A little over a week ago, Morgan Tolan and a few friends were on the big Pee Dee River in Georgetown County when they caught a 13-foot alligator. The alligator weighed over 500 lbs, about four times the size of Tolan, who helped catch it.
The group had a permit from DNR to harvest, or kill, the alligator out of season.
Approximately 100,000 alligators live in the state of South Carolina, from the Midlands to Georgetown County.
Hunting alligators was banned in South Carolina in 1964. But in 2008, the Department of Natural Resources implemented a hunting season. The season typically runs from September 1st- October 15th.
All hunters must obtain the correct permit from the Department of Natural Resources to hunt alligators.
DNR only allows up to 1,000 permits each season.
According to Robert McCullough, public information officer for DNR, the alligator hunt is more recreational and since the implementation of the season in 2008, they have seen a steady stream of participants.
To learn more about the alligator season in South Carolina, click here.
