“South Carolina Wildlife” TV show airs this month
October 14, 2008
Don’t miss the latest episode of “South Carolina Wildlife” television show on South Carolina Educational Television. Beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, viewers will see a variety of outdoor pastimes and places, and get close-up views of some special plants and animals occurring in the Palmetto State. South Carolina Wildlife is a production of the S.C Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and airs several times a month on South Carolina Educational Television and the South Carolina Channel.
Tag along with DNR staffers Jean Leitner and Glenn Gardner as they visit the Coon Branch Trail in Oconee County near the North Carolina border. This month will also feature vignettes on deer, dove and alligator hunting traditions. Viewers can take a field trip to River Park in York County near Rock Hill and DNR videographer Stewart Grinton takes a visit to Lower Whitewater falls.
Coon Branch Trail will take you trough some dense forests of old hardwoods and rhododendron, but in this segment you find out about treating Eastern Hemlock trees for the wooly adelgid aphid. Hemlock wooly adelgids use piercing-sucking mouth parts and feed only on hemlock tree sap. Immature nymphs and adults damage trees by sucking sap from the twigs and at the base of the needles. In addition to treating trees, arborists will climb and measure some of the largest specimens in the Bad Creek area around Coon Branch.
Most folks are familiar with at least some of the traditions for dove and deer hunting, but DNR has minted another tradition: alligator hunting. More than 100,000 alligators live from the Midlands to the coast of South Carolina. The regulated removal of alligators will not threaten the population.
You might be surprised by River Park in York County. It’s near Rock Hill and has some great trails that parallel the Catawba River and Manchester Creek. The park also has an elevated boardwalk through the wetlands.
The entire Whitewater Falls chain - six different waterfalls along the North and South Carolina border - is the highest series of falls in eastern North America. The Lower Whitewater Falls comprises a dramatic 200-foot drop.
DNR protects and manages South Carolina’s natural resources by making wise and balanced decisions for the benefit of the state’s natural resources and its people.
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FWC Extends Alligator Hunting Season in Two Counties Affected by Flooding
October 12, 2008
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has issued an executive order extending the alligator hunting season in Seminole and Volusia counties because of the historic flooding of the St. Johns River from Tropical Storm Fay.
The order extends the hunting season only on Lake Harney (AMU 505) and Lake Jesup (AMU 510) and in Seminole County (AMU 857) and Volusia County (AMU 864) from one hour before sunset on Nov. 1 through one hour after sunrise on Dec. 1.
The FWC also will refund the base price of the license and tag fees to persons issued permits for these affected areas, provided that the permittee has not used either of the two tags to harvest an alligator and that the permittee mails the original license and both unused tags to the FWC, postmarked on or before Nov. 1. Persons who are potentially eligible for a refund will receive a letter detailing how to use this option.
Seminole County and Volusia County officials said public ramps under their jurisdiction will remain closed until the water recedes to normal levels. At that time, officials will inspect ramps and begin repairs where needed and ready them for safe use. Information about ramps in Seminole County can be obtained at www.seminolecountyfl.gov/guide/prelease.asp
. Information about ramps in Volusia County can be found at www.volusia.org/news.htm.Â
All unused tags and completed copies of alligator harvest report forms from persons issued permits for the affected areas must be received by the FWC by Dec. 15. There will be no refunds or season extensions for any other alligator management units. For additional information, please visit the Alligator Management section of the FWC’s Web site at MyFWC.com/gators.
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Alligator Hunting Seminars Scheduled in August by SC DNR
August 11, 2008
The S.C. Department of Natural Resources will conduct a series of three alligator hunting seminars in the month of August for the public alligator hunt participants, hunting assistants and other interested persons. These seminars will cover such topics as alligator capture and handling techniques, rules and regulations, alligator hunting equipment, processing, and other helpful information.
Seminars will be held in Hampton County, Berkeley County and in the Florence/Darlington area. Also, the “South Carolina Alligator Hunting Guide”(Adobe PDF file) is now available.
Interested alligator hunting equipment manufacturers and retailers are invited to attend to display and demonstrate their equipment in conjunction with the seminars. However, the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) does not endorse any type, brand, or make of such equipment. Any vendors should plan on bringing their own tables, set-ups, or displays as dedicated space or tables may not be available. On-premises sales are restricted at certain sites, so all interested vendors should first check with DNR at (803) 734-3886.
All seminars are scheduled to start at 10 a.m.
- The first alligator hunting seminar will be Saturday, Aug. 16 in Hampton County at the DNR’s Webb Wildlife Center, 1282 Webb Ave., Garnett, SC 29922.
- The second seminar will be Saturday, Aug. 23 in Berkeley County at Santee Cooper Auditorium, 1 Riverwood Drive, Moncks Corner, SC 29461.
- The third and final seminar will be Saturday, Aug. 30 in Darlington County/Florence County, at Clemson University Pee Dee Research & Education Center, 2200 Pocket Road, Florence, SC 29506.
DNR protects and manages South Carolina’s natural resources by making wise and balanced decisions for the benefit of the state’s natural resources and its people.
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L.D.W.F. To Hold Alligator Lottery Hunts
August 1, 2008
In order to increase alligator harvest opportunities, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will initiate new alligator lottery hunts on eight Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) for the 2008 alligator harvest season.
These areas include: Atchafalaya Delta WMA, St. Mary Parish; Elm Hall WMA, Assumption Parish; Joyce WMA, Tangipahoa Parish; Pass A Loutre WMA, Plaquemines Parish; Pearl River WMA, St. Tammany Parish; Pointe-Aux-Chenes WMA, Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes; Salvador WMA, St. Charles Parish; and Sherburne WMA and Sherburne U.S. Army Corps of Engineer lands, Iberville, Pointe Coupee and St. Landry parishes.
Interested participants may either request an application by calling 337-373-0032 or from the LDWF’s Web site at www.wlf.louisiana.gov/experience/lawildlife/nongame/alligators.cfm. Applications must be submitted by Aug. 13, 2008.
The lottery harvest will be conducted between Aug. 27 and Sept. 12. Exact harvest dates will vary by WMA and will be specified at the time selected hunters are notified.
Applicants must be a legal Louisiana resident and 16 years of age or older. Any applicant born on or after Sept. 1, 1969 must also provide a valid hunter safety certification number. A $5 application fee is required.
All applicants meeting the application requirements will be entered into a randomized computer drawing, which will take place on Aug. 15, 2008. Selected hunters will be notified by mail.
For more information, please call 337-373-0032.
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Mississippi Private Lands Alligator Hunting Season Announced
July 18, 2008
JACKSON - The Commission on the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks has announced its intention to open a private lands alligator hunting season in the following counties; Hinds, Holmes, Issaquena, Madison, Rankin, Warren and Yazoo counties. The season dates are September 26 – October 4. Persons who own private land that contain a minimum of 20 acres of permanent surface water within these counties, may be eligible to receive a special harvest voucher to harvest an alligator from their property. Vouchers will be issued at the rate of one for the first 20 acres of surface water and an additional voucher for each additional 100 acres of surface water. No public water will be considered for eligibility. Landowners will be allowed to transfer any or all vouchers to residents or non-residents 16 years of age or older. The possessors of the vouchers are required to attend and complete the MDWFP Private Lands Alligator Hunting Training Course on September 6, from 9 a.m. until noon at the MDWFP Central Office in Jackson. Upon completion, the holder of the harvest voucher will be eligible to purchase a Private Lands Alligator Hunting Permit (PLAHP). The cost of the PLAHP is $100 for residents and $200 for non-residents. Other license requirements may apply.
An application and other proof of ownership are required. There is a $5 fee to apply. For more information, instructions, and applications visit www.mdwfp.com/alligator or you may call (601) 432-2199.
The deadline for application submission to the MDWFP is August 15, 2008.
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Fall Alligator Hunting Season Set In Georgia
July 18, 2008
Georgia remains a popular destination for alligator hunters given the available healthy population of more than 200,000 gators. For the past six years, thousands of applicants have competed for a chance to participate in a quota hunt, and the number of applicants continues to grow each year. The deadline for this year’s applications is July 31. For those selected, the season runs Sept. 6 - Oct. 5.
“Georgia’s alligator population is monitored annually. It remains a renewable natural resource that has shown it can sustain a regulated harvest on an annual basis,” says WRD Assistant Chief of Game Management John Bowers. “This is a unique hunting opportunity in Georgia that also allows hunters to provide additional funding for wildlife conservation through the purchase of hunting licenses and associated hunting equipment.”
Interested hunters must complete a quota hunt application online at www.gohuntgeorgia.com before midnight July 31 (the application period opened June 1, 2008). Hunters receive their selection status by e-mail and those selected get a temporary harvest tag and information packet by mail in early August.
All hunters may attend a voluntary training session. During these sessions, wildlife experts provide information on safety, capture and handling techniques, processing and more.
Last fall, 553 permitted hunters harvested 140 alligators. Introduced in 2003, alligator hunting continues to gain interest, with nearly 4,400 applications submitted last year, a 42 percent increase from 2006.
WRD Biologists conduct annual surveys enabling the agency to monitor populations and make management decisions. Since the inception of this hunting opportunity (2003), the population has remained stable, suggesting additional flexibility in the areas that can be hunted and the number available for harvest.
In Georgia, alligators typically live south of the fall line (which roughly connects the cities of Columbus, Macon and Augusta), occupying a variety of wetland habitats in the wild including marshes, swamps, rivers, farm ponds and lakes. They also occasionally inhabit ditches, drainage canals, golf course ponds and swimming pools. Male alligators grow up to 16 feet in length, while female alligators rarely surpass 10 feet. Large alligators weigh more than 800 pounds. Opportunistic carnivores, they eat aquatic insects, crayfish, frogs, fish, turtles, water birds and more.
For more information on the 2008 alligator hunting season, visit www.gohuntgeorgia.com , contact a WRD Game Management Office or call (229) 426-5267.
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Alabama’s Third Regulated Alligator Season Registration Underway
June 6, 2008
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) announced that Alabama’s third regulated alligator hunting season will be held Aug. 15-18 and Aug. 22-25, 2008 in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta and again at Lake Eufaula on Aug. 21-24, 2008. (In 2007, for the first time, an alligator season was added at Lake Eufaula where the largest gator was harvested – 675 pounds.) Online registration will be accepted until July 14 at www.outdooralabama.com.
“Each year, Alabama’s regulated alligator hunts continue to be very successful,” said Commissioner M. Barnett Lawley. “Expanding the hunts to two locations last year really contributed to the mission of thinning out the increasing gator population in our state.”
Almost 1,300 hunters registered for the 2007 hunts with 140 being selected to participate. The 103 harvested alligators from those hunts ranged in size and weight from 6’0” to 12’10” in length and from 41 to 675 pounds at weigh-in. Hunters traveled from all over the state to participate.
2008 ALLIGATOR HUNT SCHEDULE
| Location | Online Registration | Registration Ends | Drawing/ Notification | # Hunters/ Alternates | Hunter Training | Dates |
| DELTA | 6/2-7/14 @ 8 a.m. | 7/14 @ 8 a.m. | 7/14-7/16 | 125/125 (Increased by 25 from 2007 hunt) | 8/2 | 8/15-8/18 & 8/22-8/25 |
| EUFAULA | 6/2-7/14 @ 8 a.m. | 7/14 @ 8 a.m. | 7/14-7/16 | 40/40 | 8/16 | 8/21-8/24 |
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Hunters will be randomly chosen by computer to receive one Alligator Possession Tag. Applications will be accepted online at www.outdooralabama.com. The cost is $6 to apply and individuals may register multiple times. Only Alabama residents age 16 years or older may apply for an Alligator Possession Tag. Permits are non-transferable. Selected hunters will be notified by e-mail after the registration deadline on July 14. Once notified, selected hunters must confirm their hunt participation by July 16 at 5 p.m. Selected hunters and their assistants are required to have in their possession a valid 2007-08 hunting license. Each selected hunter is required to complete the Alligator Training Course provided by Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division personnel. Each person receiving an Alligator Possession Tag will be allowed to harvest one alligator six feet in length or longer. Hunting hours will be from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. each day. All Alabama hunting and boating regulations must be followed.
The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is the largest reptile in North America. A fully mature alligator may grow to 14’ in length and weigh as much as 1,000 pounds. Known for its prized meat and leather, the species was threatened with extinction due to unregulated harvest during the 1920s, 30s and 40s. No regulations existed in those days to limit the number of alligators harvested. In 1938, it is believed that Alabama was the first state to protect alligators by outlawing these harvests. Other states soon followed and in 1967 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service placed the American alligator on the Endangered Species list. By 1987, the species was removed from the Endangered Species list and the alligator has continued to grow in population.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through five divisions: Marine Police, Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. To learn more about ADCNR, visit www.outdooralabama.com.
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FWC to Hold Supplemental Sales Period for Alligator Hunt Permits
June 5, 2008
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will hold a supplemental sales period for people who failed to get an alligator hunt permit or those who would like to return a permit with the hope of trying to obtain another.Â
This additional sales period will help reduce any inconveniences caused by a computer programming glitch during the initial sales period on Tuesday, June 3.
At 10 that morning, approximately 4,800 alligator hunt permits went on sale on a first-come, first-served basis. Shortly after the start time, the licensing system operated by a third-party vendor, Outdoor Central of Jefferson City, Mo., experienced problems handling the high volume of applications. For some applicants, the system either failed to process the permit requests or failed to provide electronic confirmation to those who were successful at obtaining a permit. This computer glitch resulted in confusion and frustration for many applicants as they tried to buy permits. Persons who are unsure of whether they have been awarded a permit should check their status online by going to MyFWC.com/gators and clicking on “Check Your Alligator Harvest Permit Status.”
A limited set of permits will go on sale starting at 10 a.m. (EDT) Tuesday, June 17 on a first-come, first-served basis through the Total Licensing System. Outdoor Central’s management team identified and corrected the glitch in its system, and the next day the FWC held a successful first-come, first-served hunt process with no troubles.
A listing of the minimum number of permits that will be available during this supplemental sales period, along with instructions on how to return unwanted permits and more details about this opportunity, will be posted on the FWC’s Alligator Management Web site at MyFWC.com/gators. The deadline to purchase a permit during this supplemental sales period is 11:59 p.m. (EDT) June 23.
During this supplemental sales period, people will be allowed to purchase only one permit, enabling them to take two alligators. Anyone who has already been awarded a permit will not be allowed to apply during the supplemental sales period, unless they have already contacted the FWC to return the previously awarded permit. Persons who applied on June 3 and wish to apply during the supplemental sales period are encouraged to check their permit status to ensure they do not have a valid permit.
The date when customers can purchase additional permits, if any are available after the initial and supplemental sales periods, has been postponed from June 10 to June 24 at 10 a.m. (EDT). People can apply for a permit at any county tax collector’s office, any retail outlet that sells hunting licenses or on the Internet at www.wildlifelicense.com.
People can check the availability of permits during any sales period, in real time, by going to MyFWC.com/gators and clicking “Check Alligator Harvest Permit availability.”Â
The alligator hunting season runs Aug. 15 – Nov. 1.
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Alligator Hunt Permits Selling Quickly Despite Problems
June 5, 2008
Within the first six hours, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) sold 4,555 alligator hunt permits, despite a computer programming glitch.
The licensing system, operated by a third-party vendor, Outdoor Central in Jefferson City, Mo., experienced problems handling the high volume of applications and failed to provide confirmation to customers when they tried to purchase a license and permit. This resulted in some people being unable to successfully purchase a license and permit, generating confusion and frustration for many applicants.Â
“This is not the first time we have had issues with this vendor,” said Rodney Barreto, FWC Commission chairman. “This is totally unacceptable, and I am asking agency staff to look into all options for recourse and remedy, including possible termination of the vendor’s contract and seeking a new vendor.
“In addition, I am asking staff to identify options for making this right for people who encountered problems with the system and were unable to purchase a permit.”Â
As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, fewer than 200 permits remained and are still available for issuance. The deadline to purchase a permit is 11:59 p.m. (EDT) on June 9.
Approximately 4,800 alligator hunt permits went on sale at 10 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. During this initial sales period, people are allowed to purchase only one permit per person, enabling them to take two alligators.Â
People can check the availability of permits, in real time, by going to MyFWC.com/gators and clicking “Check Alligator Harvest Permit availability.”
The alligator hunting season runs Aug. 15 – Nov. 1.
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Process Begins For Second Alligator Hunting Season
June 4, 2008
LITTLE ROCK - The first step in the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s renewal process for a second year of the well-received alligator hunting season has begun. For the past couple of weeks, AGFC field crews have been busy conducting spotlight surveys across south Arkansas.
The population data, a harvest report from the first alligator hunt, a summary of last year’s nuisance alligator activities and a report on Arkansas’ farm-raised alligators will all be compiled into a single report and submitted to the U. S Fish and Wildlife Service by July 1. The USFWS will have to review the information to determine if the conservative hunting season is having any negative impacts on overall alligator numbers.Â
The timeline for pulling-off this hunt is very narrow this year, reported Ricky Chastain, AGFC Assistant Chief of the Wildlife Management Division. “Last year, we used spotlight data collected in 2001-2003. All our permit locations and permit numbers were already known going into the approval process. Now, we are required to collect new spotlight data and the survey routes can’t be run until late May early June. Unfortunately, this is the schedule we will have to use from now on,” Chastain explained
It is the goal of the AGFC Alligator Management Team to have an alligator hunt proposal ready to present to the Commission by July 17. “This proposal will likely precede any official approval from the USFWS,” Chastain said. “In order for this hunt to take place, we must proceed with some of these steps without USFWS approval. We are confident the data will support our recommendations for another hunt,” he added.
Following the presentation of the alligator hunt proposal, the Commission will begin the process of taking on-line applications for the public land and private land at-large permits. The application period for these randomly drawn permits will be July 18 through Aug. 15. “We do not anticipate any big changes in the number of total available permits or the basic structure of the hunt. Information on hunt locations and permits will be posted on our Web site at www.agfc.com as they are finalized,” Chastain said. The exact locations of available permits will not be known until the surveys are complete and the initial proposal is given to the Commission in July.
Once the hunt is approved by the Commission in August, the pace of the process will quicken. All permits must be issued and confirmations received no later than Sept. 3. The mandatory hunter orientation classes will be held on Sept. 6 and Sept. 13. The first of two alligator hunts will be begin 30 minutes after sunset on Friday, Sept. 19 and will end 30 minutes before sunrise on Monday, Sept. 22. The second alligator hunt will be begin 30 minutes after sunset on Friday, Sept. 26 and will end 30 minutes before sunrise on Monday, Sept. 29.
Chastain strongly urges anyone interested in a chance to participate in the alligator hunt to be aware of the dates in this process. “We really want the public to understand how this process must be condensed into a short timeframe and to be prepared to respond to the timelines of the application period, as well as plan ahead for the orientation sessions and hunt times if successfully drawn,” he said.Â
During the 2007 alligator hunting season, 32 permits were issued and 21 alligators were harvested. Twelve gators were harvested in the southwest quarter of the state and nine were harvested in the southeast quarter. The largest alligator taken was a 12 foot, 8 inch male taken on private land in southeast Arkansas.
