Popular Louisiana Refuge Closed First Week in Sept for Gator Hunt

Gators and Louisiana go together like peanut butter and jelly, frogs in overall pockets, and pretty much anything edible and gumbo!  Unfortunately, alligators love our state a little too much – and officials with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) has a plan to do something about it.

First and foremost, you just have to know that Mr. and Mrs. Gator aren’t bad animals per se.  However, since conditions in Louisiana are perfect for raising a huge (and toothy) family – alligator populations can get too big for anyone’s (including the gator’s) wellbeing.  If those numbers get too high, we start to see these frightening murder-logs venturing in to areas populated by humans.  Those occurrences are frightening for the people and the reptiles (to put it mildly).

Have You Seen the Video of the Gator with a Knife Sticking out of its Head?

To help bring the gator population down to a manageable number, officials with the LDWF are shutting down access to the popular and beautiful Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge in South Louisiana between Grand Chenier and Pecan Island starting September 1st.  Visitors to the refuge will not be allowed to enjoy the recreational areas between sunset and noon from Sept. 1st through Sept. 7th.

Cross Lake is #3 in Louisiana for Gator Hunting

The only folks allowed in those areas from sundown till noon are wildlife officials and gator hunters.  Don’t think that means that you can pack up your swamp buggy and some guns and just waltz down into some prime alligator hunting – only those who put in all of the proper paperwork back in May and were chosen by the annual gator-hunting lottery will be allowed to help harvest these giant reptiles.

According to the LDWF’s official statement, the 26 miles of coastal Louisiana in Cameron and Vermilion parishes will still be open to visitors who want to take advantage of the gorgeous trails and amazing fishing the refuge has to offer from noon until sundown during the first week in September.  Just remember, when the sun goes down – the gator hunters will be out in force stalking those scaly boys.

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