Facts About Alligator Hunting and Alligator Protection

Alligators are a hot topic in states like Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Texas. Residents in parts of these states are used to living amongst alligators swimming in lakes and local bodies of water, but there’s a handful of people who are all-too-familiar with coming uncomfortably close to some of these ferocious reptiles.

Believe it or not, alligators sometimes invite themselves into residential areas. With countless stories of alligators wandering into residential pools and even onto some people’s front door steps, the growing alligator population leaves many to wonder: Where do alligators go when they’re removed from our property? Is alligator hunting legal? What do residents of these states do when they encounter these animals? Can you hunt alligators at Everglades Holiday Park?

There are various ways to handle nuisance alligators that are roaming somewhere they shouldn’t be. Everglades Holiday Park’s Gator Boys Alligator Rescue Team are who the state calls when they’ve got an alligator on private property, or anywhere near animals and small children. The Gator Boys Alligator Rescue team steps in to safely remove the reptile before panic sets in and someone is harmed. Once the gator is removed from an unsafe situation, it is brought back to our animal sanctuary where it can live peacefully in its natural habitat.

Although it’s against Everglades Holiday Park’s personal beliefs, some people do resort to alligator hunting to clear out areas of large gators. Our South Florida alligator park and animal sanctuary can break down alligator hunting for you with these fast facts:

• Alligator hunting is legal, but its not a free-for-all. There is a specific alligator hunting season, which falls between August 15 and Nov 1 each year.
• Alligator hunting was established in 1988, due to the growing need for population control over the 1.3 million alligators in Florida. Previously, alligators were on an endangered species list but made a huge rebound, becoming somewhat of a dangerous presence.
• The state of Florida and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission allow only 5,000 permits each year. Each permit allows its holder to hunt two alligators per season.
• Out of state applicants pay significantly more than Florida residents for the alligator trapping license. Florida residents pay $272, and out of state applicants pay $1,022.
• There are usually over 10,000 applicants per year, with the exception of Miami Dade and Monroe counties, which do not participate in alligator hunting. Random drawings are held to distribute all available alligator harvest permits.
• Some alligator hunting permits are specific to a county, and only allow the permit holder to hunt alligators within that county, in public bodies of water. Landowners must give permission to those with alligator hunting permits to hunt on private land.
• Hunting is only allowed between 5 p.m. and 10 a.m., but hunters can scout areas during the day without weapons. The time restriction is to ensure the safety of other Everglades visitors throughout the day.

Can you hunt alligators in the Everglades?

Because it spans across 1.5 million acres of Florida, there are specific parts of the Everglades that allow alligator hunting; however, hunting is not allowed at Everglades Holiday Park. Our park aims to be a safe haven for thousands of different animals, including alligators, birds, fish, racoons, and more. Visitors can see alligators living safely in their natural habitat on our Everglades tours.