Mississippi’s 2024 alligator hunting season got off to a whopping start when a team of six hunters reeled in one of the largest monsters ever caught in the state.

The 14-foot-long, 802-pound alligator was caught in the Yazoo River, which stretches over 2,000 miles through Mississippi and Louisiana. 

The group stood proudly with their catch for photographs, and all six were needed to hold up the lifeless creature.

The yearly hunt kicked off last month and is set to run until September 9, allowing participants to take home their prize for ‘wallets, belts and eating,’ according to state rules.

There are more than 3,700 people participating in the 2024 hunt, with an average of five to six people on each team.

The rules state that permit holders may harvest up to two alligators over four feet long, but only one can be longer than seven feet.

The largest a alligator ever recorded was 19 feet, two inches long and weighed more than 2,300 pounds when it was caught in in Louisiana in 1890.

However, the most recent monster was captured in Arkansas by  Mike Cottingham in 2021.

Cottingham claimed the beast was 13 feet, three inches long and weighed 1,380 pounds.

The largest in Mississippi, killed in 2023, was about three inches longer than the one captured this year. 

The team, which included Megan Sasser, braved torrential rains to capture the 60-year-old beast.

In a social media post, Sasser said she and her team are ‘still over the moon’ after reeling in the reptile last Friday. 

‘We sat through a monsoon for over 3 hours… crunched 2 poles, survived the death roll a few times, displaced everything in the boat, and still managed to bring this monster home,’ she continued. 

Brandi Robinson, also part of the winning team, explained that the giant alligator was spotted 250 yards away from the boat.

Mississippi holds the hunt each year, allowing participants to capture no more than two alligators

Brandi Robinson (pictured), also part of the winning team, explained that the giant alligator was spotted 250 yards away from the boat 

‘Everyone’s binoculars were immediately glued! It was a big one and we all knew that,’ she said, as reported by The State.

The boat slowly made its way toward the giant creature and the team waited for about 45 minutes for it to come back to the surface before wrestling with for about an hour.

It is not clear what tools were used to capture the alligator, but hunters can use everything from snatch hooks to harpoons and even firearms.

The six-person team loaded their catch into the boat and brought it to a local meat processing company, Red Antler. 

After taking pictures with the prized gator, the team took it to a local meat processing facility

‘In the last five years, we here at Red Antler have processed probably about 3,000 alligators, and we have only got two that were over the 14-foot in length measurement,’ Shane Smith, owner of Red Antler Processing, told McClatchy News.

The team took most of the meat home and donated the rest to Hunter Harvest, a nonprofit organization that gives hunted and harvested meat to families in need.

Sasser also shared a picture of her and the alligator on Facebook where friends called it  a ‘monster.’

However, not everyone was thrilled to see the giant catch.

One Facebook user commented: ‘That gator had to be at least 50 years old to have gotten that big. Such a shame. He’s a beautiful animal.’

RANKIN Co., Miss. (WLBT) – The Rankin County Sheriff’s Department reports that they have been called to the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility for an alleged overdose.

The Rankin County Coronor, David Ruth, confirmed to WLBT staff that he was called to the scene to recover a body. He said he was unable to comment on the cause or manner of death until he performs an autopsy.

The Department of Health also says they have been called by the facility for a hazmat situation.

More law enforcement vehicles were seen by WLBT crews entering the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility as authorities continue to investigate a death at the prison.

Details are currently limited. WLBT has reached out to the Mississippi Department of Corrections for a statement on the situation but have yet to hear back.

WLBT 3 on your side will update with information as it is made available.

Want more WLBT news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please click here to report it and include the headline of the story in your email.

Copyright 2024 WLBT. All rights reserved.

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State debuted 41 new players against Eastern Kentucky, including 23 transfers. But one of the biggest transfer portal additions wasn’t on the field and may not be again this week.

Senior receiver Kelly Akharaiyi was left off Mississippi State’s depth chart that was released and coach Jeff Lebby didn’t provide much clarity on the situation either.

“He’s getting closer and closer,” Lebby said at Tuesday morning press conference. “We need to be patient with him. We hope he has a good week and can create some confidence for himself more than anything. But I’m not ready to say he’s going to be available.”

Akharaiyi was one of the transfers most were looking forward to seeing in Lebby’s fast-paced, passing offense. But he was held out of season-opener for what was thought to be a minor injury. However, his uncertain status might be a sign of a more serious injury?

Or is Lebby playing a game of cat-and-mouse with Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham? We’ll found out soon enough.

QB1 – 2 Blake Shapen, 6-1, 210 lbs., Sr.
QB2 – 16 Chris Parson, 6-1, 215 lbs., Rs Fr.
or – 0 Michael Van Buren Jr., 6-1, 200 lbs., Fr.

RB1 – 24 Keyvone Lee, 6-0, 225 lbs., Sr.
-or- 21 Davon Booth, 5-10, 205 lbs., Sr.
RB2 – 20 Johnnie Daniels, 5-10, 200 lbs., Jr.

SLWR1 – 3 Kevin Coleman, 5-11, 180 lbs., Jr. 
SLWR2 – 8 Creed Whittemore, 5-11, 185 lbs., So.
SLWR 3 – 80 Kade Kolka, 5-11, 190 lbs., Sr.

WR1 – 6 Jordan Mosley, 6-0, 195 lbs., Jr. 
WR2 – 5 Stonka Burnside, 6-0, 200 lbs., Fr.  
WR3 – 13 Sanfrisco Magee, 6-2, 200 lbs., Fr.

WR1 – 14 Trent Hudson 6-3 180 Jr. 
WR2 – 7 Mario Craver 5-10 170 Fr. 
WR3 – 11 Jaden Walley 6-0 190 Sr.

TE1 – 18 Seydou Traore, 6-4, 235 lbs., R-Jr.
– or –  84 Justin Ball, 6-6, 250 lbs., Sr. 
TE2 – 86 Nick Lauderdale, 6-3, 225 lbs., Sr.
or – 10 Cameron Ball, 6-6, 250 lbs., So.

LT1 – 66 Makylan Pounders, 6-5, 310 lbs., Jr. 
LT2 – 51 Luke Work, 6-6, 305 lbs., Fr.
– or – 74 Jimothy Lewis Jr., 6-6, 310 lbs., Fr.

LG1 – 75 Jacoby Jackson, 6-6, 320 lbs., Jr. 
LG2 – 53 Malik Ellis, 6-5, 285 lbs., So.

C1 – 67 Ethan Miner, 6-2, 305 lbs., Sr.
C2 – 72 Canon Boone, 6-4, 315 lbs., Jr.

RG1 – 77 Marlon Martinez, 6-5, 320 lbs., Sr. 
RG2 – 52 Grant Jackson, 6-6, 325 lbs., Sr.

RT1 – 76 Albert Reese IV, 6-7, 330 lbs., Jr. 
RT2 – 55 Leon Bell, 6-8, 325 lbs., R-Jr. 
RT3 – 78 Amari Smith, 6-7, 325 lbs., R-Fr.

DT1 – 22 Kedrick Bingley-Jones, 6-4, 310 lbs., Jr.
 – or – 23 Trevion Williams, 6-4, 295 lbs., R-Fr. 
DT2 – 98 Ashun Shepphard, 6-3, 280 lbs., Jr.

DT1 – 35 Kalvin Dinkins, 6-2, 315 lbs., So.
– or – 8 Sulaiman Kpaka, 6-3, 300 lbs., Sr. 
DT2 – 92 Eric Taylor, 6-4, 310 lbs., Jr.
– or – 90 Kai McClendon, 6-2, 305 lbs., Fr.

DE1 – 9 De’Monte Russell, 6-4, 285 lbs., Sr. 
DE2 – 91 Deonte Anderson, 6-3, 270 lbs., Jr.
– or – 46 Joseph Head Jr., 6-4, 240 lbs., R-Fr.

JLB1 – 11 Ty Cooper, 6-4, 245 lbs., Jr.
– or – 44 Branden Jennings, 6-3, 240 lbs., Jr. 
JLB2 – 36 Donterry Russell, 6-4, 225 lbs., So.

MLB1 – 7 Stone Blanton, 6-2, 230 lbs., Jr. 
MLB2 – 26 JP Purvis, 6-1, 245 lbs., Sr.

DLB1 – 40 Nic Mitchell, 6-2, 230 lbs., Jr.
– or – 5 John Lewis, 6-3, 240 lbs., Jr. 
DLB2 – 16 Zakari Tillman, 6-2, 225 lbs., So.

FS1 – 2 Isaac Smith, 6-0, 205 lbs., So. 
FS2 – 12 Tyler Woodard, 6-2, 200 lbs., Jr.

SS1 – 21 Hunter Washington, 5-11, 190 lbs., Jr. 
SS2 – 27 Chris Keys Jr., 6-0, 190 lbs., Jr.
– or – 17 Jordan Morant, 6-0, 210 lbs., Sr.

CB1 – 1 Kelley Jones, 6-4, 195 lbs., R-Fr.
– or – 6 Traveon Wright, 6-0, 180 lbs., R-Fr. 
CB2 – 13 Raydarious Jones, 6-2, 180 lbs., Sr.
– or – 18 Khamauri Rogers, 6-0, 180 lbs., So.

CB1 – 14 Brice Pollock, 6-1, 190 lbs., So. 
CB2 – 4 DeAgo Brumfield, 6-0, 190 lbs., Sr.

K1 – 80 Kyle Ferrie, 6-1, 205 lbs., So. 
K2 – 82 Nick Barr-Mira, 6-0, 185 lbs., Sr. 
K3 – 49 Marlon Hauck, 6-3, 195 lbs., So.

P1 – 82 Nick Barr-Mira, 6-0, 185 lbs., Sr. 
P2 – 83 Zach Haynes, 6-1, 195 lbs., Sr. 
P3 – 88 Ethan Pulliam, 6-1, 190 lbs., R-Fr.

KO1 – 49 Marlon Hauck, 6-3, 195 lbs., So.  
KO2 – 82 Nick Barr-Mira, 6-0, 185 lbs., Sr.

PR1 – 3 Kevin Coleman, 5-11, 180 lbs., Jr. 
PR2 – 8 Creed Whittemore, 5-11, 185 lbs., So.

KR1 – 21 Davon Booth, 5-10, 205 lbs., Sr.
– or – 20 Johnnie Daniels, 5-10, 200 lbs., Jr. 
– or – 3 Kevin Coleman, 5-11, 180 lbs., Jr.

Mississippi State at Arizona State: How to Watch Bulldogs Football vs the Sun Devils

Mississippi State vs Ole Miss: 2025 Recruiting Battle Heats Up

Mississippi State vs. Arizona State: Top 5 Sun Devils to Watch