the buzz log
The Girls' Guide to Crossbows and Gators
Lesson for the gator world, and some general advice for folks all around: Avoid women with crossbows. Two gators recently found out the hard way.
The Gator vs. the High School Girl
The first fell victim to 16-year-old Cammie Colin, who may be the youngest gal ever to bring down a South Carolina alligator. After snagging one of 1,000 lottery permits, she went out in the dead of night on Sept. 13, surrounded by male kinfolk and a family friend. The 10th grader opted for a crossbow over a harpoon (the other preferred weapon of choice in gator-bagging). One 10' 5"-footer and four arrows later, the Colin family now have 40 pounds of alligator steak in the family freezer.
The Gator vs. the Mom
Another first-timer, new Florida mom Arianne Prevost, brought down an 11-footer. She had to miss last gator-hunting season because of her pregnancy. Apparently, her new maternal instincts made her plenty proficient with a Viper Rattler crossbow with NcStar laser sight.
The New Mom vs. the Cheerleader
Although Provost's critter reportedly beat out Colin's by almost a foot, Colin's getting the attention (like this Fox interview, during which she opines that alligators taste like fish-flavored chicken). She plays softball and likes algebra, but it's her extracurricular activity as a junior varsity cheerleader that's getting the buzz. As they say in cheer parlance, Colin brought it on.
Gators vs. Florida and South Carolina
Both states allow "harvest quotas" as a means to control their alligator population, and open the process to residents and non-residents alike. Florida has been running what it calls its international "model program for the sustainable use of a natural resource" since 1988.
South Carolina started its hunt in 2008—the first in 44 years (and not without controversy). With such a new program, the state has posted a hefty how-to "alligator hunting guide"(which includes a biological history of its native gator denizens) online. Not in the guide: the use of pom-poms. That's optional.
Filed under: Hunting, Alligators, Women, Girls
Gators Gone Bad
Up until last week, Florida alligators had killed 17 humans over the last 50 or so years. But in the past seven days, three women have met their deaths at the jaws of gators across the state. The killing spree has perplexed wildlife guides and overwhelmed hotlines. It's also swamped the Buzz with searches on the oversized reptiles and their recent maulings.
On Monday, queries on "alligator attacks" sprang up 500% to land in our top 10 movers. A raft of similar searches followed, including "alligator attacks in florida," "deadly alligator attack," "florida alligators," and "florida gator attacks." Searches for "everglades" and "florida" also rose.
Naturally, the Sunshine State leads the list of states searching for the carnivorous creatures. But Kentucky, Alabama, and Maryland also sent "alligator" queries scuttling upwards. And metros as far off as New Orleans, Baltimore, Boston, and Austin lit up the Search box looking for more info.
The gators are still on the prowl, and Wednesday morning brought reports of two assaults on dogs (one lethal). Florida officials have extended the alligator hunting season, but please, if you're down South, be on the alert. We don't want any more humans looking down the terrifying maw of the gator.
Filed under: Animals, Alligators
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