me still riding it) and whipped its tail around!! I screamed like a little girl, and of course, Mr MDWFP snapped the picture:

It finally settled down enough to let me off so Bryan could take a picture with it.

It was an exciting night around the Walker house last night! But so much fun!