Dog-Eating Gators. Worried about a relocation to East Texas.

[Stoneface]

Wild!

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/4360 ... tml?pg=all

I am planning a move back to Texas, around Nacagdoches or Lufkin. I heard something about a gator season down there so I did some research and can't find much in that particular area, though when you get as far south as Houston I guess they're pretty active. Thank goodness it's nothing like the swampy southeast. Does anyone have any input or experience running dogs in that part of Texas? Do you see many gators or are they an after thought? I looked up a distribution map and it put gators thick up around Tyler and toward DFW. I lived there for years and didn't see a single one. Makes me wonder about the validity of the map.

[Brazosvalleyvizslas]

I live on Houston County lake in Crockett, TX and have never seen a gator here but there is some scattered all over east Texas. The only time i worry about gators is during early Teal season down near Winnie. Cottonmouths are a bigger concern for me.

[birdshot]

I would be more worried about the fire ants, every time you stop you will be standing in a bed of ants. After the first day down there I was pretty well trained to keep out of their way.

[Stoneface]

Thanks, guys. I'm not worried about most hazards in the region. The dogs or I or both have been snake bit, eaten up by ants, ran into hornets, crossed scorpions, etc, etc. Not much bothers me except the thought of a gator. If a gator gets ahold of one of the girls it won't matter how close we are to a hospital or vet, that's pretty much all she wrote.

[hill]

I don't give alligators a second thought unless it's early teal season or I'm hunting Lake Seminole in South Georgia, and then it's for my buddies retriever. I've never known anyone that had a gator bother a dog, and I know people that hunt hogs, coons, rabbits, ducks, quail, woodcock, and deer in the swamps. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, because it certainly does, I just know FAR more people to lose dogs to snake bites, eating something poisonous, etc.

[AZ Brittany Guy]

I lived in a community in Central Florida with lots of small lakes and ponds. We all learned to steer clear of water that the birds would never visit. I was canoing the Wekiva river once and discovered a half eaten German Shepard in the hyacinths (sp?). Not pretty.

[buckmaster]

I would think it is less of an issue up there during hunting season. Down in South Texas...we will call it Port O'Connor South along the coast...they can be a problem year round. A neighbors lab got zapped by a 12 footer in the Victoria Barge canal a few years ago on Memorial Day. Even in January...if the bay salinity is low...I have seen them around a blind a good 300 yards for shore.
So to echo what somebody else said...when we were back for Thanksgiving ( warm sunny every day) 4 dogs on the street were killed by water mocs...and one was killed by a rattler. Bad week for dogs...but I have never heard of that many dogs killed by gators...snakes #1 gators #2

[rinker]

There are lots of dangers out there for a hunting dog. I would say gator attack is pretty low on the list of things that could happen to a dog, even where they have lots of gators. My advice is go hunting, in the unlikely event that something crazy happens, like your dog geats eaten by a gator, get another dog and start over.

[bobman]

actually gators are common in the area that the original poster mentioned theres been a big uptick in the pop in lakes and rivers in that area
i have a bunch of friends and family in that area and they have lost hog dogs to them

i wouldnt let my dogs or kids anywhere near water in that area

[SubMariner]

Here in FL you have to assume that ANY body of water can hold a 'gator. Even ones you had never seen one in before. We really keep an eye on our guys anytime they are near water; polarized sunglasses are a must.

Bonne chance,

[northern cajun]

Here in FL you have to assume that ANY body of water can hold a 'gator. Even ones you had never seen one in before. We really keep an eye on our guys anytime they are near water; polarized sunglasses are a must.

Bonne chance,

Exactly, same here in South Louisiana.