I did call a alligator control guy last summer. In the ten days that he had a permit, he never saw it once, it never ate the bait. Since there is no way an alligator can be moved, only thing that can be done is kill it. So, I'm trying to live with it as long as it stays visible, and across the pond. Someday, if it bites me I'll remember that old tale about the guy who saved the snake, and think "well, you knew it was an alligator when you left it in the pond"
What kind of bait do you mean? Something poison like fly bait or you mean just food used to catch it alive? Depending on how large the pond is, you could just drain it and leave it dry until the thing moves on somewhere wetter. I don't know anything about alligators, are they protected? I would think if it is being a continual menace in a residential yard, you would have the right to shoot it, or otherwise kill it.
A chunk of chicken gizzard on a hook connected to a pole driven into the ground. I would lose all my bass and bluegill fish from my 1/3 acre pond if I drained it. And, we have a creek on the property too, which according to alligator control guy, is perfect alligator habitat. And, it came across the street from a 385 acre pond. Alligators are protected, unless they are dangerous. So far, it is afraid of me. Some idiot at the lake was obviously feeding it before it washed through the dam culvert into the creek, because it came right up to me the first time I saw it. (See picture) now, it won't even let me get close enough to take a picture. Good.
Here is Fl. they are protected too but if they are considered a hazard such as in a development the Game & Fish has a trapper that will relocate them if over 6 or 7 feet. We have them in our canal that runs along our pasture and as long as they leave our cows alone we leave them alone otherwise they would have to shall we say disappear. In 45 years we have never had a cow taken down even tho they often have ther calves right on the canal bank. Only once did I see one come up out of the canal and the cows all ran over to observe dumb cows. He opened his mouth and I thought sure he would get one but he didn't. Guess that one wasn't hungry that day. I'm not a good shot with a high powered rifle at a long distance only with my 22 and I don't think that would have bothered him at all.
Hope no one around you is feeding it. That's the biggest mistake lots of people make and then they loose their fear of humans. BTW they can out run a horse for a number of yards before giving up. Personally I don't go hear them cause I know there a lot faster than I am. My friend that lives on a 900 acre ranch and has cows has lost a few to gators plus gators love to eat dogs. PLEASE don't get close to any unless you are armed and a very good shot.
Bonnie
I check where he is before I fish, and watch him. He always stays across the pond. I've never see him do anything. Hardly moves. Most of our laws are the same as fl, except we can't move them. Guess its unfair to move a dangerous animal to someone else's property. When I first saw it, I could tell someone in the lake had been feeding it, it swam right over to me. That's when alligator control came out to get it, and explained he would have to shoot it. He never caught it. It got scared of me when I jumped up and made a lot of noise, etc. I wanted to see if I could make him stop coming over. Worked too.
