Gator

[LeonStagg]

I was working with my dog at a creek close by the house here in S.E. Texas when he encountered an alligator. Dog ran down the inclined bank toward the water's edge when a large splash revealed a good sized gator entering the water. I called the dog up, put him on the leash, and completed the outing with him heeled by my side.

The gator calmly surfaced a few yards from the bank and stayed there for a minute or so. As we came back by that spot on the way back to the truck, I could see him sticking his head above the surface several more times, moving back and forth across the creek. (the alligator was about 6 ft. in length, his head was aprox. 18" from nose to neck)

Hate to lose that spot for training and exercise, but I will not take my dog back, and I will monitor it to warn others who take dogs there.(I can see it passing by on the road)

Anybody else ever run in to this? Never seen any sign of alligators in there before.

[Stoneface]

I was shocked to see the Texas distribution map. They say gators span all the way to the edge of DFW. I found out the state record was caught in Lufkin. I saw one in Shreveport about ten years ago, but that is farther east. The tgought of that just freaks me out. I am glad the gator was on the bank and not in the water. Close to the bank! This may have been a very different thread.

It may be a better idea not to run him close to water after it gets warm.

[LeonStagg]

Yes, he is a Large Munsterlander that absolutely loves the water. I have access to a few pump-fed tanks we can use, they are small, but safe. I have included a quick picture I snapped with my phone, poor quality, but you can barely make out the gator's head in the middle of the shot.

[hill]

Does Texas have a gator season? If so, you might be able to get tags or find someone that hunts them.

[LeonStagg]

There is an alligator season by permit only, varies depending on the county. (my area is September 10-30)

I am going to try to get one this year!

[Scott Linden]

There is an alligator season by permit only, varies depending on the county. (my area is September 10-30)

I am going to try to get one this year!

Or call someone who does get one. Yipes!

Or help it die of "natural causes."

[asc]

I live on the water here and even though it is salt, I occasionally have a gator show up. I usually just have a very aggressive talk with the reptile and they move on.

[Brazosvalleyvizslas]

Sugarland? Really? Dont worry about that gator, its not big enough to want your dog. I have lived here all of my life guiding dogs in much more dangerous areas along the coast of Texas and Louisiana and I've never even heard of a dog being hurt by a gator. Heck, the biggest gator I have ever seen lived in Huntsville State Park and thousands of kids and dogs swim there every year and nothing has happened there that involved the gators.

I live on a lake house in SE Texas and the last thing that I worry about is Gators.

[LeonStagg]

Good to hear BVV,

I too have lived here all my life, never worried too much about any kind of predators.

I did check with TPWD, they have relocated a few 12' gators from White Lake, which is where this creek runs from.

I went to school in Huntsville at SHSU and we were all over the lake in that state park, saw plenty of alligators up close and never saw any aggressive behavior......

Heard a few horror stories about dogs lost to gators(none of the stories were confirmed) that may be why I have concerns.

I have duck hunted from Matagorda, to Anahuac,(born and raised in El Campo) with plenty of dogs and never had an issue, this deal was startling because of how close the dog was to the gator.

Thanks for the input.

[asc]

Our hunt clubs here in west central fl lose a couple of deer hounds each year to gators. Just saying.