Man I did not think  this was possible.Two alligators have been spotted here,Thats crazy.

I thought you were in AL?

Quoted: I thought you were in AL?

Na ,thats to keep people off of my trail,THANKS

I grew up in Mesquite in the 70s/80s, there was a guy I went to high school with that had raised baby alligators. Not sure to what extent he raised them but apparently he let one or more of them go in an area city pond, where it/they grew larger, feeding on the ducks and other area creatures. Multiple sightings of  alligators in MSQ in the late 80s.  Not sure if they (animal control folks) ever caught them or not.

Just thought I'd throw that one out there....

Whats the big deal?  I've seen them on numerous occasions.  The Elm Fork of the Trinity River, north of Downtown Dallas, has lots of them.  Lake Crolyn in Las Colinas has 5 or 6 at any given time.  I've seen them at White Rock Lake, close to downtown.

I will say this, they've never been very big.  They usually range in the 5-6 foot range, but I've seen one that was around 7-8 feet in length.

I caught a baby alligator in Spring Texas (just north of Houston) in a drainage ditch.  Don't know if it was there BC someone turned it loose or if it was hatched in the area. There have been sightings in the area but nothing confirmed that I know of.

Quoted: Man I did not think  this was possible.Two alligators have been spotted here,Thats crazy.

There are quite a few on state lands just south of Dallas.  That’s why the fence says keep out.  

You do realize that alligators are native to Texas and have little colonies all over the state, right?

I understand that there are a few living in the north end of Lake Worth, just north-west of Ft Worth, TX., near Carswell JRB.

North Texas DFW area is the extreme northwestern limit of the American Alligator's original habitat.

The American Alligator and various snakes (Cotton mouth) gave the early Spanish and French explorers a very hard time during their expeditions into what is now the southern USA.

I would not want to travel the Trinity river valley or Sabine river valley by foot or small boat even now. Camping on the river banks at night etc. No thanks!

Imagine the size of the alligators in the late 1600's. Not to mention some of the Native American's were into ritual cannibalism.

Southeast Texas and South Louisiana was just as bad as the Amazon or Congo I bet.

Cheers,

Flyer

Quoted: I understand that there are a few living in the north end of Lake Worth, just north-west of Ft Worth, TX., near Carswell JRB. North Texas DFW area is the extreme northwestern limit of the American Alligator's original habitat. The American Alligator and various snakes (Cotton mouth) gave the early Spanish and French explorers a very hard time during their expeditions into what is now the southern USA. I would not want to travel the Trinity river valley or Sabine river valley by foot or small boat even now. Camping on the river banks at night etc. No thanks! Imagine the size of the alligators in the late 1600's. Not to mention some of the Native American's were into ritual cannibalism. Southeast Texas and South Louisiana was just as bad as the Amazon or Congo I bet. Cheers, Flyer

No matter the ferocity of the predator, the size of the fangs, or the thickness of the hide, firearms are man's great equalizer.

you've seen them at white rock?!!?

so what? Dogs are more dangerous than Alligators........ got your tin foil hat?

Funny you mention it- friend was fishing Friday in Lewisville (just outside DFW) on some small ponds around the Trinity River- He claims he saw a alligator swimming around. I thought he had just seen a nutria or something else. Where is Dallas was the gator spotted? (I need a new set of shoes)

Well got Damn,I have been fishing unarmed.I did know these fuckers can get that close to killing me.

I've seen them at White Rock numerous times.  Mostly in the north end, where few people are.  Hell, I caught my second biggest Largemouth up in that creek, 7 pounds 9 ounces.

I dont worry about gators when I'm fishing.  They rarely ever come close to humans, as they are as freaked out at us, as we are at them.  The closest one has ever come to me, was at White Rock, andhe/she was about 50 feet of the bank.  It was close enough, so I cast a spinnerbait at it, and on the third cast, I smaked him in the head.  Didnt care for it, and he took off.

I'm more worried about Cottonmouths than anything else.  Every lake I go to, those fuckers always pop up.  Its like they have an entricate network, and the bastards know what lake I'm at, and what time I'm there.

The Cottonmouth is a very dangerous snake.

No warning and hard to see if you are in the brush near water. I used to see them all the time when around creeks or stock tanks. I'd like to see one again, need to start spending more time outdoors.

I understand that the venom is a deadly as the rattlesnake's.

Does anyone know a person who has been bitten by a Cottonmouth? I'd be interested to learn about their treatment and recovery.

My Uncle almost lost his leg to a baby rattlesnake. It was only about a foot long. He was in the hospital for two weeks. However, that was back when he was a teenager in '59 or '60. He would prob do a lot better if treated using current procedures.

I understand that they don't give the anti-venom anymore unless you start to show symtoms of the venom in your system. Mainly they just treat the wound to try and prevent infection. At least that's what I was told was going to be the case with the last few snakebite patients I have been around.

Step safely,

Flyer

Quoted: The Cottonmouth is a very dangerous snake. No warning and hard to see if you are in the brush near water. I used to see them all the time when around creeks or stock tanks. I'd like to see one again, need to start spending more time outdoors. I understand that the venom is a deadly as the rattlesnake's. Does anyone know a person who has been bitten by a Cottonmouth? I'd be interested to learn about their treatment and recovery. My Uncle almost lost his leg to a baby rattlesnake. It was only about a foot long. He was in the hospital for two weeks. However, that was back when he was a teenager in '59 or '60. He would prob do a lot better if treated using current procedures. I understand that they don't give the anti-venom anymore unless you start to show symtoms of the venom in your system. Mainly they just treat the wound to try and prevent infection. At least that's what I was told was going to be the case with the last few snakebite patients I have been around. Step safely, Flyer

Different types of rattlesnakes have different types of venom.  I would say the cottonmouth has venom toxicity somewhere between a copperhead (which is in the same family) and canebrake/timber rattlesnake.  If you are bitten by a cottonmouth and it injects venom, you will get anti-venom.

Most of the time when they see you they will try to escape as quickly as possible.  If cornered they will coil up and open their mouths.  In the US most venomous snakes would rather escape then bite.

Quoted: Does anyone know a person who has been bitten by a Cottonmouth? I'd be interested to learn about their treatment and recovery.

A friend of mine in the late '80's was camping out on an island in Lake Caddo in NE Texas.  His boat came untied and drifted off during the night.  While he was trying to locate it, a cottonmouth bit him on the leg.  He went back to camp and put on a tourniquet.  He was up all night sweating and having chills, extreme nausea, and hallucinations.  After about 3-4 hours he was OK.  No lasting side effects.

Spaking

Quoted: Quoted: Does anyone know a person who has been bitten by a Cottonmouth? I'd be interested to learn about their treatment and recovery. A friend of mine in the late '80's was camping out on an island in Lake Caddo in NE Texas.  His boat came untied and drifted off during the night.  While he was trying to locate it, a cottonmouth bit him on the leg.  He went back to camp and put on a tourniquet.  He was up all night sweating and having chills, extreme nausea, and hallucinations.  After about 3-4 hours he was OK.  No lasting side effects. Spaking

My brother as a child got sick as described above. Doctor gave him anti venom and he was ok next day.

The end.

Cottonmouths dont always try to escape.  I came within 25 feet of one, and hissed something fierce and cheased me.  He wasnt cornered at all, as it was on a foot path with the water 5 geet from it.  My Sig P-220 and some CCI Snakeshot solved the problem quickly.