Gator Hunt in the Mobile Delta

[jonh68]

With a very healthy alligator population in the state of Alabama, it is allowing gator hunts for two weekends a year and limited to 100 tags which are distributed on a lottery basis. Once a gator is brought in, that hunter cannot get anymore. Some may be offended, but the gators are becoming a problem in certain areas. These pics were taken over a two night period this weekend as hunting was only allowed from 8 pm to 6 am. While anyone could be on the boat, there had to be one person who had a tag for a gator. You need help with them which is obvious, but to be legal, the gator had to be brought in to a check point and verified, so no more than 100 taken. As of the last night of the season, 66 were taken. On the boat I was on, we caught 2 8 ft gators, but they were released. You cannot even try to catch a gator and release it if you don't have a tag, and like I said, it's only good for two weekends. For this setting, it was very much a learning experience in regards to night photgraphy. Anyway, here's some pics.

http://www.jonh68.smugmug.com/photos/188173665-M.jpg

http://www.jonh68.smugmug.com/photos/188173985-M.jpg

http://www.jonh68.smugmug.com/photos/188174269-M.jpg

http://www.jonh68.smugmug.com/photos/188174339-M.jpg

An attempt at impression photography.

http://jonh68.smugmug.com/photos/187646908-M.jpg

http://jonh68.smugmug.com/photos/187646920-M.jpg

http://jonh68.smugmug.com/photos/187646867-M.jpg


http://jonh68.smugmug.com/photos/187646904-M.jpg

http://jonh68.smugmug.com/photos/188173985-M.jpg

It was a near full moon and these were taken at 4 am looking over Mobile Bay

http://jonh68.smugmug.com/photos/188174739-M.jpg

http://jonh68.smugmug.com/photos/188174787-M.jpg

http://jonh68.smugmug.com/photos/188174289-M.jpg

http://jonh68.smugmug.com/photos/187646923-M.jpg

[Osprey Whisperer]

<cues the "dueling banjos" theme song from Deliverance>

[Harryb]

Nice low light shots. :thumb

[TristanP]

Mobile Bay night shot #1 looks great. The first shot is a nice environmental portrait-type. Nice colors.