Crud.. this weekend while catching a bunch of crappie I see 2 little head sticking out of the water. 1st thought...turtles or snakes. Get the binoculrs out...stinkin' gators. Heads are about 5 inches long so they are probably 18 inches long or so.


HOW DO I GET RID OF THEM??? they wouldn't even look at the topwater I threw at them? thoughts?

you should catch some perch in a cast net (any bait fish) and then put out some drop rigged with 12in wire leaders and some giant hooks. but be careful IT TAKES BIG GATERS TO MAKE SMALL ONES.

spotlight and a mini 14

What your are seeing may be large soft-shelled turtles. I was fishing a pond recently and I would have bet money that I was seeing little baby alligators until one surfaced right in front of me. These turtles can get very large and they have very long necks. When a larger one sticks its head out of the water, it looks very similar to a baby alligator.



If you have fished this pond regularly and never seen alligators before, I would be more inclined to believe that this is what you are seeing. However it is Texas and I've seen alligators before in very unlikely places. As far as getting rid of them, I'm not sure what the laws are but I would definitely check with the GW before I did anything.

Good Luck.

They're not turtles. I've been close enough with binoculars to make sure what they are.

Even if they are turtles, they need to go.

The big gators we think came from a creek 1/3 mile away. Up the creek, about 4 miles, a big ranch has it dammed up to make a 20 acre pond, when full. The creek leading out of it is now drying up in large sections and our tank is the next closest body of water.

Watch Lake Placid. Lot of good tips in that movie

if those are baby gators.. you have an angry mamma somewhere watching your every move.

it is spring time... beware if you have little children or even yourself for that matter... the mom is always close to young when it comes to gators

There is no mama. Pond is only 50 feet wide and 100 feet long right now. No sign of mom.

no sign of mom.............yet. Just don't let your guard down, cuase it only takes once to mess up and mother with have her way with you.

if momma aint happy, aint nobody happy

Legally not much you can do. If you chose to handle this on your own I would not discuss it on the internet. But to each his own.

would those be "gator tots" ?

oh, ha ha B.A.B. If I catch it on a topwater you better bet I'll post it on TX fishes for a laugh.

410, thats what I use. I have seen loads of big turtles and a couple of what appeared to be baby gators, but a 410 slug always takes care of it! Of course that is on private property in east Texas on a very private 15 acre lake and a few large ponds. Oh, woks great for snakes too!

Buy some of the Helicopter lures that Roland martin "accidently" caught a gator with.

It is ILLLEGAL to harm,harass, injure or intentionally catch any alligator in Texas and there are open seasons and you MUST be on private property. Not from a boat or shot from the bank. There are specific rules for Core and Non-Core counties.

Good Luck to all that have commented on here with what they have done. These forums are monitored...

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/annual/hunt/alligator/

Monitored, oh let me guess for terrorist's. HAHAHAHA Seriusly if i shot a gator-tot on my land in my pond who's to say i realy did. There is nothing they can do your statment in this forum isnt admisable in court. To convict they need motive and PROOF.

So, I guess the laws and regulations mean nothing to you in our state?

That's a great way to teach others, especially those that may not know the regulations, especially our youth! Way to go, promote illegal activities so our hunting & fishing priviledges get hammered by the anti's/activists.

I had a very professional, well writen response that was probobly going to be seen as patranizing. However i noticed who i was talking to. (Brimbuster) had i seen your name connected to the original post that struck an unpleasent cord in me I wouldn't have said anyhting. Im always watching in here, who helps, who is there for info, and who is an all around good guy. That list grows the more members i come to meet. Your name has stuck out to me on more then one occasion, you constantly take and give help, it takes a strong person to do that. I respect you without ever having a conversation with you.

However your post did kind of upset me in the fact that my free speach is mine, you cant expect people to always say things you like and its not my responsability to teach any kids anything; the main reason is I dont have kids. I dont think my words will push there views. It is the parents responsabilaty to make sure there child has a good head and knows how to use it. If this job was done correctly my ignorant thoughts should be immediatly dismissed.

I agree killing things illegaly is wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I do believe it is our responsabilty to keep our sport and others legal and corectly lawed.

But..... Once again I must reiterate you dont have to like what i say its not my responsabilty to monitor my thoughts, fowl language sure, but not my thoughts. They are mine not yours so if you dont agree, good.... I believe what you did was come in where no real legal actions could have been taken.

(short of finding who these people are, interogating them, getting a search warent, and going to the persons property and looking for evidence that they have been shooting illegally on his land)

All these people did was speak, and it was free speach, which means it can be a lie, your post offended me becouse i thought it came out sort of pushy and it seemed like you were trying to wish these people luck cause now they were in a whole bunch of trouble for managing their land there way. That did upset me, I feal like you were being threatening.


I apologize once again I do respect you.

Thank you, and apology accepted...and I for one, have always tried to explain or show the regulations to those that may not know or realize what they may be doing.

One has to realize, that not only are the members of this forum reading our posts and replies, but also those that may stop in and read that may not be a registered member and take for what is said to be the truth, law or regulation.

All outdoors-people, especially anglers, hunters and trappers should be extra careful of what they say or write, because those that can change and/or cause our activities to be banned (Animal Rights Activists), can do so and campaign with great force.

Yah ill admit its tough to fight crazy

10/22 or 22 mag. Shoot turtles in a little tank behind my house all the time. It should take care of baby gators.

Sorry but thats just funny. LMAO only cause it took such a short period of time.