NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – It’s alligator hunting season, and it only lasts 30 days so you better get your leg quarters on a line!
In South Louisiana, alligator hunters are required to have a license and permission to use someone’s land for the hunt.
Alligator hunting is not for the faint of heart though, as alligators in Louisiana can grow up to over 13 feet and weight over 500 pounds.
Practically every part of the alligator is used for something, but the most valuable assets are the skin and meat. According to the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, alligators are a renewable natural resource, and by placing an economic value on them, landowners are offered incentives to not only conserve wetlands but also enhance them, so as to increase alligator populations.
It is estimated that the alligator industry is valued at over $50 million annually to Louisiana.