Longest Alligator in Mississippi History Captured by Hunters

Longest Alligator in Mississippi History Captured by Hunters
The alligator sport hunting team made up of (L–R), Tanner White, tag-holder Donald Woods, Will Thomas and Joey Clark as they hoist, with the help of a forklift, the longest alligator officially harvested at Red Antler Processing in Yazoo City, Miss., on Aug. 26, 2023. (Shane Smith/Red Antler Processing via AP)
The Associated Press
8/31/2023
Updated:
8/31/2023
0:00

YAZOO CITY, Miss.—A group of hunters have captured the longest alligator ever to be recorded in Mississippi, according to the state Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.

Four state residents—Donald Woods, Will Thomas, Joey Clark, and Tanner White—harvested a male alligator Saturday in west Mississippi’s Sunflower River.

It weighed 802.5 pounds (364 kilograms) and measured 14 feet, 3 inches (4.3 meters) long, breaking the previous record by over 2 inches, the department said.

After capturing the animal, the hunters hoisted it with a forklift and posed for a picture at Red Antler Processing in the Mississippi Delta town of Yazoo City.

The area is located in a designated alligator hunting zone. Mississippi’s alligator hunting season opens on the last Friday in August each year. In 2023, the season ends Sept. 4.