People 'going crazy' over [alligator] attacks

Sarasota Herald Tribune ^ | 5/16/06 | MICHAEL A. SCARC

[dukeman]

Somethings going on

Gators are more aggressive during mating season and it's been very dry in Florida (winter and spring are the dry seasons here), so they're more likely to move about in search of water. They sometimes end up here and there in a swimming pool, but that is not a common occurrence. As for their ability to access property, I once saw a photo of a garor scaling a chain link fence in an effort, I believe, to reach somebody's yappy little dog on the other side.

[BadAndy]

"I don't know the caliber. Would a 10-round clip most likely be a .22?"

During the term of the infamous Brady law (1994-2004), new semi autos were limited to 10 rounds so it could be anything from a 22 to a 45.

[Leatherneck_MT]

The three S's apply here.

Shoot, Shovel and Shutup.

[Rio]

Caliber: It could be anything really. My .45 has a ten-round magazine.

[browardchad]

Frey and her daughter managed to push the alligator through a dog-door on their lanai

I do believe there's a few details missing here. A large gator will not fit through a dog door (and who in their right mind would try it?), and I doubt could be flipped with a shovel. Then there's the fact that it was returned to the lake; large gators are moved to uninhabited areas when caught.

Conclusion: a small gator attacked her dog (but that fact would kind of ruin the story).

[L98Fiero]

"The three S's apply here.

Shoot, Shovel and Shutup."

Exactly.

[dukeman]

Sorry, and don't shoot! :-)

[Sam Cree]

A permit is in the pompano family, and is considered an important game fish here. In any case, a lot of people come to Florida and hire a guide, just to get a "permit." :-)

[hubbubhubbub]

"The heck with the alligators; I'm still trying to imagine the manatee woman."


Helen Thomas with a fin.

[Wisconsin]

This a pretty clear cut case of discrimination.

The woman gets charged with hunting without a permit.

The gator, who also seems to have been hunting without a permit, doesn't get charged.

Betcha the gator was male.

[L98Fiero]

"Betcha the gator was male."

It's just a "good-old-boy" network down there.

[saleman]

Yea, well, mating season has been going on for millions of years and there has only been 17 deaths recorded since 1948. Then 3 in a week?

[jslade]

Jetskiing with the gators is fun

You don't know whay a pucker factor is until you run over a gator on a slalom water ski. Don't fall is right!

[saleman]

"My .45 has a ten-round magazine"

Must be a helluva pistol. A clip is detachable, a magazine holds the cartridges internally.

[stainlessbanner]

What an idiot. A 3-foot gator did not pose a threat to this woman. I doubt it could unlock her front door.

Don't live on a lake if you don't like Gators, lady.

[Chanticleer]

Common knowledge in FLA, never under any circumstances swim in fresh or brackish water. Even fishing on the banks near this type of water is a no-no.

I disagree. I'm a second-generation native, and there is plenty of fresh water swimming that goes on here, especially in cleared, populated beach areas and springs.

I wouldn't recommend swimming at dawn or dusk or in any area that was wild or heavily vegetated.

[danamco]

Part of the problem that I have personally observed many times is Florida has seen a huge influx of people from the north, and many of the folks have little situational awareness, or worse, have been trained in wildlife behavior by the movie "Bambi".




I will bet she is going to dragged into the court by the wacko animal lovers for killing the alligator, yet most of these wackos are FOR abortion!!!
Go figure out???

[stainlessbanner]

You beat me by 10 posts. Unloading a 4 shots on a 3 foot gator seems a little overkill. Maybe she can frame her citation.

[bert]

As you will recall, a Manatee woman is usually referred to as a Mermaid.

[Hatteras]

"hunting without a permit"

WTF?!