Since 1988, Florida's statewide alligator harvest has been nationally and internationally recognized as a model program for the sustainable use of a natural resource. Each year, alligator management units are established with appropriate harvest quotas to provide recreational opportunities for Floridians and non-residents who are at least 18 years old to take up to 2 alligators per permit. Applicants who are awarded a permit must submit payment for two CITES tags and an Alligator Trapping License, or provide proof of possession of an Alligator Trapping License valid through the end of the alligator harvest season. A Florida hunting license is not required to participate in the statewide alligator hunt.
Program News and Information
New! The results of the 2012 Statewide Alligator Harvest Program random drawing are now posted online. Applicants can check their status at this link. Successful applicants may purchase their permits online or at any license agent or tax collector office by Tuesday, June 5 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Please note that the permit availability search page indicates the number of permits that have been purchased, not assigned during the random drawing. More than 95% of the permits were assigned in the random drawing. Applicants who were unsuccessful can apply during Phase II of the alligator harvest issuance process, which begins at 10:00 a.m. on June 7.
Please Note: Lake Griffin is not available as a harvest unit selection this year, and this area cannot be hunted using a Lake County alligator harvest permit. The adult alligator population on Lake Griffin has declined significantly, so the harvest has been suspended until the alligator population stabilizes or increases.
Important Notice: Long-term drought conditions have adversely affected access to some alligator harvest units. The quota for these areas may be reduced or eliminated if water levels do not increase, and these units may be unavailable to select at application time. Orange Lake will likely be closed due to low water conditions (see the image below). Other areas affected include but are not limited to: Rodman Reservoir, Lochloosa Lake, Newnans Lake, Lake Iamonia, and Lake Miccosukee. Licenses and tags are non-refundable even if access to an alligator harvest unit is difficult or limited.
If you haven't submitted your alligator harvest report for the 2011 season, please use the online form. The deadline to submit completed copies of alligator harvest report forms and return unused CITES tags was November 15, 2011. If paper forms are used or if you have unused CITES tags, they must be mailed to the address below. The best way to submit alligator harvest reports is by using our online form. Please return unused CITES tags in a padded or cardboard envelope to prevent loss during shipping. You also should consider using a traceable mail service when returning paper forms or unused CITES tags. Please mail completed forms and unused CITES tags to:
FWC Alligator Management Program
620 South Meridian Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600
Online Alligator Harvest Report Form. If you transfer your alligator carcass to a commercial alligator processor, you must also complete a hard copy of the alligator harvest report form
and a copy of this form must be transferred with the carcass.
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