Gator Spotted near Illinois River

[Regud]

There was an article in the Times today about an Alligator sighting on a feeder creek of the Illinois River near Watts, OK.

Yes, I thought this was an April Fools joke, but then I found news stories about it last week

http://www.news9.com/story/14314949/all ... ected=true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Regud]

I found where Ballard Creek is... it is just down stream from the 59 bridge.

You better not take any swims at Ford any more

[plaidpants]

I will be paddling with many gators this time next week in Florida in the Homosassa area. I have paddle up to with in about 10 feet of them and they just swim away. Porlly cause they are not hungry.

[Victor Caballeros]

I F@#&ing knew it!! I thought I was Crazy when i was going from Fisher to AR 59 I thought I saw an Alligator right next to my boat looking up at me and then took off. I almost flipped over when I saw it. It scared the living SH!# out of me. :shock: When I got to 59 take out I told the owner of 59 Canoe place, of course he laughed and said it was an Alligator Gar. which i looked up online and it looked close to what I saw so i just keep my mouth shut!! Thanks for letting us know Ryan

[Adam Willard]

We call dim yard dogs here, they like their bellies tickled

[BMuu]

Better call "Swamp People"

[Kurt]

I think we should keep it. Make T shirts. Surfing with Gator.
It was minus 15 here this winter. How the heck did a Gator survive that.

[Schildwache]

Otus the Head Cat might have a field day with this in about a week.

[AR-Nimrod]

We call dim yard dogs here, they like their bellies tickled

That's when you're not cookin and eatin em right?

[ARzach]

I think we should keep it. Make T shirts. Surfing with Gator.
It was minus 15 here this winter. How the heck did a Gator survive that.

Said in the article that it was likely someone's "pet" or something of the like, and that it had either been freed by its owners, or itself..

[paddlecouple]

I will be paddling with many gators this time next week in Florida in the Homosassa area. I have paddle up to with in about 10 feet of them and they just swim away. Porlly cause they are not hungry.

Sometimes they don't swim away
http://youtu.be/MKVzxAFSLUo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[cpresoz]

We float that section from Watts to the low water bridge quite a bit since it's always got water and we went a couple weekends ago. Sent somebody down there last weekend. Ballard Creek is like an oxbow remnant and River Road goes right by it. You drive by it on the shuttle back to the Redneck Yacht Club. Somebody probably pitched their overgrown pet gator in the water. That poor gator is going to have a good time until winter and then have a hard time when it gets cold. We always stop and swim at the pools. I don't think I'm telling my friends. They won't want to go any more.

[summerbee]

gator....hmmm. well, i do like snakes. this may be a short leap.

[tomOzarkVideo]

A good thing fishers ford is 4 miles upstream of 59.. Still. I'll be looking out for it.

[MenHen]

Just in case no one noticed, that was an old post. Someone shot and killed it, supposedly the game warden.