Mississippi
800-pound monster gator breaks Mississippi record after being caught and released 18 years ago
- An 800-pound gator in Mississippi has broken the state record for the largest ever caught.
- Nearly 400 pounds of meat from the creature was donated to local soup kitchens to feed the hungry.
- The massive hide will take months to become leather but can be made into purses and shoes.
Shane Smith, owner of Red Antler Processing in Yazoo City, Mississippi, has seen many gators in his life, but nothing like this.
A behemoth alligator more than 14 feet long was caught Saturday in Mississippi by four hunters on the Yazoo River. It broke the state’s size record, weighing in at a whopping 802.5 lbs. The previous record was set in 2017 by a gator that was 14 feet and ¾ inches long and weighed just over 766 pounds, Fox News reported.
The animal’s meat, harvested by Smith, will end up in the mouths of the hungry, and its hide, which will take months to process, will become fine leather goods. Local conservationists also say getting the massive predator out of the water is good for the species’ population and will keep people and pets safe.
“It was surreal. You know, I’ve seen a lot of big alligators as a processor and as a hunter, but this one was just unlike any one I’ve ever seen,” Smith told Insider. “It was truly amazing.”
Will Thomas — the licensed hunter who, along with his friends Don Woods, Tanner White, and Joey Clark, are credited with reeling in the monstrous beast — told The Washington Post it took nearly seven hours of “pandemonium” and “chaos” to catch and kill the creature with a shotgun blast, in accordance with state law.
“The boat started taking on water, and we had to get him to other side to keep him from sinking,” Thomas told the Post. “You had four guys and a 14-foot alligator in a 14-foot boat, so it was touch-and-go there for a minute.”
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks confirmed the record-breaking catch in a statement posted to Facebook, congratulating the hunters: “They harvested this male alligator in the West Central Alligator Hunting Zone. He measured 14 feet and 3 inches long, with a belly girth of 66 inches and tail girth of 46.5 inches. He weighed 802.5 lbs!”
Within two hours of being caught and dispatched, the creature was taken to Smith’s meat processing center. From there, it took roughly four hours to break down the body, Smith said — two hours to meticulously remove the skin so it could be turned into high-quality leather, and another two to de-bone and vacuum seal the meat.
Roughly 380 pounds of meat was donated, Smith told Insider, to soup kitchens and nonprofits around the area like Hunters Harvest to ensure none of it goes to waste. While the ribs and meat of the creature can be smoked or grilled like other proteins, Smith said gator nuggets — which he said taste like a combination of fish and chicken — are his favorite.
Thomas and representatives for Hunters Harvest and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks did not immediately respond to Insider’s requests for comment.
“The most interesting fact about this catch is that 18 years ago, I believe in 2005, a local resident of Vicksburg, Mississippi, called the game and fish department and reported this alligator as a threat to them,” Smith told Insider. “And they came out and caught this alligator and they put a little tag on his toe — kind of like a little earring, but they put it on as the webbing of its foot — and they released it into the Yazoo River. And here, 18 years later, these guys caught this alligator about 22 miles upriver from where they released it back in 2005.”
Smith said the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks estimated the gator to be at least 20 years old when it was first caught in 2005, making it about 40 to 45 years old today — a rare find for its age and size. At the processing center, Smith said researchers from Clemson University came out to take tissue samples and the gator’s stomach to research how the water content of the river impacts local gator lifestyles and diets.
Christy Plott, vice chair of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s crocodile specialist group told Insider that, while members of the general population may have qualms about killing the creature, its death is positive for the local environment.
“These wild culls are amazing, honestly, it’s incredible population control for the species,” Plott said. “About 1 to 2% of wild alligators are culled annually, so it’s not a big number, and the goal is to take out some of the larger animals that are not productive for breeding and keep other alligators from breeding — which is obviously bad for the population as a whole.”
She added that large gators like this one also become exceptionally dangerous to pets, livestock, and people, making the catch a big win for the local community.
Gator boots can promote conservation
Plott, who is also the fifth-generation owner of American Tanning & Leather, will be responsible for turning the gator hide into leather over the next few months.
“An alligator that size will yield a belly width, which is what leather goods makers use to make products, it should yield a belly width of well over 100 centimeters wide, so that’s a really, really big animal,” Plott told Insider.
Processing a hide, start to finish, generally takes between nine and 12 months, Plott said, and the leather can be dyed any color imaginable — from inky black to lime green. A sizeable old gator like this, she said, will have scars across its belly from fights it had throughout its life and will most likely be dyed a darker color to minimize their appearance.
“An alligator of this size you could probably make somewhere around nine pairs of cowboy boots or ten pairs of cowboy boots from it, which is a lot,” Plott said, adding that each pair will likely cost several thousand dollars. “An average seven-and-a-half foot alligator, you can make somewhere around nine belts out of it.”
Alligator leather, Plott said, is among the most highly regulated, traceable forms of leather in the world and one of the only leathers available today that does not destroy any original habitat for its production. It’s also challenging to work with, she added — making it one of the most expensive luxury leathers available.
In 2005, Mississippi launched its public alligator sport hunting program, allowing a limited number of permitted hunters to capitalize on the gains from hunting the creatures on a few state-protected sites. That program has since expanded to allow alligator hunting on all public waters statewide, though hunters are limited to harvesting one gator over 7 feet long per 10-day-long annual season. This season began August 25 and will conclude September 4, The Vicksburg Post reported.
“The Mississippi program has grown the population. In the 1960s, there were less than 100,000 animals in the wild, and today there are over 4 million alligators in the wild,” Plott told Insider. “So it’s really awesome to see the alligator to have rebounded — it is the single greatest conservation success story in the history of the world.”
Mississippi
Why Mississippi State football loss to Arizona State revealed a strong Jeff Lebby culture
It was 11:10 p.m. Saturday in Starkville when Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt barreled into the end zone for his second touchdown of the game.
At that point, it would’ve been fair for Mississippi State football fans to call it a night. The Bulldogs (1-1) trailed 27-3 at ASU in the final minute of the second quarter. They were dominated in just about every statistical category. New coach Jeff Lebby looked like he was headed toward his first loss, and an embarrassing one.
And even if you gave the second half a chance, eyes just a crack open, that wasn’t encouraging either. Arizona State (2-0) took the opening drive of the third quarter for a field goal while eating 8 minutes, 27 seconds of game time. That just about decided the game before Mississippi State touched the ball in the second half.
Wrong.
Instead, MSU scored touchdowns on three of its next four drives and cut the score to 30-23 with 5:27 to play. The defense, which was torched for 346 rushing yards, needed one more stop to let the offense try to tie it. It would’ve been the largest comeback in program history.
Mississippi State’s path to a bowl game seems murkier than it was a week ago. But in the long-term, there’s still encouragement after the 30-23 loss.
“Our guys battled in an incredible way in the second half, and we’re going to hold on to that,” Lebby said in his postgame radio interview. “We’re going to find ways to get back in the building, get back to work and be able to walk into Davis Wade (Stadium) with a ton of confidence and ready to go win a football game.”
The encouragement from Mississippi State’s comeback effort
Lebby said after beating Eastern Kentucky 56-7 in Week 1 that there is an abundance of teachable moments in wins, just like losses.
There is plenty to point to after losing to Arizona State.
Mississippi State came out incredibly flat. The Sun Devils scored on their first five possessions. The MSU offense had one field goal, two punts, a fumble returned for a touchdown and a turnover-on-downs in the first half. MSU had -13 rushing yards in the first half.
There were concerns entering the game about the travel distance, late kickoff and high temperature. But let’s be real, Mississippi State was playing so poorly at the start that it was hard to judge if those were factors.
“I got to do a better job getting these guys ready to go play out of the gate,” Lebby said. “I thought our energy, our effort and our emotion was really good, but then we did not play clean there in the first quarter, so that part was frustrating.”
The Bulldogs outscored the Sun Devils 20-0 in the final quarter and a half. It was a surprise. Arizona State was rolling. Mississippi State was not.
MORE: Introducing Sam Sklar, the Clarion Ledger’s new Mississippi State beat reporter
For Lebby, a first-time head coach at any level, let it be a learning moment for him. It was his first time getting pinned in a corner. The Bulldogs adjusted correctly in the second half like good coaches do.
The rushing offense and defense both need to improve. Badly. Quarterback Blake Shapen has been impressive in his first two Mississippi State games and the wide receiver room is deep and talented as ever, but they can’t be the only answer.
That’s just for this season.
Mississippi State has its first tally in the loss column. But it isn’t a strike against Lebby leading the future of the program.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
Sam Leavitt leads ASU to convincing victory in 1st career start
Leavitt and the Sun Devils cruised past visiting Wyoming 48-7 on Saturday night at Mountain America Stadium.
The Arizona State football team elevated its play on the field in its 48-7 win over Wyoming in Week 1.
It is elevating its uniform game for Week 2 against Mississippi State.
ASU football is wearing a gold alternate jersey against the Bulldogs at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Saturday night.
The jersey includes maroon “Arizona State” lettering and maroon numbering, along with a noticeable Big 12 logo.
The Sun Devil football team unveiled the uniform last month, with Athletic Director Graham Rossini posting that “you’ll see this on the field early this season.”
On Thursday, ASU football announced that it would be wearing the uniform against Mississippi State with a video that said “Modern shine, with a classic design.”
On Friday, it posted another look at the uniform.
More: Arizona State vs Mississippi State live score updates, analysis for college football game
ASU vs Mississippi State schedule, TV: How to watch college football game
Promising look: Arizona State football’s 2024 win prediction doubles after Week 1 victory over Wyoming
Social media reacted favorably overall to ASU football’s uniform vs Mississippi State:
Do you like the look for ASU football?
ASU vs. Mississippi State picks: Who wins Week 2 college football game?
Looking promising: Arizona State football makes huge leap in college football ranking, Big 12 power rankings
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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WARREN COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – There are questions about a bus company’s track record after a fatal bus crash in Mississippi on Saturday, August 31.
Seven people died when a passenger bus traveling on Interstate 20 left the roadway and overturned. The Mississippi Highway Patrol (MHP) said that 41 passengers and two drivers were enroute to Dallas from Atlanta.
Autobuses Regiomontanos owned the bus in the crash. The company, which is registered with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), has had a troubled record in recent memory. It consists of lawsuits, driver fitness violations and even another fatal crash in 2023.
According to the DOT, the company, based in Laredo, Texas, operates 17 vehicles and employs 39 drivers. The company currently has a ‘conditional‘ safety rating. It is given to companies with ‘inadequate‘ safety controls. Still, companies with this rating may continue to operate.
Its most recent compliance review occurred in July 2023. Using data available from the DOT’s Safety Management System, it has had 155 inspections. Of those inspections, 58 had violations. Nearly all were vehicle maintenance violations.
Three infractions between October and December of 2023 involved issues with vehicle tires. Other infractions included 16 brake or air brake violations and citations for having two buses with no or defective emergency exits.
Seven victims killed in Mississippi bus crash identified
Other inspection violations related to the bus company’s drivers. All violations occurred this year. They include the following:
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(1) Operating a commercial vehicle without corrective lenses or hearing aids as indicated on the driver’s medical certificate (2) Operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) while not possessing a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL).
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05/13/2024
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05/14/2024
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05/14/2024
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05/28/2024
-
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Operate a CMV while not in possession of a CDL on person.
DOT data indicates that company buses have been in four separate accidents over the last two years. A November 2022 crash required a bus to be towed away and another in April 2023 resulted in someone dying. Below is the record.
|
Date |
Location |
Deaths |
Injuries |
|
10/16/2023 |
Louisiana |
0 |
1 |
|
4/15/2023 |
Texas |
1 |
2 |
|
11/23/2022 |
Tennessee |
0 |
0 |
|
9/24/2022 |
Arkansas |
0 |
1 |
The NTSB is investigating the crash in conjunction with MHP. NTSB officials said they will look at the carrier’s safety record and protections for bus occupants.
Community comes together to help Mississippi bus crash victims
Autobuses Regiomontanos violated several provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), it failed to have an ADA training program in place for its employees and contractors, failed to file required ADA compliance reports and failed to ensure that all lifts on its buses were properly maintained.
In 2015, the company entered into a settlement agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.
The company was also named as a defendant in a $708 million lawsuit filed by New York City City in January. The city accused Autobuses Regiomontanos and other charter bus and transportation companies of taking migrants to the Big Apple on behalf of the State of Texas.
The DOT advises travelers to do the following before they book their next bus trip.
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Search for bus companies
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Verify that a company is authorized to operate
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Review the company’s safety records
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Make sure the company is licensed and insured
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If appropriate, report a company
DOT agencies advise consumers that unless a motor carrier has received an unsatisfactory rating or has been ordered to discontinue its operations, it is authorized to operate on the nation’s roadways. Additionally, readers should not conclude that a carrier is safe or unsafe by only using data from DOT agencies. For more information, click here.
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