http://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?article_id=07110952634

Texans Snare 'State Record' 880-pound, 14-foot Alligator

Lufkin, Texas (Oct 3, 2007 08:47 EST) A Lukin man and his friends can certainly attest to the saying that everything's bigger in Texas after snagging what may be a state record alligators.

Justin Wells of Lufkin, Tom Bass of Dallas, Jarrett Hanus of Spring and Ryan Haltom of Houston set the baits together Thursday night at the Gospel Ranch, which is about five miles outside of Trinity.

"It was the experience of a lifetime, and I'm glad (Ryan) took me out there on it," said Wells, a Lufkin High School graduate and SFA forestry student. "I don't think we'll ever catch one bigger than that."

"We'd gotten word back in the spring time that there was a big gator out there," said Haltom, a wildlife biologist and land management consultant, "so me and Tommy had gone out there several times and scouted and seen quite a bit of gator activity and videotapes of gators."

Ranch manager Larry Denson had spotted the big gator, prompting them to get tags for the season, and Thursday night was just "kind of a last-minute deal before the season was over," Haltom said.

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Note from Bam - In Texas, Alligators are considered "game animals" and therefore may be trapped and/or killed during the "alligator season". In Texas, outside of most city limits, you can own exotics, which include crocodiles and caiman, but not alligators, because Texas law prevents owning game animals without a special permit, only available to certain hunting and breeding ranches and farms.

Well I am absolutely disgusted! I think it's a bloody shame that alligators are allowed to be hunted like that. I really hate man with a passion when you see things like this!

Bam for a gator to reach this size could you estimate its age?

I am so disgusted that I decided to post the pics along with the news content, incase they kind of disappears from the original url, for all to see.







Doesn't it make you feel proud to be human!!!

Well, if conditions, food, environment, etc... were all optimum, it couldn't be less than 20 years old and maybe not much older, or he'd have known to avoid people. Maybe as high as 30 years old. Just a guess.

Gators (not my specialty) grow about 12 inches a year until they reach their max length.
Crocs, almost as much.
Caiman slightly less.

Gators typically get around 12 feet.
Crocs, depending on species, about the same.
Caiman, except the black caiman, get about 5-6 feet.

Awe it's such a waste isn't it.

Now I know why there are so many gator taxidermy on Ebay with them being considered as 'game'. Poor sods!

BTW the caiman arrived Bam... thank you so much, they are ideal! xxx I'm just waiting on the dvd's being sorted then I'm going to send everything in one go with an additional pressie.

Hahaha The most I could offer you in relation to that is an invite to stay here and we provide the entertainment, food and beer.

Hahaha well I am sure we could find something that would be well suited.