DID YOU MISS THIS”HUGE” NEWS FROM 2013, We Did – Mississippi’s state record for the heaviest and longest alligator has been broken once again – less than a week after the previous records were smashed. Beth Trammell of Madison took the title for Mississippi’s heaviest alligator with her 723.5-pound harvest, only to be bested an hour later by Dustin Bockman of Vicksburg with his massive 727-pound beast.
But this weekend, a new state record was captured by hunter Dalco Turner of Gluckstadt.
According to unofficial measurements, the gator was 13-feet, 7-inches – ever so slightly longer than the current record.
Then came time for the weigh-in – 741.5 pounds.
Gatorslayers Turner, John Ratcliff of Canton, Jennifer Ratcliff of Canton and Jimmy Greer of Canton have now claimed the new state record for the heaviest male alligator.
‘It was around midnight when we initially saw this one,’ said Mr Turner to The Clarion-Ledger. ‘We passed it by the first time. We really didn’t think he was big enough to go after.’
After drifting on a little way, the team turned around but saw the gator for a second time.
It was a battle between the alligator and the team.
Despite hooking the gator with three lines, the powerful reptile was able to break free.
‘He broke three lines, and I had the only hook that stayed in him the whole time,’ said Mr Turner.
‘It was mass confusion,’ said Jennifer Ratcliff. ‘As organized as you think you are, when you hook one, everything goes crazy.’
As the monster came near the boat, the gator began snapping and biting so hard he began to break his teeth.
It took an hour for the gator to be secured.
They had to wait for some additional hunters to come by and help drag the beast into the boat.
‘Even with with these two guys, it was very hard, and we were wore out,’ said John Ratcliff. ‘If it wouldn’t have been for those two guys, we would have never gotten him in the boat.’
Their story is similar to that less than a week earlier when three gator records were set within a few hours of alligator hunting season opening.
Continue reading this article at this LINK…..
—–
Join ODU Magazine on Facebook here at this LINK…..
Join ODU Magazine on our Twitter fishing site here at this LINK…..
Join ODU Magazine on our Twitter hunting site here at this LINK…..
.