Texas Man Catches First Alligator — a Massive Mossy-Tailed Beast
Beginner’s luck or simply being in the right place at the right time? Regardless, a man in East Texas had quite the catch on September 13: his first alligator, and what a giant it was. Measuring an impressive 13 feet, 4.25 inches from nose to tail, this moss-covered behemoth was a sight to behold.
Assisted by his nephew Lance Stephens and friend Jerid Ellis, Shane Lee nabbed this monstrous reptile during a deer hunting trip to Tarkington, Texas, just east of Cleveland (where Lee resides) and west of Beaumont. Apparently, their fortune was due to the availability of 10 state-issued alligator tags for their leased hunting area. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department distributes these tags each fall to control alligator populations, and the hunting season runs from September 10 to September 30.
To extract the gator from a duck pond, the trio had to employ a winch and their trusty buggy. Lee, dwarfed by the massive reptile, posed for a photo after their successful endeavor.
Three days earlier, Stephens had already secured his alligator with the tag he received, making this venture the culmination of their collective efforts. Unbeknownst to Lee and his companions, this sizable alligator lurked within their regular duck hunting waterhole: “We didn’t know there was one that big in there. We had never seen him before,” Lee stated to the local newspaper.
If they were going to catch a large reptile, the men figured they should employ an equally substantial bait. Consequently, they attached a limb line to a nearby tree, using a large, deceased raccoon as bait.
Upon returning to the site, they observed the tree shaking as the colossal gator fought and thrashed at the end of the line. Together, they managed to drag the reptile closer to the shore and promptly dispatched it with a well-aimed shot to the head. However, the sheer size of the 13-foot creature made it impossible for the trio to remove it from the water unaided. They had to rely on their buggy’s winch to bring the gator ashore.
Later that evening, they transported the animal to Porter’s Processing in Anahuac. Though it might seem wasteful to some, they saved the hide and head for tanning and mounting. According to Lee’s estimate, the mossy-tailed gator was likely between 65 and 75 years of age.
A skilled hunter, dedicated conservationist, and advocate for ethical practices. Respected in the hunting community, he balances human activity with environmental preservation.