This item came out during the week I was off, and then the election hit, so I put it off to the side.
But now that that is all over; how many of you knew that it was illegal to kill an alligator in your own back yard in Florida?
Once hunted to dangerously low levels and displaced by urban development, the “gator” population in the state is now estimated at 1 million, or one alligator for every 18 Florida residents
Increasing numbers of gators and people make increasing encounters more likely. At least two people died in alligator attacks this year. Before that, there had only been 18 fatal alligator attacks in Florida since 1948.
The population boom is prompting state wildlife officials to reconsider hunting restrictions that continued to protect the species after the American alligator came off the federal endangered list in 1987.
In December, the state government will be asked to approve proposed changes to extend the annual hunting season, currently around two-and-a-half months, and increase hunting limits.
It all sounded good up to that point. As though the state had the problem relatively under control. Then I read this line.
The proposed new rules would also allow Florida property owners to take matters into their own hands if a rogue gator comes calling, and kill the reptile.
Now they must file a request to get rid of the creatures and hire professional help. The changes, if approved, could be in place within 18 months, according to the proposal.
I’m sorry, but I live in deep, deep socialist blue Washington State and if a bear or cougar or pack of wild, rabies infested titmice come into my backyard, I can kill them (most suburban jurisdictions have restrictions on the discharging of firearms for the titmice, but I can swing a bat or ax quite freely, thankyouverymuch).
But in Florida, it is illegal to kill a carnivorous reptilian predator that outweighs me and who frequents the property where my wife (and proverbial children) and pets live? I have to file for “A Permit” so that I can pay “A Professional” to “Relocate” the sumbitch?
What the hell have the Republicans been doing in that state besides making Democrats whine?
It is my property, and I get to kill anything and everything on it that I don’t want there. If I were a resident of Florida, I would have a Castle Law to protect myself against a higher form of life known as humans, though the criminal ones being higher than an alligator is debatable (at least the gator kills for a respectable reason), but this prehistoric reptile gets protection from the muzzle of my gun?
I swear, just as in SoCal, the sun must be cooking their brains (San Fancisco has low-grade LSD in the water supply).
