Gator Chomps On Hunter's Thumbs

MONTEVERDE, FL — Alligators aren’t necessarily known for playing possum, but it seems at least one has developed that ability.

A 41-year-old licensed nuisance alligator trapper from the Lake County area found that out the hard way over the weekend. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Bryan Rohm was called out to a neighborhood near Lake Apopka on Saturday to capture a nuisance beast. When he and his son caught up with the gator in a boat, they shot it twice with a “bang stick.” The specialized firearm is used by trappers and hunters to kill gators.

When Rohm reached into the water to secure the gator, which he thought was dead, he found out the hard way his assumption was wrong.

“(It) bit on both of his thumbs,” Chad Weber, FWC spokesman, told Patch.

Rohm underwent surgery on Sunday to repair the damage, Weber said. Weber didn’t say just how severe the injuries were. He did say, however, that a bang stick normally does the job.

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After biting Rohm, the alligator slipped back into the water.

Weber said another trapper was called out and did capture the beast. It is unclear just how big the critter was.

With recreational alligator hunting season just around the corner in Florida, Weber said would-be hunters can help themselves avoid injury by taking advantage of free classes that are offered to permit holders by the agency. The recreational harvest season runs Aug. 15 through Nov. 1. The application period for interested hunters opened earlier this month.

Run-ins with nuisance alligators are not entirely uncommon in Florida, especially in the warmer months. As the temperatures rise, alligators tend to enjoy roaming a bit to stretch their legs.

“All reptiles are more active in the warmer months,” FWC spokesman Gary Morse said in a previous interview. “That’s just the coldblooded creatures’ (way). Their metabolism increases and they do become active.”

That increase in activity can lead to an increase in encounters with humans as gators take advantage of this time of year to stretch their legs and see if the grass is greener on the other side of the pond. Alligator activity tends to rise so much in the warmer months that the state has set up its own hotline to field nuisance alligator calls. That number is 1-866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286). In 2013 alone, the state fielded 15,036 nuisance alligator calls, which resulted in the removal of 6,605 creatures.

So, what should folks do if they encounter a gator and how can they avoid running into one in the first place?

“If you see an alligator, appreciate it from a distance,” Morse recommended.

For those who like swimming in Florida’s freshwater lakes, ponds and rivers, Morse suggested avoiding heavily vegetated areas. He also warned: “No swimming between dusk and dawn when alligators tend to be active.”

For residents who encounter nuisance alligators, Morse said it’s a good idea to call the state’s hotline.

He also recommends people who live in or visit Florida brush up on their alligator knowledge.

“It’s imperative that people do their homework, go to our website and learn how to handle (sightings),” he said.

To help out, the state offers a downloadable brochure with the ABCs of cohabitating with these reptiles. “A Guide to Living with Alligators” can be accessed from the state’s website.

As for hunters interested in bagging a gator or two during the upcoming season, the state also offers information on permits and safe hunting on its website. Those classes for permit holders will be offered around the state in mid-July to early August free of charge.

Gator hunt “participants are not required to attend, but first-time alligator hunters are strongly encouraged to go,” the state said in an announcement about the opening of the permit application period.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission