New neighbor has moved in...

[Bob H]

I have a small half-acre pond in my backyard. Tonight at dusk I was down at the pond tossing a top-water lure out, hoping Mr. Bass might like to come out and play. Instead, I had a small stick swim at my lure and try for it.

I have a small alligator deciding that he likes my pond!

He's got to be only a year old...he looks to be less than 2 feet long, and it's too early this year for any hatchlings. Just now, since it's dark, I've just walked down along the pond with a strong flashlight looking for any shiny eyeballs lookin' back at me. So far, I've only seen one pair, bout' a finger length wide staring back, out about 30' from the edge.

I can't let Mr. Punk Alligator stay, he'll go after anything that comes to the waters edge including my dog Buddy.

That's Buddy's pond, not Mister Mouth-with-a-bad-attitude.

Problem is...According to those who know these things, that's "his" world, not mine,(Although I beg to differ...He ain't paying a mortgage...I AM!) and the "proper authorities" who do come get "nusance 'gators" won't come unless the thing is at least 4' long.

I can't wait that long.

I gotta trap him...I hope I can catch him and take him to the "Alligator Adventure"park at the beach...bet they can always use another 'gator. The only other option is to harass it enough so that it'll am-scray.

If I can trap him, I'll try to take pictures. If I can't trap him I'll still try to take pictures. Stay Tuned.



Do you see a sign anywhere that sez "Gator Country"? I Think NOT!

ConwayBob

[Gina D.]

Call Todd Hardwick from animal cops Miami!

[DanPatWork]

Try calling the adventure park. Maybe they'll come and get him for you.

While my back yard isn't invaded by toothy critters, I've become over-run with the fuzzy ones. We have an average of 15 rabbits, 4 deer, and the usuall assortment of Robins, doves, jays and numerous other birds. We've allready put in a 6' high fence around the little garden, but bird and rabbit netting across the top and around the bottom is next. Ours is only a small lot and a half in the city. They won't let me shoot to protect the "crops" here.



Funny thing is I know someone who live traps the rabbits and squirrels to relocate them to the country, while at the same time another guy out in the country is trying to trap and relocate the same animals back into the city. <-- NO JOKE



Good luck with your future belt or boots

[Alf S.]

Hi: Do Gators eat Bass???
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[genebland]

Do you own a cast net?

My parents had a small reptile trespasser at their house. I tried to cast net him for a few days. Before long, it moved on.

IF you catch it, half your problem will be solved.

Then you'll have to deal with the second problem: Now What?

[Gina D.]

I would not suggest that an amateur try his hand at capturing a toothy reptile.. lest he want to lose his hand.

[Bob H]

Hi: Do Gators eat Bass???
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

An alligator is a "keystone", or top of the foodchain predator, meaning they'll eat anything they can catch...(kinda like us).

Although he would love a bass sandwitch, he's more prone to attack "trash fish" like Gar or Pike, both surface stalk and feed type fish. Bass tend to lower, deeper levels in deep cover as well as higher open areas.

Birds, frogs, pets, people, critters who thrive along the banks are more suseptable.

As for the "now what" factor. I'm not too concerned with this particular guy. He's about a foot n' a half long...still a young'n. He could definitely mangle a finger but I've handled them before. As long as you keep pressure on his snout & his jaws shut, he's pretty easy to handle. A length of rope, and some electrical tape. Actually, in his case, if I snare him, he'll likely just get tossed into a plastic bin with a lid. (Hmmm...he'd be a hit at a Tupperware party)

I could break out my wire fox trap, put it along the bank, and toss in a chicken leg, that'll keep him. That's the ticket! I just hope I don't catch Buddy, he'd choke on the bone.

But I am calling Alligator Adventure to see if they'd like to make a housecall first...I'm a fool, but I ain't no dummy.

[Joe Z]

I wonder where the mother is

[Alf S.]

Hi: Bob... Another use for "The Handimans secret weapon" DUCT Tape. That'll keep his trap shut
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie
p.s. Up here we don't have to worry about "Keystone Predators" We have the "Gubermint"

[Christi V.]

Yikes.. thats to scarry!! I hope you get the Wildlife guys out asap to get him out of your pond!!

[Donna D.]

The only "wild" animals I have to deal with are some dang neighborhood cats. They're fighting over who is next in line to spray the Scamp's tires. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Anyone have a solution for that? I know, send the cats to Bob... alligator snacks!

[Christi V.]

donna...
I got those cheap windshield covers ( to keep the sun out) and put them infront of the tires

mothballs around will also deturcats..

[Paula Bindrich]

We have fox in my neighborhood. When they are more active it seems the cat population goes down...and we have quite a few cats that take turns sitting under my bedroom window waiting to get "serviced" at all hours of the night. sigh. I like the fox. There are so many loose cats here that I could overwhelm the shelter with them.

Paula

[Gina D.]

I have Raccoons, Coyote and Bear.

All smelly, but not as smelly as Pepe' Le PU, a frequent visitors to my house.

[Steve Hilby]

Coons, possums, and the occasional coyote here (rural area east of Seattle). Oh, and lots of mice (not so many since we got our latest cat--she's definitely a Mighty Hunter).

Coons are the most brazen. Come right up onto the porch to eat the cat's food, and don't retreat very far when you go out to yell at them.

[Bruce H]

What happens if you shoot him?

[Alan Weinel]

Like The Waco Kid told Sherriff Bart in Blazing Saddles (referenceing Mongo)

No, no. Don't do that. Don't do that. If you shoot him you'll just make him mad.

http://www.ladyofthecake.com/mel/sad...ds/makemad.wav

What happens if you shoot him?

[Bob H]

What happens if you shoot him?

He'd die... n' if I got caught I'd go to jail!
I'm not for killing him at all... I just want him to not make my pond his home. Unfortunately I'm finding out I'm pretty powerless to do anything. He's too small to be considered a nuisance and it's big time against the law to trap & kill one in SC without a permit & out of season. You definately don't feed it...and throwing bait out is considered feeding.

The "Alligator Adventure"
phone #'s are all recorded messages and no one has returned a call. A biologist with the state DNR is suppost to get back with me. They may try to come get him and relocate him...maybe.

Meanwhile, we've had hard rains here the last two nights...I haven't seen the little critter.

BTW, someone asked where it's Mother might be...

she's right here... The Waccamaw River. My property is next to the hardwood swamp that's part of it's floodplain.

If I've figured correctly, this is a juvenile that's been driven out by the Mother, who has now a new egg brood to care for. They lay eggs in early to late June which hatch in late August & September. Last years brood are driven off to keep them from eating the newborns.

As for them showing up where they're not wanted...they're like potato chips...you can't just have one. Eventually more will show up.

BTW if anyone would like to know more about the Waccamaw River, here's a link. It's one of our last Black Water Rivers, very beautiful, and well worth a camping trip.

[Pete Dumbleton]

http://www.gatorama.com/recipes.htm

In some areas, it is illegal to trap and transport critters like 'coons because you might be moving a rabies-infected animal to a clean zone.

[Camilla]

You can always put a sign like this at your pond in case you don't get him: