NC Alligator Management Plan
 

The NCWRC just had their 4th meeting last night of 6 total meetings in regards to proposing an Alligator Management Plan (AMP). NCWRC AMP I joined them last night to sit in on, provide input and ask questions. I missed one of the previous meetings in my area due to coaching a baseball game, but I emailed my opinion to staff and submitted the online comment form for the meeting.

I got to say, compared to the fishery management meetings the turnout was dismal. 6 individuals including myself where there and all the others in attendance where the 3 WRC staff, 2 Game Wardens, and 1 Facility Director for the facility we where using. I am a little disappointed when I talked to the Coordinator leading the meetings and he said "this is about the size of all the meetings". I have talked to plenty of people who said they would love the ability to hunt alligators, a few duck hunting clubs that complain about alligators on their property being a threat to their dogs and wanting the ability to remove. Yet nobody shows up, you ever wonder why things never get done or things get changed in ways you don't like. I will tell you one of the biggest reasons, because people are not getting involved in the process. People are not providing their views on how and where they would like to see our management of our resources being directed to.

I will provide some interesting information that I didn't even know.

1. Alligators reach sexual maturity at around 6 ft, but alligators in the Gulf states reach this maturity at about 8-10 years old while those here in NC reach this size limit at around 15-18 years of age.

2. Due to the slower growth rates for Alligators at the top of their range, mothers will keep and continue protecting their young for multiple years.

If you want hunting of alligators, join the meetings, write in, do something. If not you may never see it as there was at least one individual present last night that was opposed to hunting, but wanted the state to promote and grow alligator observation in the same fashion you have bird watchers.