gator meat is awesome....especially if it's cooked right...add some cole slaw, hushpuppies, and fries and you'd stuff yourself until you were about to puke...trust me.
besides the meat they are also hunted for their hides...i'm not sure what the going rate is now and to me it really doesn't matter because he's going on my wall but it's a great way to make some extra cash if needed.

they are also becoming a nuissance (sp?)...the population has exploded in the last 10yrs alone...to the point where they wander the streets, climb fences to get in pools,etc....especially bad during mating season.

i've always been fascinated with them....when i went thru my wild stage we'd catch them with our hands...there were times when we'd have one in each hand, be sittin' on the bigger ones and still out tryin' to catch more....we'd never hurt them though...usually a lil boat ride, a picture or two,some belly rubs and kisses and then they'd be released back into the water....but it's been years since i caught one with my hands and that's what has me a lil chicken....plus the biggest i ever caught was around 5ft and now we'll be going after MONSTERS....my nephew says nothing less than 10.5ft but i'd be happy with an 8.