Louisiana Battles Gator Boom with Extended Hunting Season

For centuries Louisiana residents have learned to coexist with a tremendous alligator population, but officials are now concerned that population has grown to dangerous levels.

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In an article from the Louisiana Radio Network, we learn that the Louisiana Wildlife Commission is trying to get ahead of this issue by proposing an increase to the current sixty day season for wild alligator hunting in the state.

State Representative Brown Says Alligator Was Under Wife's Car In His Driveway

In their article, Louisiana Radio Network highlighted comments from State Representative Chad Brown from Plaquemine who says, "We are seeing alligators in areas that have never seen alligators before, such as neighborhoods. I produced about three or four pictures of alligators walking down the streets or sidewalks in my neighborhood. One alligator was under my wife’s car in our driveway."

"I know duck hunters now that refuse to take their dogs hunting with them now just for the fear of the alligators out there."

I can personally attest to what appears to be a population explosion on a number of Louisiana lakes including Caddo, Cross and Toledo Bend. What would be the occasional alligator sighting on these waters decades ago is now somewhat routine.

Louisiana Is Hoping That Lengthening Season Will Help Reduce Alligator Population

To combat this issue the Louisiana Wildlife Commission is proposing the extension of the current sixty-day seasons, which begin on the last Wednesday in August in the East Zone and the next Wednesday in the West Zone Wild, to go all the way to December 31.

Another article from a-z-animals.com points out that Louisiana has the largest population of any state with two million of these beasts, nearly doubling second place Florida's 1.3 million alligator population, so one can certainly understand that we could certainly benefit from additional harvesting.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is accepting public comment through May 1st.  To make such comment, just go HERE to the LDWF website.