Alligators come to Bluff Lake
Alligators may be found all across Mississippi. They are most prevalent in the southern two-thirds of the state (south of Hwy 82). While alligators typically avoid humans and human activity, occasionally they do cause conflicts with humans. Juvenile alligators often disperse into new territories in the late spring and early summer months. During this dispersal they occasionally find themselves in unusual locations near human development, such as; farm ponds, road ditches, highways, parking lots, yards, swimming pools, neighborhood water landscape pools, and even buildings. It is illegal and very dangerous for the public to capture and remove or kill an alligator without special permit from the MDWFP.
On June 14, 2013, a huge gator was pulled from the Noxubee Wildlife Refuge, with an interesting story to go with it. This puppy is three feet longer than the average American Alligator, that’s over a 25% difference. In the wild, alligators live to be about 50 years old. If he was one of the original plants, he would be at least 45 years old. Good gracious. News release below the jump.
NEWS RELEASE
14 foot 2 inch long alligator found dead On May 18, 1969, three adult male and 3 adult female alligators were flown to Columbus by Southern Airlines for release at Bluff Lake on the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge. It is likely that many of the alligators seen by today’s visitors are decedents from these original six alligators. It is also likely that the 14’2” adult male alligator found dead near the water control structures of Bluff Lake is one of the original three males released in 1969. Whether the case or not, refuge officials are sure this is the largest alligator ever documented on the refuge. Refuge Manager Steve Reagan said, “I am very impressed by the general size of many alligators at the Noxubee, and seeing an animal that measures more than 14 feet is a one in a life time experience. I could have, however, missed out on the smell.” Initial inspections of the carcass indicated the animal likely died of natural causes.
The 1980 Annual Narrative of Burton S. Webster manager, Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge 1946-1972 provides some interesting tales that happened at the Refuge. One such incident was on September 9, 1969. Southern Airlines flew the alligators to us amid considerable fanfare. The shipment was not without its humor, however. Southern Airlines told Washington that the maximum crate they could handle on the Columbus, Mississippi flight was 76”. So they built the crates 79”. Southern’s Atlanta Manager called at 5 pm and asked what to do. Oh that the Regional Office had been open so we could dump the problem there! Anyway the only thing we could tell them was to saw them off. Imagine a couple of men sawing off two crates of live alligators. “We learned that everybody doesn’t love an alligator, threatened species not withstanding. This is three of four sent air freight with Washington Office blessings. The shipment consisted of three bulls all over 5 l/2 feet long and one little female 36” long.
On Sunday, August 28, 2016 a NEW record length male alligator for public waters was certified by the MDWFP Alligator Program Coordinator, Ricky Flynt, in Vicksburg, MS.
The alligator, taken by the hunting party of Tiffany Wienke of Vicksburg, measured 13 feet 7-7/8 inches, which beat the previous record by a mere 1/8 inch. The alligator weighed 686 pounds and had a belly girth of 59 inches and a tail girth of 43 inches. The Wienke hunting party harvested the alligator near the Mississippi River in Bayou Pierre in the Southwest Hunting Zone