Kelly Murphy’s first Mississippi alligator hunt ended Aug. 29 when her group landed a 13-foot-5-inch gator in the Mississippi River’s Southwest Zone; the Clarion Ledger reported it weighed 770 pounds. Murphy drew a state tag on her first application.
The fight lasted about an hour, snapped multiple lines and wrecked two fishing rods before the group pulled the alligator into the boat. Josh McCoy, the party’s only member with prior alligator-hunting experience, helped hook it, according to Murphy’s husband, Trey.
Thousands seek Mississippi alligator permits each year, but fewer than 1,000 are issued, the Clarion Ledger reported. The state limits tags and organizes hunts by zone so wildlife managers can control harvests while allowing recreational access.
