Gators and Dogs

Never thought I'd have this issue in North Texas, but unfortunately I do.

I got easy access (via private land) to a pretty promising spot on a public lake back during teal season. At first noticed two gators in this cove - one about 10' and the other probably around 6' - of course didn't hunt the dogs during all of teal because of it. Went back to the spot this past Saturday to scout and now there are not 2, but at least 4 gators...looks like the 10' is still around and the 3 others are around 6'.

I know you guys down South deal with this a lot more - at what water temperature do you feel comfortable running your dogs or if you know there are gators around do you even run them at all?

Honestly, I've already pretty much decided the dogs won't be hunting this spot this year - my dogs are like my kids and I don't want to put them in that kind of danger. I've got a few private land spots to take them, but odds are I won't get to put them on too many birds there. I was looking forward to the number of retrieves they were going to be able to put under their belts, but the risk just doesn't seem worth it. Never hunted dogs around gators before, so for all I know they may shut down once the water temps get in the 50s.

This public water spot was loaded with birds this past Saturday and looks extremely promising for the season since it's a very very long run across big water from the nearest ramp and there is no public walk in access, not to mention the landowner owns more or less all of the land surrounding this cove...just sucks it's infested with gators (by north texas standards).

Well not sure why you think this is a "new" issue in North Texas because just about every lake in NTX has gators even though you may not see them often. We have always run our dogs all year even during teal season and have never had an encounter of heard of it happening. I would not worry about it they are not really social creatures.

Yeah... I'd find somewhere else to hunt personally.

I hunt a few places that I know have gators and it keeps me puckered when its warmer out. By late season you should be ok I would think.. It's been in the 70s this week though.

Also, I bet that spot you found will be hunted this weekend also, lot of places that have not had water for years do now and people will know about them.

I would be very hesitant to hunt a dog if I knew a 10' alligator frequented the area. If it is running water you would probably be ok but if it is swimming water then I would definitely not do it.

I'd say once it gets under 60 degrees as a high for week or so you'd be good to go.

Just about all Tx creeks, rivers, lakes have gators from north to south from Central to east Tx... and even further west or south west... some more than other but they are there either way.. they stop feeding when a constant temp gets below the 70s and then go dormant when you have a constant temp of 55.

You hear plenty say they see them in winter and are worried and yes its possible to see them if the weather is right they will bask but that about the extent of it.

Only time id be worried with dogs is if we have a warm spell for a week or so and the sun comes out enough to warm the water temp and they can bask... and that's only right now when the temps are on the edge.. still though if its cloudy and windy they wont be active..

My main hunting spot is infested with them.. im not being funny or stretching the truth.. while fishing during the summer and fall I see anywere from 10-30 in the late afternoon before dark.. teal season is a different story but still once it gets this time of year we are wading in and our blind is half submerged in water.. once it gets to be around a constant 50-60 during the day the dogs can join..

I don't like them bastages around a dog. No freakin way no how! I have been witness to that lousy SOBs getting in on a dog. Let's just say it got dealt with seconds before disaster.

You should see them at the jump

id take the dog, I'd rather he get the duck than me...on top of that dogs are replaceable

I have. Yall keep your gators downstream. One of them made its way up cross the FM road, rather under it, and found it way to us. Aggravatin sombreros!

If I had a brillo pad feeling dog...I'd feel the same way.

I don't doubt it one bit.. really not that far coming up the creek

You have an open invite to come hunt with me next teal season, I'll find a good spot with a couple 10' gators and you can bring your dog!!

I'll shoot any gator that approaches me or my dogs. SSS

Ageed!
I've got a CHL and one of my family was being threatened with death...

I've had personal "encounters" with some gators and I'll hunt somewhere else.

My Gator Dog Dash Rip Rock from south Louisiana eats gators for lunch. Y'all know Dash. Nephew to Blaze the Wonder Dog. Know how he earns a livin' from me. He'll catch this bird for you, but it ain't gonna be easy. Bad Lizard. Not like going down the pond retreivin' Woodies and Coots. This Gator, swallow you whole. Little shakin', little tenderizin', an' down you go. And we gotta do it quick, that'll get you out huntin, put all your hunts into limits. But it's not gonna be pleasant. Dash values his neck a lot more than that neck you gots, chief. He'll find him for a hundred, but he'll catch him, and I'll kill him. But you've gotta make up your minds. If you want to stay alive, then speak up. If you want to play it cheap, be hunting with all the Barnies the whole winter. Dash don't want no volunteers, He don't want no Labs around, there's just too many dogs on that island already. 100 Dog Biscuits for Dash by himself. For that you get the head, the tail, the whole damn thing.

No way I'm taking my dogs when it's even warm. Couldn't tell you how many gators I saw down in Port Arthur this last weekend.

so are you say all the Big lakes around Dallas all have gators?
I've only heard about the one at Lewisville last summer.
I've never see a gator up here personally.
I'll be on th lookout.

Yes, all of them including the really close one like Ray Hubbard and most of the other ones east of that.

During the floods this spring, a gator migrated out if the nature preserve in Fort Worth and was caught downtown. I was fishing the Trinity and saw wardens that were looking for it and they told me what was going on. Saw it on the news that night when they pulled a 10 footer out a few hundred yards from one of the banks I fished from before I moved.

They are there. Lake Worth. Eagle Mountain. Arlington. Joe Poole. Plenty of them.

That's a big [censored] gator

Thanks for the input guys. I've hunted around gators quite a bit - just never with a dog. They don't bother me, but I've also never really paid them much attention as far as their habits go when it gets colder.

I'll probably take the dog once it gets colder like Nav said.

What about water moccasins? Had one in my blind Sunday...

In all seriousness though, my experience is that it's not the gator that you can see that's the problem, it's the one you can't see. The other thing is it's not uncommon for them to be drawn to gun fire.

My recent gator encounter during youth season. From my blog:

"Listen Oliver, let's just wait till duck season is over before we tell Mom about the alligator. Ok?"

"Sure dad," he replied. Yet, somewhere during the 20 minute drive home this hush-hush agreement got lost in his little memory bank because as soon as we opened the kitchen door at home Oliver loudly announced "Dad almost got eaten by an enormous alligator!"

This is what happened: Oliver and Braden knocked down a couple birds in the rice canal. I sent Fiona, my lab, to get the birds. She brought the first one, but dropped it somewhere before getting to me. I sent her back to get the one she dropped, but instead she grabbed dead bird number 2. I then step down into the canal, thinking she dropped the first in the grass at the edge. With my back to the canal, and up to my waist in water, my son exclaims "Alligator!" I startle and scold him as a look over my shoulder "Oliver, don't joke about...." I then set a personal record for high jumping with waders, and scrambled out of the canal. I did not see it's head, only its tail , which looked about 6-8 inches wide.

This is what I think happened: splashing from half dead birds and the dog brought a large, hungry alligator to chomp down on something juicy. By the time the beast gets there, I'm in the water. The monster, (looking back I figure its at least 14-16 feet long, twice as big as the initial estimate by my friend Brent), started to eat me, but realized I wasn't bird or dog and left without attacking.

I'm not sending my dog into a rice canal until temperatures are below 65. Shudder.

I have one in the pond in my back yard. I'm scared to death about my little Yorkie.

If a dog gets bit by water moc...benadryl and rest...I carry benadryl in my blind bag just for that situation. I hope I never have to use it but a water moc shouldn't kill a dog unless it's airway gets swollen...in that case get it to the vet asap.

Put a bounty on him Bill.

Have you asked TP&W to remove him? There are also pros available to remove and relocate him. Or, go rent a backhoe and I'll bring my suppressed 22lr. SSS

Actually, it should be SSSE, cause gator tail is pretty dang good Eating.

Judd what's the dose for benadryl in that situation?

http://www.veterinaryplace.com/dog-medicine/benadryl/

http://www.petmd.com/dog/care/can-i-give-my-dog-benadryl-and-if-so-how-much

1mg/lb and I normally use the generic but look for the same dosage of active ingredient. Those are two great reads for things to use it for. I've used it as the 2nd link states for ant bites/spider bites/hives. Yes, my dog got hives once...she's allergic to some antibiotics, dayum near killed her little over a year ago before we figured out what was going on. Emergency vet in Mesquite/Garland figured it out and had her back to normal in almost 24 hours.

Great info Judd, thanks..
Hope all is well with you and yours.

https://www.facebook.com/richard.ray.334...e=3&theater


Looks like they are still active

I'd be patching up a few shotgun holes in my blind after that.

I am originally from FL and guided and hunted the Glades and Lake Okeechobee. Gators are active the majority of the time, used dogs everyday. Always, had some buckshot shells handy and a couple taped to motor handle or airboat stick.

Didn't allow retrieves into thick cover ever.

If you see four alligators that means there are at least 12. My rule of thumb is WATER temperature needs to be 50 or below not air temperature.