Gator-trapping clashes with quest for quiet[FL][Hunting]

Orlando Sentinel ^ | 28 Oct 2007 | Daphne Sashin

[BGHater]

Alligator hunters could see restrictions on their nighttime activities in the years ahead, with county officials facing continued noise complaints from lakefront homeowners. And that could mean more gators.

THE BACKGROUND: The Osceola County Commission in March banned airboats -- the vessel of choice for alligator hunters -- from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Lake Tohopekaliga and East Lake Toho, but lifted the curfew for licensed trappers during alligator-hunting season. During the season, which began Aug.15 and ends Thursday, the state allows hunting only between dusk and dawn.

THE CRITICS: The hunting season caused a fresh round of noise grievances in September and October from homeowners on Lake Toho, mostly from the Hidden Harbor community. State-mandated mufflers have helped quiet the vessels, but residents complain they are awakened by the boats' airplane-type engines and propellers.

"I am so exhausted," Kathleen Littell of Hidden Harbor wrote in an Oct. 10 e-mail to Commissioner Ken Smith. "Do you understand that all we are asking is a quiet night?"

As of Monday, the Osceola Sheriff's Office had fielded 53 airboat-noise complaints during the hunting season. In all cases, the airboats were found to comply with the county's noise and airboat ordinances, a sheriff's spokeswoman said.

Homeowners say they won't back down.

"Gator hunters will have to come up with another means of transportation," said John Littell, Kathleen's husband. "Just as cowboys are no longer permitted to ride their horses down Main Street in Kissimmee, airboaters will have to relinquish their right to awaken those who live within earshot of their propellers."

THE DEFENSE. Hunters say they, too, are tired -- of residents who have no respect for the county's heritage or the benefits of removing hundreds of full-grown alligators from the lake this year.

[BGHater]

'Without the hunters, waterfront homeowners would likely be left with more and bigger alligators in the lake, officials say.'

Duh. Bye, Bye doggie.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Simple, tell the Snowbirds to control their own damned gators.

[capt. norm]

Those gators can get a bit noisy certain times of the year.

If you are out on freshwater at night here in Florida, slow way down and shine a strong flashlight or spotlight out on the water, and count the number of pairs of reflective (gator) eyes there are.

They are getting thick now....it's happened in years past, but they may have to increase the harvest.

Now if you're an FSU Seminoles football fan, you'll want to barbecue a nice gator tail for your tail-gating party at the FSU vs. UF game on Sat. Nov. 24th. Once the barbecue lovers of America catch on to how good they taste, alligators will once again become an endangered species.

* Actually we already have alligator farms raising professionally trained barbecue gators.

[capt. norm]

'Without the hunters, waterfront homeowners would likely be left with more and bigger alligators in the lake, officials say.'

Very true.

Duh. Bye, Bye doggie.

Gators love dogs the same way "ALF" loves cats

[randita]

The airboats without mufflers are deafening, even from a mile away.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

I reckon I know something about airboats. Just hop in your canoe, and go catch the extra gators, problem solved! Airboats have been around as long as I can remember, never cost me any sleep.

[randita]

When we camped at Lake Kissimmee State Park last winter (a great spot, BTW—going again this winter), there was a fishing tournament going out from a marina probably 5 miles from the campground. It was amazing to hear, even from that distance away. What I don’t get is why people don’t put mufflers on the boats. You’d think it would drive the boat operators deaf. Does a muffler affect boat performance so much that owners won’t install one?

I’ve been out on Lake Kissimmee in a kayak, but only in winter when the alligators aren’t that active. Couldn’t get me out there in a kayak in springtime.

I can sympathize with the homeowners on Lake Toho, but only to a point. It’s like building a home on a flood plain, then complaining when you get flooded all the time. The airboats were there long before the new, fancy developments went in.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

The propellors make most of the noise, not the exhaust.

[Eagles6]

The hunters should go on strike until the home ownwers beg them to come back after the gators have taken over their swimming pools.