Herb Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 Please! Somebody, truthfully, tell me how big an issue the alligators are in Florida. Especially this time of the year in the Peace river area. "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear-dog Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 Average about 3 ft.. I have seen some bigguns on the banks though. Bear-dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 (edited) Depends on locality and amount of human activity. Alligators find humans incredibly dangerous and given an option tend to avoid them. The Peace River is 62 miles long as the bird flies, and much longer with river twists and turns. I took a float trip in late October from Zolfo Springs 25 river miles down stream to Gardner. We counted 35 Alligators on the banks, and there were likely many more we missed. The little ones stay in the water and brush trying to hide. There were 2 or 3 in the range of 13 feet. Any Alligator in the range of 8 feet could easily drown/kill a person in water. We were in Kayaks -- I have never heard of a gator attacking a kayak. 10 days ago I was standing in waist deep water when a 7 foot (maybe 175 pounds) gator came upstream towards me and crawled up on a bank about 50 feet from me. For a couple of hours the gator watched me fossil. then I left for home. The weather is cool and gators are lethargic this time of year. There is more danger driving to/from the Peace River on Route 17. It is another matter during mating season (April-May) or when a large gator exhibits aggressive behavior. Dangerous. I try to think when I am in the Alligators territory. I fossil in clear water where I can see the bottom. I fossil with a buddy. I have a 6 inch tungsten blade strapped to my thigh. I constantly look around scanning the banks and river, alert to movement. I do not fossil in the stretches of the River with large Alligators. This is because I tend to push the limits. If you fossil in/around Arcadia, Brownville, Crews Park in Wauchula, you will not see a gator. Lots of family friendly fossiling. SS EDITED to add this point -- In the last 35 years, there has been 2 alligator attacks and 1 fatality (1977). An older male went swimming alone at dusk in late spring. Don't do that... Edited November 11, 2012 by Shellseeker The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickNC Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 I honestly wouldn't even be that concerned. It wouldn't stop me from getting out and fossiling. Just be smart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foshunter Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Herb----I haven't hunted the area like Shellseeker, never saw a gator, just keep an eye out----Tom Grow Old Kicking And Screaming !!"Don't Tread On Me" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boneman007 Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 For those that don't realize it, Even Dallas has gators in the lakes now... Something to remember... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear-dog Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 (edited) The size of the gators are optical illusions .At night,screening in the Peace with lanterns makes them look like a rearview mirror.They look like the objects look closer. Edited November 13, 2012 by bear-dog Bear-dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 The size of the gators are optical illusions .At night,screening in the Peace with lanterns makes them look like a rearview mirror.They look like the objects look closer. There may be something to this .. my quote from above: 10 days ago I was standing in waist deep water when a 7 foot (maybe 175 pounds) gator came upstream towards me Here is a chart of gator length versus weight -- http://www.bullnettl...ht-charted.aspx This would indicate that a 7 foot gator would only weigh 100 lbs and a 9+ footer would weigh about 200 lbs. I thought I was close on size, but if so, I was overestimating the weight. SS The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted November 14, 2012 Author Share Posted November 14, 2012 Thanks for the info everyone, I absolutlely wont be in the water at night!! "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfin1974 Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 Make sure not to let them eat you and you'll be fine....just kidding................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted November 14, 2012 Author Share Posted November 14, 2012 Nice! Probably not a good idea to dangle body parts you would like to keep over the side of a kayak either. "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear-dog Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 Thanks for the info everyone, I absolutlely wont be in the water at night!! Why?I have a few friends fossil at night with us.Lefty,Stumpy,....... No,I do hunt at night sometimes but only because of a couple hunting sites that no one sees. Bear-dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 Why?I have a few friends fossil at night with us.Lefty,Stumpy,....... No,I do hunt at night sometimes but only because of a couple hunting sites that no one sees. How do you hunt at night? I have enough difficulty in finding fossils in bright day light. You must have some of that super xray vision. The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear-dog Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 How do you hunt at night? I have enough difficulty in finding fossils in bright day light. You must have some of that super xray vision. Use of gas lanterns .The spots for screenind are shallow. Bear-dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted November 24, 2012 Author Share Posted November 24, 2012 Just got back from Florida, no gaters sighted. "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foshunter Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Herb---Did you find any treasures?----Tom Grow Old Kicking And Screaming !!"Don't Tread On Me" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masonboro37 Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Herb, fill us in! Process of identification "mistakes create wisdom". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members Persistent Posted November 27, 2012 New Members Share Posted November 27, 2012 I was in the Peace River twice over the last two weeks, and on the same trip saw a four footer and a 9 footer. This time of year the water is nice and clear, you can see the bottom. Keep your wits about you. Wife says don't go without a friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted December 6, 2012 Author Share Posted December 6, 2012 I didn't find too much in the Peace river this time. We did get some nice Eocene echinoids from Yankeetown, good Miocene from 10 Mile creek and Plio-Pleistocene from the Venice beach area and the Bahamas. I will post some pix soon from each area. Thanks for the input and interest. "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullsnake Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 I thought you were looking for alligators! Looking forward to seeing what you found, Herb. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted December 7, 2012 Author Share Posted December 7, 2012 I was in the Peace River twice over the last two weeks, and on the same trip saw a four footer and a 9 footer. This time of year the water is nice and clear, you can see the bottom. Keep your wits about you. Wife says don't go without a friend. You were in a boat I hope! "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwhitty2012 Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 We are new to fossil hunting, but have made several trips to the Peace River this year. We went down recently to Gardner and saw a gator at least 5 ft lounging on the bank in the sun. I'm all for hunting in shallow water you can see into. I know some people scuba dive in the deeper parts of the river, but I'm not into swimming with gators. Having lived in central FL for many years, I've seen areas where there are a large concentration of gators. There don't seem to be many of them in the areas of the Peace River that I have visited. But if you vist places like the Circle B Bar Reserve, you will definitely see at least one. It borders Lake Hancock which feeds the Peace River. We counted 14 alligators on one visit! There are also a lot of large ones in Lake Parker. There is a little sidewalk that goes by the lake that has a big yellow sign saying "Take small children by the hand and keep pets on a lease. Alligators present." I have seen some large gators there. They seem to concentrate in lakes and ponds, and for the most part stay away from populated areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share Posted December 21, 2012 We did see a 2' and a 4' on last years trip (December) on the Peace R. near Arcadia. "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted December 21, 2012 Author Share Posted December 21, 2012 FYI. There are a few pix of Yankeetown echinoids posted in my gallery. "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB88 Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 My gator advice: as long as you wrap a friend in raw meat you'll be fine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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