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Posted: 3/27/2017 8:54:18 PM EDT
I live in a (gulp) HOA that has several "lakes".  The usual 1-3 acre or so in size. It is a relatively small community. 133 1 acre homesites on about 250 acres.  We have seen a few gators around. Usually 3-5 feet in length. Nothing to big. A couple of weeks ago I pull out of the subdivision an glance over at one of the lakes....wtf?? I turn around and go back...sure enough, a big ass Gator. I mean 8'-10' monster in a lake no more than1.5 acres! I pulled up about 25 feet from him, I step out, step back in to get my phone for a picture and he plops into the water. The Mrs. was with me, so I got an eyewitness.

Now I have not seen him sense. I figure he was moving around due to mating season? There are 5-6 bodies of water in the neighborhood, a couple quite a bit larger. a small river that feeds into the Calosahatchee is maybe 1/3 of a mile. I have lived here all my life. Gators don't really scare me, but I figure he is way too big for these smallish bodies of water.

Any thoughts?
Link Posted: 3/27/2017 9:00:35 PM EDT
[#1]
Gators will roam.

ETA- I've encountered gators on dry high ground a mile from the Aucilla river while Wolfe Creek was dry and surrounding swamps were dry.
Link Posted: 3/27/2017 9:24:13 PM EDT
[#2]
About 12 years ago I was leaving my neighbor hood about 5 am to go to work half asleep. I caught something out of the corner of eye in the other lane and stopped.  I backed up right next to a 7' gator in the road and about s@!t myself when he hissed at me. . Wasn't expecting a gator being the lake was about 1/4 mile away.  Gotta love it here in Florida.
Link Posted: 3/27/2017 9:54:17 PM EDT
[#3]
Well, I always thought that they were territorial. Not to travel far...which is what makes me think mating season. It being spring and all. Nothing makes a male do stupid things like strange tail.

Pun intended.
Link Posted: 3/27/2017 10:04:53 PM EDT
[#4]
Some of the biggest gators I've seen were in the mines in Mulberry.  I have never seen a gators with heads that dam wide and I've lived here for 48 years.
Link Posted: 3/27/2017 10:44:54 PM EDT
[#5]
Quoted:
I live in a (gulp) HOA that has several "lakes".  The usual 1-3 acre or so in size. It is a relatively small community. 133 1 acre homesites on about 250 acres.  We have seen a few gators around. Usually 3-5 feet in length. Nothing to big. A couple of weeks ago I pull out of the subdivision an glance over at one of the lakes....wtf?? I turn around and go back...sure enough, a big ass Gator. I mean 8'-10' monster in a lake no more than1.5 acres! I pulled up about 25 feet from him, I step out, step back in to get my phone for a picture and he plops into the water. The Mrs. was with me, so I got an eyewitness.

Now I have not seen him sense. I figure he was moving around due to mating season? There are 5-6 bodies of water in the neighborhood, a couple quite a bit larger. a small river that feeds into the Calosahatchee is maybe 1/3 of a mile. I have lived here all my life. Gators don't really scare me, but I figure he is way too big for these smallish bodies of water.

Any thoughts?
View Quote



Feed the gator liberals it will be full and not eat you...  It will be start to clean up the messes they create the liberals i mean not the gators
Link Posted: 3/27/2017 10:54:58 PM EDT
[#6]
OP during the spring males will roam  I have seen 5-6 footers in saltwater and even on beaches.

come summer if there is not enough food he'll leave.  If he gets a dog or 2 he'll stay
Link Posted: 3/28/2017 8:47:11 AM EDT
[#7]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Some of the biggest gators I've seen were in the mines in Mulberry.  I have never seen a gators with heads that dam wide and I've lived here for 48 years.
View Quote
Polk native here, yeah, me too. But some of those mines are 100 yrs old. Lots of time for them gators to grow big!
Link Posted: 3/28/2017 10:47:43 AM EDT
[#8]
During droughts I've seen very large gators stay awhile in ridiculously tiny bodies of water.

When conditions changed they moved on.

Females will hang around much longer if they've built a mound and laid eggs.
Link Posted: 3/28/2017 10:49:02 AM EDT
[#9]
Gators roam for miles.  They move from water hole to water hole, only staying where there is plenty of fish.  I've seen them in residential ponds like what you describe.  They don't last long there, unless that pond is stocked regularly
Link Posted: 3/28/2017 12:26:01 PM EDT
[#10]
I saw this one last week. He hung around for a few days, but I haven't seen him since.

This is at 10x over 100m away.

Link Posted: 3/28/2017 4:50:58 PM EDT
[#11]
Was that a called shot "ricochet of the water"?
Link Posted: 3/28/2017 5:12:03 PM EDT
[#12]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Was that a called shot "ricochet of the water"?
View Quote
Ha, he could've made a nice belt. I removed the mount from my upper just to get a better look at him.
Link Posted: 3/28/2017 6:57:13 PM EDT
[#13]
Similar situation but will smaller gator.
Called the county.
Guy attempts to capture gator but gator continues to elude him.
Guys says gator shouldn't be a threat as he kept running away from him maintaining his fear of people.
Guys leaves pamphlet "How to live with Gators in Florida."
Link Posted: 4/2/2017 11:15:29 AM EDT
[#14]
Worked as a landscape contractor 30 years and watched many subdivisions grow...The water retention ponds are often linked together via big concrete pipes.

Have watched gators move from pond to pond...a lot of gators around the  golf course ...don't chain fido up in the back yard
Link Posted: 4/2/2017 5:34:48 PM EDT
[#15]
I found out that he has been around for a while. Just as mentioned in this thread. Moving around the "lakes". I spoke to our developer, yes, a trapper is on it. It is not as easy as they show on TV. And yes, he is 8-9 feet long.
Link Posted: 4/2/2017 8:45:25 PM EDT
[#16]
They crop up from time to time in unexpected places, even nicely manicured ponds/lakes. There have been some roaming through our neighborhood as it has grown. Like others have said they will move.

Took this in 07 or 08 I forget but seeing as we are talking about gators:

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