Alligator season ends as one of the best

2010 Mississippi Alligator Hunting Season ends with Record Harvest
Jackson – The 2010 Mississippi Alligator Hunting Season on public waters concluded with record harvest levels.  There were 224 alligators harvested – 132 in the Pearl River Zone and 92 in the Pascagoula River Zone – with a hunter success rate of 76 percent. Sixty-three alligators harvested were more than seven feet long and 17 alligators were longer than 10 feet. The longest alligator harvested was 12 feet, 7 inches and weighed 433 pounds. The heaviest harvested was 462 pounds and was 12 feet, 2 inches long. Hunters are allowed to harvest two alligators over four feet long, however only one may exceed seven feet. Hunters are required to harvest a “runt gator” (4-7 feet long) prior to harvesting an alligator more than seven feet.   Runt gators comprised 71.9 percent of the alligators harvested.  
There were 260 permits available for alligator hunting on public waters in the two zones. The Pearl River Zone had 120 permits and 140 were issued to the Pascagoula River Zone. There were 2,086 applications submitted; 1,427 in the Pearl River Zone and 659 in the Pascagoula River Zone. Permits were issued by a computer-based, preference points drawing system. Preference is given to those who have applied more often without having been drawn.
Weather conditions were especially conducive to alligator hunting on the Pearl River Zone.  However, the Pascagoula River Zone was affected by unusually high tide conditions and cool temperatures, which reduced alligator activity and subsequently reduced alligator sightings.
No injuries were reported by any hunters. For more information about alligators in Mississippi, visit www.mdwfp.com <http://www.mdwfp.com> .