Want to Try Alligator Hunting? Now's the Time to Apply

Every wanted to hunt and trap Florida 'gators? Now's your chance to step forward.

Florida sportsmen and women are invited to apply for an alligator hunting permit, with the 11-week gator season running from Aug. 15-Nov. 1.

But hunters need to start applying now for a permit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), which has more than 5,000 available.

Each permit enables hunters to bag two gators. Hunting licenses for gators are awarded to adults; you must be 18 or older.

Interested? Just head to the city's tax collector's office to fill out an application, or go online at http://License.MyFWC.com. Applications are free to fill out. (See below for the costs for an alligator hunting license.)

Permits are issued at random through May 12. Then hunters selected need to buy their permit by June 3.

The state then will launch a first-come, first-served permitting process, which runs from June 7-12. There will be a second round of first-come, first-served permitting starting June 14 for the remainder of the licenses. At that point, existing permit holders can apply for a second license, which would allow them to have a greater bounty of gators.

Here's how the cost breaks down:

• Alligator trapping licenses and two hide-validation tags are $272 for Florida residents and $1,022 for nonresidents.
•  Additional permits are $62, regardless of whether you are a resident or not.
• No other hunting license or permits are required to participate in the hunts.
• If you don’t have all the gear necessary and you’d rather assist a friend who purchased an alligator trapping license, you can pay $52 for an alligator trapping “agent” license. You don’t even have to be 18 to buy one. This license entitles you to take alligators, but only when you’re with a licensed person.
• For more information, visit MyFWC.com/Alligator and click on “Statewide Alligator Harvest Program.”

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