The Last Bass Outpost

Main Forums => The Outpost Cafe => Topic started by: sniper on September 22, 2010, 09:42:38 PM

Title: we grow'em in West Texas, desert gator?
Post by: sniper on September 22, 2010, 09:42:38 PM
yesterday Sept 21st a 500 pound wild alligator made the news last night and was found living in a creek on a ranch South of Odessa Texas. a gator expert was called in and captured the gator with the help of the Sheriff's department. the gator is to be shipped to East Texas to a refuge.

http://www.oaoa.com/articles/alligator-52712-scarce-great.html

http://www.kwes.com/Global/story.asp?S=13192615&clienttype=printable

who da thunk...gators in the Permian Basin?

big sum bit too!

if i had found him:

1) i would have insured his peace of mind with a 158 grain jacketed intracranial lead injection

2) his new home would be in my freezer

and

3) i would have been looking for a boot maker today while i was in Midland.
Title: Re: we grow'em in West Texas, desert gator?
Post by: uwe on September 23, 2010, 04:03:00 AM
What was wrong with letting him live in that creek if he was minding his business and then and now devouring some livestock? Alligators are sparse and economic eaters.
Title: Re: we grow'em in West Texas, desert gator?
Post by: Garrett on September 23, 2010, 04:40:03 AM
 ;D that will make ya think twice before ya go jumpin in a pond down there to cool off in.
Title: Re: we grow'em in West Texas, desert gator?
Post by: nofi on September 23, 2010, 05:43:43 AM
some people just like to shoot stuff. i don't understand it. :sad:
Title: Re: we grow'em in West Texas, desert gator?
Post by: Barklessdog on September 23, 2010, 05:50:37 AM
What was wrong with letting him live in that creek if he was minding his business and then and now devouring some livestock? Alligators are sparse and economic eaters.


Its big & cool therefore we must kill it!

It is a problem with wild hogs though- hogzilla
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v104/Fenderbird/misc/Hugemonsterpig.jpg)
Title: Re: we grow'em in West Texas, desert gator?
Post by: Pilgrim on September 23, 2010, 05:55:05 AM
In my neighborhood in Bryan TX (area population = 130,000+) they trapped a 300+ pound wild boar.  That climate is favorable to many critters growing too big for public safety.   Not everything needs to be shot, but a 500-pound gator doesn't need to be out where it can prey on farm animals and distracted ranchers.

There are times when you can't move 'em or there's no place to put 'em, and then the outcome is more permanent.  The gator was lucky there was a refuge that stepped up to take him..
Title: Re: we grow'em in West Texas, desert gator?
Post by: dadagoboi on September 23, 2010, 07:40:02 AM

Its big & cool therefore we must kill it!

It is a problem with wild hogs though- hogzilla
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v104/Fenderbird/misc/Hugemonsterpig.jpg)

"Hogzilla" was a farm raised pet.
http://www.stinkyjournalism.org/latest-journalism-news-updates-129.php

Title: Re: we grow'em in West Texas, desert gator?
Post by: sniper on September 23, 2010, 07:48:16 AM
i originally thought this incident happened the day it hit the news. it actually happened over a month ago. the farmer was protecting the gator from the public. the problem was the animal was getting too close to the farm and too familiar with humans...losing its fear of humans which was inviting a future tradgedy.

the gator expert said it probably had a diet of mainly duck and wild pig.
Title: Re: we grow'em in West Texas, desert gator?
Post by: dadagoboi on September 23, 2010, 08:36:13 AM
i originally thought this incident happened the day it hit the news. it actually happened over a month ago. the farmer was protecting the gator from the public. the problem was the animal was getting too close to the farm and too familiar with humans...losing its fear of humans which was inviting a future tradgedy.

the gator expert said it probably had a diet of mainly duck and wild pig.

Thanks for clearing that up, Bill.
Title: Re: we grow'em in West Texas, desert gator?
Post by: sniper on September 23, 2010, 09:44:04 AM
P.S.

the gator expert actually owns the East Texas refuge and it is a true refuge and not a "farm" where gators are harvested. old knobby will live out his (her?) days in a blissfull gator social environment being well fed, protected. being viewed by the right of paid admissioin to the general public is the gators new job.

as a personal note, i was taught to hunt (i do not own any weapons now) by my grandfather who also taught me not to kill unless attacked and to eat what i do kill (humans and rattlesnakes excepted). rattlesnake tastes good and i have never killed anyone. so far. although my ex's new hubby is high on my do not like list, i really think they deserve one another and i wish them both along with her vocal chords and his hearing a long and healthy life.
Title: Re: we grow'em in West Texas, desert gator?
Post by: Barklessdog on September 23, 2010, 11:14:09 AM
Nothing wrong with managed hunting as it usually pays for sustaining wildlife & parks. I have a friend who bow hunts.

What ticks me off is when people build houses near or on wildlife areas then want to kill the natural wildlife (coyotes) because they are infringing on them.

By me we had a group of coyotes that killed someone's dog (they let it out at night off its leash). The coyotes kept the rabbit population in check. After they killed the coyotes, our rabbit population skyrocketed. The other morning I saw two large coyotes wandering down our street & people yards. I'm sure I would feel different if it were my dogs.

When I get home from work I spot a blue heron in our back yard. By the time I made it to the kitchen the heron had a large Koi in his beak and just took off with it. I don't mind (my wife does though).

We also have nesting great horned owls in our area. I heard a neighbor already complaining about being worried for his dog.

Title: Re: we grow'em in West Texas, desert gator?
Post by: TBird1958 on September 23, 2010, 11:18:57 AM
Nothing wrong with managed hunting as it usually pays for sustaining wildlife & parks. I have a friend who bow hunts.


Let me guess............

First name, Ted.

Last name, Nugent.


 BTW I'm a big fan of responsible hunting. My father did it quite often.

Title: Re: we grow'em in West Texas, desert gator?
Post by: Dave W on September 23, 2010, 11:21:42 AM
In my neighborhood in Bryan TX (area population = 130,000+) they trapped a 300+ pound wild boar.  

That was no boar, it was an Aggie lineman.
Title: Re: we grow'em in West Texas, desert gator?
Post by: Highlander on September 23, 2010, 11:23:43 AM
Now that would be something I'd pay to see... you, in full (Nasty Habits "Camo" to go with the green basses) gear, with a compound... just not aimed in my direction, and preferably not live targets... ;D
Title: Re: we grow'em in West Texas, desert gator?
Post by: sniper on September 23, 2010, 12:23:22 PM
Now that would be something I'd pay to see... you, in full (Nasty Habits "Camo" to go with the green basses) gear, with a compound... just not aimed in my direction, and preferably not live targets... ;D

i was having supper with a good friend of mine who happens to be a full blodded souix indian. i looked at John and then i said to his son, "i am glad you didnt have compund bows a 100 years ago". his son ask why and i told him "well, if you did then i would be living in the country of Manhatten as we bought that land with 24$ worth of beads."
Title: Re: we grow'em in West Texas, desert gator?
Post by: nofi on September 23, 2010, 12:40:10 PM
i hate any kind of hunting no matter how it's worded. period. i think we could use more people management than animal. and please don't call hunting a sport. it is not a sport when you wait in a tree stand or a blind and wait for the critter to walk up to you. the 'sport' part may happen when rhe shooter is forced to track down an animal he has only wounded with a lousy shot.

i suggest hunting grizzly bear with a knife.  now that would be sporting and something to put on you tube!

i dislike hunting but i like to shoot. we own six rifles ranging from a .223 up to a .45/70 'buffalo gun'.
also a few single action revolvers. (cowboy guns). isn't a liberal with guns supposed to be somehow illegal? ;)
Title: Re: we grow'em in West Texas, desert gator?
Post by: uwe on September 23, 2010, 01:06:05 PM
I don't mind killing something I eat (but I like to do it swiftly), but I always feel bad when predators are being shot. In their natural habitat, predators will not pose a threat to wildlife. I always have the feeling that hunters shoot predators for the trophy or to exterminate competition. No one has yet made a convincing case that in Germany wolves, bears, badgers, foxes and lynxes ever posed a threat to wildlife or to man (unless under the most unlucky circumstances and you can always single that one "maneater" out). Livestock is insured.

Now if that alligator posed a threat to people, then it's ok to bring him/her to the refuge, so much the better if he/she has a good life there. I like alligators, archaic beauties they are.
Title: Re: we grow'em in West Texas, desert gator?
Post by: Highlander on September 23, 2010, 01:12:55 PM
I'm sure we've discussed some of this before... any other toxopholists out there...? I still have my (take-down) bow but haven't shot for about a decade post a shoulder injury... Anyone (willing to stand up and be counted) "sport" hunters or "food" hunters out there...? can't condone the former but that's your choice, but food hunters I accept as part of what we are...

I could never condone the deliberate infliction of unecessary pain or the use of dogs for "worrying" an animal...
Title: Re: we grow'em in West Texas, desert gator?
Post by: sniper on September 23, 2010, 01:16:37 PM
...

Now if that alligator posed a threat to people, then it's ok to bring him/her to the refuge, so much the better if he/she has a good life there. I like alligators, archaic beauties they are.

curmudgeon that i am and speaking only for myself, i can relate.