try the univesal key.[/ATTACH]:funn: :rofl: 
Lions, tigers, and alligators... oh my!
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he expects a lot!try the univesal key.[/ATTACH]:funn: :rofl:
that ought to do it!SJ, did you get any pics of those baby alligators we saw Saturday night?
I couldn't find the original post that this quote came from:
"If you are a new resident of Florida I think you probably should have researched exactly where you were relocating to. I hate to tell you but Florida is one of the "wildest" states you could ever move to. The wildlife here is very important to those of us that were attracted to this area for its "wildlife" (and not just the kind you have while partying with friends on the beach). I get really upset when people come to this area and complain or jump on the bandwagon to "kill 'em all" when it comes to snakes, bugs, gators,or sharks, that are just a part of this area. Yes ..we have poisonous snakes, biting bugs, and other LARGE creatures that will make your life miserable unless you respect them and their habitat. I recently created a "Welcome to Florida" brochure that should be given to every person that thinks they are moving "to the beach". You must realize that Florida is so much more than the beach and that you have to take the good with the bad."
I don't really know how to react to this. I am by no means some guarded and inconsiderate person that blindly packed my things and chuckled along the way, "Huh, huh... I think I'll move to Florida... it sure is pretty there." And I am also not the type of person who is terrified of spiders and nature. On the contrary, I am a lover of the Earth and all its realities. I am a smiley person who is relatively level headed and try to be as logical as possible.
If you will read my original post you will see that I waited some days before calling the wildlife conservancy. Those days were filled with a lot of thought and consideration. I had a decision to make... and I made one. That was a choice that was dictated by the knowledge that there are children playing in this neighborhood and families in that canal. It was also a decision that was concluded strongly on the fact that I have 2 dogs that play along the very area I saw the gator hiding.
It was not, by any means, something I did naively or with a shallow heart.
If I have to pick the alligator or my dogs... I pick my dogs. And I am GENUINELY sorry if that makes me a bad person.
Yes we must co-exist... but we should also be wise and take certain measures to protect ourselves.
I am, honestly, suprised that such conclusions were come to about my character and morale. Perhaps I am being to sensitive, but I think that the above statement was condescending, filled with stereotype and unqualified assessment.
"If you are a new resident of Florida I think you probably should have researched exactly where you were relocating to. I hate to tell you but Florida is one of the "wildest" states you could ever move to. The wildlife here is very important to those of us that were attracted to this area for its "wildlife" (and not just the kind you have while partying with friends on the beach). I get really upset when people come to this area and complain or jump on the bandwagon to "kill 'em all" when it comes to snakes, bugs, gators,or sharks, that are just a part of this area. Yes ..we have poisonous snakes, biting bugs, and other LARGE creatures that will make your life miserable unless you respect them and their habitat. I recently created a "Welcome to Florida" brochure that should be given to every person that thinks they are moving "to the beach". You must realize that Florida is so much more than the beach and that you have to take the good with the bad."
I don't really know how to react to this. I am by no means some guarded and inconsiderate person that blindly packed my things and chuckled along the way, "Huh, huh... I think I'll move to Florida... it sure is pretty there." And I am also not the type of person who is terrified of spiders and nature. On the contrary, I am a lover of the Earth and all its realities. I am a smiley person who is relatively level headed and try to be as logical as possible.
If you will read my original post you will see that I waited some days before calling the wildlife conservancy. Those days were filled with a lot of thought and consideration. I had a decision to make... and I made one. That was a choice that was dictated by the knowledge that there are children playing in this neighborhood and families in that canal. It was also a decision that was concluded strongly on the fact that I have 2 dogs that play along the very area I saw the gator hiding.
It was not, by any means, something I did naively or with a shallow heart.
If I have to pick the alligator or my dogs... I pick my dogs. And I am GENUINELY sorry if that makes me a bad person.
Yes we must co-exist... but we should also be wise and take certain measures to protect ourselves.
I am, honestly, suprised that such conclusions were come to about my character and morale. Perhaps I am being to sensitive, but I think that the above statement was condescending, filled with stereotype and unqualified assessment.
Sybil is that you?:rofl: 
:funn:
:funn: 
No, that does NOT make you a bad person. I have lived here all of my life, not far from you, and I, and my parents, grandparents, etc before me, have often made the decision "should it stay or should it go." If the critter in question posed a threat to kids, pets, human life, or fishing safely, it went. Did we go out hunting things to kill? No (except fish, of course). But if something that could hurt us crawled into our yard or into the canal behind our house, AND decided to take up residence there, see ya.
I'm sure the gator meant no harm, but gators stay in places due to one thing: food source. And the fishing in the Daughette canals is not that good.
ThatPersianGirl is a friend of mine, and I can tell you that she is a lover of nature. As she states, she feels that her pets and neighbors kids, who have been seen playing in the canals are potential dinner for the gators. Making a decision to remove the gators was not easy for her. How sad would it be if she chose to do nothing, only to find out the next week that her 6 yr old neighbor was eaten by one of those gators? Life choices are difficult, sometimes.
Tying this thread into the gators we saw on Western Lake the other evening, I can tell you for a fact that those two gators will need to be removed sooner, rather than later, with their habits of approaching and hanging around people, waiting for food. When they get large enough, the people will be the food. I wish we could relocate the people who have been feeding them, but I don't see that happening, so, unfortunately, we are left with the other option.
Tying this thread into the gators we saw on Western Lake the other evening, I can tell you for a fact that those two gators will need to be removed sooner, rather than later, with their habits of approaching and hanging around people, waiting for food. When they get large enough, the people will be the food. I wish we could relocate the people who have been feeding them, but I don't see that happening, so, unfortunately, we are left with the other option.
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.
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.
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.
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.