15-Foot Monster Gator Bagged In Florida

OKEECHOBEE, FL — Two hunters in Florida are getting the credit for taking down a monster alligator believed to have been making meals out of a farm’s cattle.

The beast, which measured in at nearly 15 feet, was killed Saturday at Outwest Farms in Okeechobee. The farm was hosting a guided gator hunt when the sizable critter was found in a cattle pond on the property.

“Lee Lightsey and I had the pleasure of doing a guided gator hunt this morning and killed the largest gator we have ever killed in the wild,” Outwest Farms posted on its Facebook page. “He measured out at just under 15 (feet).”

Outwest Farms is a hunting outfitter that offers guided alligator and wild boar hunts, among other outdoor experiences. The company doesn’t charge a guide fee; instead hunters pay based on the size gator they manage to bag, according to the Outwest Farms’ website. Alligator hunting packages start at $550 for gators 4 to 5 feet in length and go up to $10,000 for creatures 13 feet or longer.

Lightsey, the owner of Outwest Farms, was unavailable for comment Tuesday, but one of his guide’s, Blake Godwin has been quoted in several media outlets since the big catch was announced.

The gator, Godwin has said, weighed in at more than 800 pounds. “It is hard to believe that something this big exists in the wild,” Fox 13 quoted Godwin is saying.

Even so, he insists that it was very much real. The images of the beat posted to Facebook came directly from cellphones before being uploaded, he said.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the biggest gator on record in the Sunshine State measured in at 14 feet, 3 ½ inches. That gator was found in Brevard County’s Lake Washington.

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Alligators are on the move throughout Florida as warmer temperatures make their return. Last week, a Plant City man opened his door to a gator standing outside, trying to come in.

Warmer weather is peak time for alligator movement, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says.

“All reptiles are more active in the warmer months,” FWC spokesman Gary Morse told Patch. “That’s just the cold-blooded creatures’ (way). Their metabolism increases and they do become active.”

That increase in activity can lead to an increase in encounters with humans as gators take advantage of this time of year to stretch their legs and see if the grass is greener on the other side of the pond. With that in mind, the state warns residents to appreciate roaming gators from a distance.

For those who like swimming in Florida’s freshwater lakes, ponds and rivers, Morse suggested avoiding heavily vegetated areas. He also warned: “No swimming between dusk and dawn when alligators tend to be active.”

For residents who encounter nuisance alligators, such as those that show up on front door steps, Morse said it’s a good idea to call the state’s hotline. That number is 1-866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).

He also recommends people who live in or visit Florida brush up on their alligator knowledge.

“It’s imperative that people do their homework, go to our website and learn how to handle (sightings),” he said.

To help out, the state offers a downloadable brochure with the ABCs of cohabitating with these reptiles. “A Guide to Living with Alligators” can be accessed from the state’s website.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission