The Laws the Govern Gator Hunting in Florida

Southerners may have the natural desire to chow down on some good gator meat; to others it may be an acquired taste. We have all heard the saying about many reptiles before, "It tastes just like chicken", and well gator does taste like chicken. I was a skeptic myself before I tried gator nuggets in a restaurant and honestly, they were pretty good! So, you may be more interested in hunting these creatures of the night than eating them. Let's take a look at some laws and rules that govern gator hunting in Florida so you can have a good safe time and not get into any trouble in the South while gator hunting in Florida.

Gator hunting in Florida has been recognized as a sustainable use of natural resources and has been allowed since 1988. For Florida residents and non-residents you may catch two gators per permit. Once you are awarded a permit, you must pay for CITES tags for each gator hunted in Florida and an Alligator trapping license. Also you must provide proof of possession of a license that is valid till the end of gator hunting season in order to go gator hunting in Florida. A Florida "Hunting" license is not necessary to participate in gator hunting in Florida. You must be 18 years of age to obtain a license to go gator hunting in Florida.

Hold on before you get your boots ready! There are a lot more things to know about gator hunting in Florida. There are several laws that govern gator eggs, gator hatchlings, gator skins, when to tag, how to kill a gator and also how to process gator meat. It is highly recommended you review the state laws in accordance with proper procedure to ensure you will not be fined, arrested, and have your license taken away. Please visit the FWC and download the PDF booklet called "Alligator Rules Booklet", which is on the right hand side of the page, to stay totally informed of all procedures and laws that govern gator hunting and other types of reptile species in Florida. I will review a couple of basic things you may want to know about gator hunting in Florida, but as a responsible hunter before you get ready, stay informed!

To actually practice gator hunting in Florida, you may take a gator 1 hour before sunset to 1 hour after sunrise each day during the harvesting period. The commission can determine and change the season for gator hunting, so again stay informed! According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissions' most recent report for 2009-2010 on gator hunting in Florida, the harvest time periods begin August 15, one hour after sunset and last on and off, with specific dates and hours until they end 1 hour after sunrise on November 1^st. Only non-hatchling gators may be taken. No eggs can freely be taken, there are separate laws and permits regarding gator eggs which are also included in this report.

The gator must be killed immediately when capture. So be sure your ready to hunt and kill a gator before you go and catch one. After the capture and killing of the gator, you must then lock a CITES tag on the gator through the skin, with in 6 inches from the tip of the tail. CITES tag must stay on the gator until the you tan the hide or have it taxidermy mounted, or esported out of the state. You must fill out a report the commission provides to you with in 24 hours of taking each gator and/or prior to transferring the gator carcass to another person.

There are also laws that govern how you may kill a gator when gator hunting, these laws also have to be followed. With that in mind, I may write a separate article informing you of "How you are allowed to kill a gator when gator hunting."

This is a brief overview of the laws of gator hunting that are enforced to protect the species of gators. This is not a complete guide. However, it will provide you with the necessary outlets to find out complete information and contacts to go gator hunting in Florida in accordance with the law.