742-Pound Gator Gossip

Hunters Kill 742-pound alligator, but before properly restraining itThe hunters who killed the biggest alligator since the state of Alabama began a legal season five years ago apparently violated regulations in dispatching the animal Monday morning, but a conservation department official said charges probably won't be filed.

Apparently regulations were violated when tagholder John Fulton of Bessemer and David Horton of Bay Minette killed this 13-foot, 4-inch, 742-pound alligator Monday morning.

David Horton of Bay Minette and tagholder John Fulton of Bessemer admitted to District V supervising wildlife biologist Chuck Sharp that they shot the 13-foot, 4-inch, 742-pound gator early Monday morning before properly restraining it as defined by state regulations.

They said they hooked it at 2:30 a.m. Monday on the Tensaw River near the mouth of Honeycutt Creek using a single-weighted snatch hook tied to 150-pound braided line spooled on an offshore fishing reel and rod.

Horton said Fulton shot the gator with a shotgun when it was 5 feet from the boat. Asked why they shot it at that point, Horton said, "I didn't want it any closer."

When the alligator surged after the initial shot, Horton said the single hook they had in it pulled out and the alligator swam free. They were able to get another hook in it about 30 minutes later after the third time it came to the surface for air, Horton said.

For the whole story visit www.al.com/sports and search “742-pound.”

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