Shock G from Digital Underground Catches an Alligator

As told to Andrew Bess
Originally sourced from andrewbess.wordpress. com

I once caught a young alligator with my bare hands. No net and no fishing rod; just patience and a flashlight.

It was Feb. 3, and I was visiting my dad in Tampa, and spotted a gator in the lake behind his house. I lured him in from the middle of the lake by wiggling my finger at the waters edge, like as if I was a hurt frog. I kept a flashlight locked on his eyes, and attempted to stay absolutely still.

I was out there for two nights.

On night one, after three long hours I almost lured him to the shore, but I had to swat a mosquito that was biting me right near my eye. I used my free hand but the flashlight still wiggled ever so slightly, and it spooked him away for the rest of the night.

But this made me realize it could be done.

Night two came around and I came back prepared. I was in a long-sleeved hoody and coated my face and hands with anti-bug lotion. After almost four hours of remaining perfectly still, I lured him in closer and closer. The creature finally crawled out of the water and followed my fingers across the sand. I kept the beam of light locked on his eyes so it basically rendered me invisible. Then, at the very last second, right before he was about to lunge for my hand, I dropped the flashlight in one quick motion and grabbed him with both hands. I made sure I was very careful and grabbed around his face so I could get his mouth shut. You know, a gator that size could take a finger off.

Then I ran back to the house. His tail was slapping the shit out of me the whole way. My stepmom was smoking a cigarette on the back porch as I walked up.

"Oh, my God, Gregory's got an alligator! Get the Camera!"