I think this is about to be on Fox News. They just showed a section of the beach that looks right and said they're about to show us pictures of something we've probably never seen on the beach before.

I just read this--was it on?

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I think they just said in 25 minutes.

Nevermind--they just said it was coming on in about 25 minutes (which, if I can count, will be at 2:50 eastern time.)

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Yep, Tivoed, 25 minutes.

Well? Do tell. Anyone see it?
Did they show my pics (did they have my name on the screen)? Did they interview Keen?

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Geo, I saw it. I happened to be putting up clothes, FOX was on and it caught my ear (so to speak).

THey interviewed him, said your first name, but did not put any names on the tv at all. I figured there was a sowaller involved somehow... They showed the photos and then your friend talked about how he was sad that it did not turn out so well for the gator. How sad...

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Geez what is going on with the gator....was he destroyed or did they save him. Mango have you heard anything else from those who said he had been saved???? I'm really confused now.

bdub where did you get your info that he had not been saved? I'm thinking maybe they didn't want the public to know he had been rescued.

back and what a great post!

"I happened to be putting up clothes, FOX was on and it caught my ear (so to speak)." ...are you sure it didn't catch your REAR?

BTW...wasn't it this Keen guy that first reported the gator to the authorities?

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The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it is open.

I was proud of you! What was the word they kept using--that he was "frolicking" in the surf? They were so excited about how much fun the gator had, how fast he was moving, etc. It didn't sound like he was "caught" in the riptide, but that he was playing in it--said that he was zipping in and out easily.

That must have been incredible to see. I'm still sad that surfing is a capital offense.

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Hopefully it won't reach the proportions of the fictional Amity Island incident (see: JAWS).

Those are some goood pics; right place at the right time! I can't believe mikecatadjuster wasn't on hand; he always sees the cool wildlife events around here.

As for the relocation issue, why not somewhere along the north end of Choctawhatchee or St. Andrew's Bay, or the Choctawhatchee River? There are plenty of remote areas where he'd probably rarely encounter humans.

I cruised the kayak through the northern half of Eastern Lake this morning; didn't see anything, but heard a slow splash, then saw some surface bubbles in the same area a few minutes later. Have any of you seen any gators in Eastern Lake?

Someone informed me yesterday that any "nuisance" animal is required by law to be put to death. Has anyone else heard this? If this is so, and this animal was captured because it was a "nuisance" to Spring Breakers and other beach goers, it doesn't sound like the Gator survived the meat locker.

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I gave this its own thread so that folks don't have to scroll through 4 pages of the original alligator thread to find this...

Thanks BDub for covering the story in a lighthearted way so that our area was presented in a positive light. And thx to Keen for nailing the interview!

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Is that you they mention in the story? I love tv land as it was 7 foot before and now its 9 foot. I keep thinking about how deserted grayton beach is near the state park and the 2 dune lakes. What are the chances of a gator running out of the dune lakes and attacking somebody walking on the beach?

Yep. That's me...

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Thanks for posting this. I didn't get to see it. If in fact, it was destroyed, wellll..........

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I love Jesus, but I drink a little. ~Gladys




DD, I toad you it was pucking hot.~~Kitty

I believe statistics would support that you're more likely to get killed swimming in the Gulf than getting attacked by a gator walking along its beaches.

Life's too short. Play the numbers and take some chances...

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Thanks for the link Geo. It kind of just cut short though when he started to talk about relocating. Is this covered on the other thread because I thought he was relocated.

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Get Outdoors!

That gator was having some spring break fun!

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You are Great.
You are Amazing.
MissCritter's Thread....We all need a little Validation.

This is from the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge.....Right now the law states that a nuisance animal is one that is threatening the safety of a person, pet, or damaging property. Right now there is an option of relocation, but this will end on July 1st. The law will be changing July 1st...any animal deemed a nuisance, which means a mere phone call from a citizen, will be euthanized. A south Florida group is "up in arms" because a disoriented bobcat found in a shopping area parking lot was put down. A biologist should have been called to evaluate the animal instead of it just being killed. So, when you see a wild animal that is not threatening, call the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge 850.650.1880..... not the Sherrif, Fish and Wildlife or animal control. The Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge does an awesome job of rescuing, rehabilitating and relocating animals as well as coordinating with Fish and Wildlife and National Marine Organizations. This non profit organization receives no state funding and they are always in need of donations.
The alligator, that was found this week on the beach, was deemed a nuisance because of its size, 9 feet long. Trappers will relocate alligators under 4 feet. Florida Fish and Wildlife contracted with the trapper to take the animal. Trappers are not paid to capture an animal. If the animal cannot be relocated, the trapper receives the animal as compensation. He can then sell the hide and meat.

BTW...wasn't it this Keen guy that first reported the gator to the authorities?[/quote]

Miss Kitty,
The Sherrif Department had been called the night before about the gator. They came out the next morning try to capture it. Keen happened to be walking out to the beach and saw the activity. He called the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge and the Walton Sun to make sure the alligator got a fair shake rather than just getting shot on the spot. Keen and George are buddies and coordinated the Fox interview that was going to be a "save the gator" campaign. By the time Fox was going on air with it, the gator had already been put down, so they changed the angle of the story.

Given the recent behavior of folks around here, we need to change the rule so that a phone call isn't an instant death sentence for a wild animal!

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The enemy is ignorance.

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Amazing what you find when you aren't looking.

"Save the Gator, eat the Cod" One of our beloved members is working on a new bumper sticker and it ain't me!

p.s. Not much private out here in internet land! Touche'.

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I know I don't get there often enough, but God knows I surely try, It's a magic kind of medicine that no doctor could prescribe!

...that seems a bit rude to me. Sure seems to be some weird ju ju around here lately.

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The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it is open.

I understand the "save the gator" part, but am lost on "eat the cod".

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The enemy is ignorance.

the gators are using the gulf to swim from lake to lake...have for years from what i hear but the first time i saw it was about 2 years ago.never seen one right in the surf like that though :) nice pic.

i'd love to see a gator doing this, from a safe distance. they were here before us, and he didn't seem to be bothering anyone. i hope he got relocated.

as for the people thinking it was trapped in the surf, i truly doubt it. and for the ones who don't think gators can handle salt water, i can personally attest to the fact that they don't care about the salt water. i went gator hunting off the coast of Georgia last fall (AMAZING EXPERIENCE!!) and we got our gator in the intercoastal waterway marsh just off Cumberland Island. we saw tons of gators out there swimming around, way off the island. i've been to Cumberland, Jekyll, (and the Okeefenokee) all my life, but never saw any in the marshes until that night last fall. we harpooned a seven footer, and boy was it tasty!!!

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I'm with you SC, wtf was that?

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tastes like chicken?

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The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it is open.