Another successful Alabama alligator season is coming to a close

Alabama's Alligator Season Closes: Conservation, Culture, and Control

September 17, 2025 - As the sun sets on Alabama's 2025 alligator hunting season, wildlife officials and hunters alike are reflecting on a year marked by strong participation, steady harvests, and renewed attention to the balance between conservation and nuisance control.

The season, which ran across five designated Alligator Management Areas (AMAs), officially closed this week. Hunts were conducted by special permit only, with tags allocated through a lottery system that drew thousands of applicants statewide.

The largest alligator taken during Alabama's 2025 hunting season was a jaw-dropping 13-foot, 7-inch gator weighing 620 pounds, captured in the West Central Alligator Management Area-which includes Monroe, Wilcox, and Dallas counties.

Who caught it?

The gator was hauled in by a family team: Eli Beck, his father Christopher Beck, and uncles Ryan Speir and Brian Miller. Wildlife officials called it a "record-setting night," with 23 alligators harvested in that area alone.

While this beast was among the largest of the season, it still falls short of Alabama's all-time record: a 1,011.5-pound gator captured back in 2014.

Where the Hunts Happened

Alligator hunting in Alabama is restricted to specific regions where populations have grown large enough to pose risks to livestock, pets, and even human safety. The five AMAs include:

• Southwest Management Area: Baldwin, Mobile, Washington, Choctaw, Clarke, Monroe Counties

• Coastal Management Area: South of I-10 in Baldwin and Mobile Counties

• Southeast Management Area: Barbour, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Russell Counties

• West Central Management Area: Monroe, Clarke, Choctaw, Marengo, Wilcox, Dallas Counties

• Lake Eufaula Management Area: Public waters in the Walter F. George Reservoir

A Season of Stewardship

The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is one of Alabama's greatest conservation success stories. Once hunted to near extinction, the species was federally protected in 1967 and removed from the endangered list in 1987. Today, regulated hunts help manage populations that have rebounded to nuisance levels in some areas.

Wildlife officials emphasize that the hunt is not recreational in the traditional sense-it's a targeted management tool. Each harvested gator is logged, measured, and reported, contributing to long-term data on population health and habitat pressure.

Local Impact and Cultural Significance

For many Alabama families, especially in the Black Belt and coastal counties, alligator hunting is more than a wildlife management strategy-it's a tradition. The meat is prized, the hides are crafted into durable leather goods, and the stories of the hunt are passed down like heirlooms.

This year's season saw a modest increase in tag applications, with younger hunters joining seasoned veterans. Several gators over 12 feet were reported, including one from Wilcox County that may rank among the largest ever taken in the state.

What Landowners Should Know

With the season closed, landowners in affected counties are reminded that nuisance alligator complaints can still be filed through the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Officials will assess each case and may issue special removal permits if public safety is at risk.

Looking Ahead

Registration for the 2026 season will open in early June. Applicants will need a valid Conservation ID and must apply online through Outdoor Alabama's portal. As always, safety training and ethical harvest practices will be emphasized.