Alligator season for 2010 officially opened in the Delacroix area today, so, fishermen, watch your wake when traversing the inland marshes where gator hunters have staked out their bait drops. And just for the record, you CANNOT shoot an alligator if you see one. You must be a marshland owner with a stack of permit tags issued to youand only you by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Any other interaction between you and Mr. Gator is a violation of both state and federal law. Now, having said that, if you know a legal gator hunter with tags, you may be able to have him take you on a hunt with him. Two ways to go about this: (1) Check the want ads in the newspaper--they advertise that gator hunts are available (just call the number). . .or drive down to Delacroix or Hopedale or Shell Beach or Lafitte and ask the locals who is gator hunting. Then you contact that person and make your own personal arrangements. If you've never done it before, it's quite an experience. Some of the bagged gators we saw today on our way back to the marina went 10 feet, 12 feet, and bigger!
