Tiffany, The Gator Lady

Hunting Story Behind Tiffany's Alligator!

Tiffany Wienke of my hometown of Vicksburg, MS, had been out hunting for nearly 20 hours before she ran into a behemoth at Bayou Pierre.

Saturday was only Wienke's third time alligator hunting, but she says in the past she has seen 10 and 11 foot alligators, but nothing this monstrous.

Wienke's alligator measured in at 13 feet, and 7/8 inches. The 686 pound beast that is just one-eighth of an inch longer than the previous record, but bigger is bigger, and Wienke is now the new record-holder!

"We're completely content with the fact that this will probably be the biggest alligator that we'll ever catch," Wienke said. "It's not gonna keep us from going back. But we're completely happy with this."

Mississippi's alligator hunt started August 26.

With the help of her husband and four others on the boat, Wienke caught her prize after a two hour battle.

"He ran us - literally crashed us into some trees, and bank-to-bank," Wienke said. "He was pulling this boat full of people like it was nothing."

The boat Wienke was on was just 20 feet long and she says the alligator's head was curled up in one corner, with its tail reaching all the way to the other side and resting up on the opposite deck.

For those still on the hunt, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks says not to lose hope - there are more alligators out there, and new records are broken every year.

"There's definitely other alligators out there that can exceed this," said Mississippi's Alligator Program Coordinator Ricky Flynt. "It won't surprise me to see an alligator in the 14 to 15 foot range at some point."

Congratulations to Tiffany!  Proud of you girl in our great wild and wonderful Mississippi Outdoors!