Alligator In Town

This past Wednesday there was a write-up in The Vicksburg Post on how an alligator is "dispatched" depending on the size, and anything over seven feet is considered unsafe to relocate.

The Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks officer who shot a 9-foot alligator five times on Warrenton Road this past Monday followed agency protocol, the chief of law enforcement for the department said Tuesday.  "If you cannot safely remove an alligator, you have to dispatch it," Col. Steve Adcock said.

The alligator was shot by master Sgt. Charlie Gross after it was reported in a yard off Warrenton Road.

Adcock said officers use their discretion when animals are reported.

"I have reviewed what the officer did and I believe he did what he needed to do.  You can get people hurt playing with alligators and we will use our best judgement to make a location safe," Adcock said.

"It's not like the tame alligators on TV," he said.

Gross would not say where the animal was taken for disposal.

With the Mississippi River's level above flood stage for more than a week until its drop began last week, and increase in wildlife has been found in areas outside natural habitats, Director of Warren County Emergency Management John Elfer said.

Warrenton Road runs parallel to the Mississippi River.

Permits for public alligator hunting are by special permit only and applications for an opportunity to hunt alligators may be submitted electronically through June 17 at http://www.mdwfp.com

Each person who gets drawn for a permit must attend a Mississippi Alligator Hunting Training Course in order to qualify for their Permit to hunt and harvest an alligator in Mississippi.