Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
’Gator hunt sets record
Arkansas hunters killed 94 alligators during the 2017 season, topping the previous record of 66 taken in 2016, the state Game and Fish Commission reported.
Mark Barbee, a biologist with Game and Fish who coordinates the hunt, said the increase is largely the result of more permits issued to hunters.
“We’ve had steady interest in hunting alligators, and our ‘gator population is in good shape,” Barbee said. “We’ve been able to increase the harvest over the years to give more hunters opportunities to participate in the hunt.”
Barbee said 152 permits were available for the 2017 season. Of those, 101 were available for public draw.
“The other permits are given to some large land holders with exceptionally high alligator populations to be able to eliminate nuisance issues in a controlled hunt,” he said.
Although no one checked in an alligator topping the current state record of 13 feet, 10 inches, many 11- and 12-foot alligators were checked during the season.
“Typically you’re going to get a bunch of 6- to 9-footers,” Barbee said. “But I’ve seen reports of couple of really good 12-footers.”
The southeast zone was responsible for 50 alligators killed, while the southwest zone had 44. The hunt is typically consistent, with zones trading places in total number of gators checked, depending on the weather and flooding.
Barbee said although nuisance calls were lower this year than in the past, he doesn’t think it is the result of the population declining from the harvest.
“Our surveys still show plenty of alligators,” he said. “I just think people are becoming a little more used to seeing them in the state.”