Lions, tigers, and alligators... oh my!

Don't sweat it, Persian Girl. If anyone thinks less of you because you stood your ground at the top of the food chain, that's their problem. There is a difference between aggressively hunting and eliminating a species and removing individual nuisance animals.

Like SJ is pointing out, the problem is when people mess with territorial lines and train the wild animals to hang out with people.

I agree that anyone feeding wild animals like these should be the ones relocated. But as for letting my kids play in one of these canals .... aint happening. I taught my kids that those were perfect habitat for snakes and gators and that they should AT NO TIME even think about going in one of them. (cost me a small fortune for a pool but ....small price for their safety.) I taught them to spot gators & snakes so that they could get away before it was too close. During trips to So. Florida I have noticed signs posted anywhere they have had gator activity. Do the trappers that trap gators here put signs up warning that they have removed gators and that the chance of another one being there within the next fews days is very high? I used to take them to the bay right down the street but after I noticed a fairly large number of black-tip sharks close to the shore there was when I opted for the pool. (by the way...they (blacktips) are running in the bay right now so be careful.)
And to Persian girl...I am sorry if I offended you and sounded condescending, but they can set traps for these animals and trap one a week but it wont stop the gators/snakes and other dangerous things from coming back and I am afraid it might lull you into a sense of false security. As for walking dogs etc at night..that isnt a good idea, as I have seen several adult coyotes on Bay Drive at night for the past several nights.
And these animals are only going to continue to populate the state forest to our south as the construction to the east all the way to Bay county does not show any sign of stopping. The only place they have left to go is to the state forest to our south. And I only imagine it will be matter of time before the wild hogs that are in the area of WaterSound head this way.
So please take this time to teach your children that they share this area with many wild things that arent so friendly.

I agree that anyone feeding wild animals like these should be the ones relocated. But as for letting my kids play in one of these canals .... aint happening. I taught my kids that those were perfect habitat for snakes and gators and that they should AT NO TIME even think about going in one of them. (cost me a small fortune for a pool but ....small price for their safety.) I taught them to spot gators & snakes so that they could get away before it was too close. During trips to So. Florida I have noticed signs posted anywhere they have had gator activity. Do the trappers that trap gators here put signs up warning that they have removed gators and that the chance of another one being there within the next fews days is very high? I used to take them to the bay right down the street but after I noticed a fairly large number of black-tip sharks close to the shore there was when I opted for the pool. (by the way...they (blacktips) are running in the bay right now so be careful.)
And to Persian girl...I am sorry if I offended you and sounded condescending, but they can set traps for these animals and trap one a week but it wont stop the gators/snakes and other dangerous things from coming back and I am afraid it might lull you into a sense of false security. As for walking dogs etc at night..that isnt a good idea, as I have seen several adult coyotes on Bay Drive at night for the past several nights.
And these animals are only going to continue to populate the state forest to our south as the construction to the east all the way to Bay county does not show any sign of stopping. The only place they have left to go is to the state forest to our south. And I only imagine it will be matter of time before the wild hogs that are in the area of WaterSound head this way.
So please take this time to teach your children that they share this area with many wild things that arent so friendly.

I agree with a lot you have to say and I truly believe that it is just as much our responsiblity to educate ourselves... that is undoubted. I also agree that it is unwise to walk your dogs at night... because of the dark and wildlife. That is why I don't. I take them in the backyard... as I stated in my original post. And the reason I decided to call is because it was in my backyard... not in the bay.
Now... there are certainly several alligators in the bay and as Tiger stated... specifically by the mouth of the river. That is why when I go back there (in the boat) I am especially cautious and respectful... as I am in their territory. As far as it being a regular event in our neighorhood, the state has no previous recorded reports of gators in the two canals off Bay Dr... where we live. So, the sighting of our alligator was both unusual and alarming. I wish I could have a conversation with my dogs, who are actually pretty attentive and trained... about the fact that there is an alligator steps from the door, but that obviously doesn't work. And like another person posted, in one instance in Walton County years ago, 3 or 4 dogs were eaten before anything was done.

Anyway, I appreciate everyone's support and confirmation in my decision. Sounds silly... but it was a serious decision and was, by no means, taken lightly. As I have read your posts and talked to neighbors in the community, I can see that there many others who would have made the same decision.

What a wonderful site of educated and beautifully opinionated people.

the state has no previous recorded reports of gators in the two canals off Bay Dr...

That is probably because no one has called about them. But I have seen them there for years. The reason I havent called is due to the fact that I think calling the state to report that there is a gator in a canal would probably get one of those "Well, Hello Captain Obvious!" replies from them.

maybe gator will fry those gators ay Blue Orleans

maybe gator will fry those gators ay Blue Orleans

yummm... over rice with a little tomato ragu like they served at Bayou Bills.

I know we aren't in the restaurant thread, but did you know that at Dusty's, in PCB, they have "Gator Balls" on the menu? They also charge $ .50 for tap water.

I know we aren't in the restaurant thread, but did you know that at Dusty's, in PCB, they have "Gator Balls" on the menu? They also charge $ .50 for tap water.

Well now that sounds very appetizing......are they all the same size, or is one bigger than the other? $ .50 for tap water? Geez, I guess they don't have to worry about how to pay their water bill.

By now, everyone likely thinks I'm for alligator eradication, and I'm not. However, teaching your children to stay away from them only goes so far.

Don't forget that the best-trained children turn into teenagers before they finish growing up...and a few taunts of "sissy!" can make a testoterone-charged young man jump into the canals in Daughette.

By now, everyone likely thinks I'm for alligator eradication, and I'm not. However, teaching your children to stay away from them only goes so far.

Don't forget that the best-trained children turn into teenagers before they finish growing up...and a few taunts of "sissy!" can make a testoterone-charged young man jump into the canals in Daughette.

I think the Gators have their own thread, and are telling each other the same thing about their kids. ("C'mon! Just hop out of the canal and scare it! You don't have to do a death roll or anything; grab the dog or something! Sissy!")

Just got back from a trip and catching up on the news! PersianGirl, do you live on Little's or Baker Canal? I live on Baker...haven't seen any gators in this canal this year, but with all the dredging action going on, I'm assuming the gators are hanging out in Little's?

What I have seen this year in Baker Canal, which I've not seen before in 9 years, are lots of little jelly fish. My neighbor, who has lived on this canal for 22 years says it's unusual, though not unheard of, for there to be so many jellyfish in the canal. I'm always interested in patterns in nature, and wonder if this jellyfish population is a harbinger of upcoming weather (re: hurricane activity)? Ya know...like animals putting on heavy coats as a predictor of a long cold winter?

Just got back from a trip and catching up on the news! PersianGirl, do you live on Little's or Baker Canal? I live on Baker...haven't seen any gators in this canal this year, but with all the dredging action going on, I'm assuming the gators are hanging out in Little's?

She's on Baker, and that is where the two gators were caught. I understand from someone living on Little's Canal, that there is at least one which was hanging out there.

She's on Baker, and that is where the two gators were caught. I understand from someone living on Little's Canal, that there is at least one which was hanging out there.

Thanks for the info.

Yeah... I'm on Baker (On Morrison). Talked to my landlord today and they have seen a couple of little ones in Little, but they are really small he said... like 2 feet. He was really suprised that there were 2 that big back here. Tends to be the general reaction.