An 844-pound, 14-foot alligator, the second-largest ever caught in South Carolina, was captured at Lake Moultrie on Sept. 28, ending a pursuit that lasted four years.
Here's what to know
The Post and Courier reported that the gator was brought in at about 11 p.m. by Renegade Bowfishing's Cole Poplin and William Ard along with clients Chris Webb, the tag holder, and his father, Craig Webb.
Poplin said the catch was anything but a random encounter. "I spotted this gator four years ago, roughly," Poplin said. "I'm hunting gators every single night, taking clients out every single night. I've hunted this gator a lot over the last three or four years. Four years later, we have a magical night. He just happened to slip up and make a mistake, and we made it count."
Lake Moultrie has produced South Carolina's top alligator catch before. In 2010, Massachusetts hunter Maryellen Mara-Christian landed a 1,025-pound, 13-foot gator. That makes this 844-pound reptile the second-largest ever caught in the state.
Per The Post and Courier, South Carolina allows alligator hunting only during a brief annual season, from the second Saturday in September to the second Saturday in October.
On South Carolina's alligator-hunting map, Lake Moultrie falls within Unit 2, the Middle Coast zone; hunting rules are tied to both geography and season.
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Though Poplin said he saw the alligator many times outside hunting season, he could legally take it only during the state's window.
Where can I learn more?
These stories look at other alligator encounters across South Carolina and the nearby coast.
• In Berkeley County, officials called for backup when a huge gator claimed a porch.
• In a South Carolina neighborhood, officers wrestled an alligator as residents said sightings were climbing.
• In Charleston, police wrestled a thrashing alligator as mating season heated up.
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