So, our house backs on to a pond that is connected to Toomer Creek. We get gators in the pond from time to time. Every so often they will camp out on the lawn, probably happened 10 or 12 times in 7 years. We have dogs. We just returned from vacation and a 5’ gator was hanging around our lawn. My wife wants to build/plant a ‘gator exclusion zone’. Yeah, I know?..
She has ordered the 6" high stones used for borders and intends to plant a type of Bamboo that grows about 3’ high along our lawn that borders the pond.
I’m trying to tell her this won’t stop a gator and that we need to ensure there aren’t any gators around before letting the dogs out.
I’m not winning this ‘discussion’, so I thought I would turn to the wisdom of the board.
Any ideas, either on a constucting/growing a GEZ or even winning the argument?
I’ve got a similiar situation. I just keep a 12 gauge and a .308 near tha back door and always watch the dogs when they go out in the morning. Haven’t seen a gator in about 4 or 5 months though. My oldest daughter has a King Charles Cavalier spaniel that we dog sit occasionally, I really worry about our owl/hawk population nearby with her. I’ll shoot a gator in a heartbeat, but not a raptor so I just stand close when she’s out. I remember an episode of “The Crocadile Hunter” where a 12-15 foot crock got out of its specially designed enclosure. Don’t know if bamboo would be effective. Good luck.
build a sandwiched picket fence across the yard with a gate for water access. they can’t climb the fence without horizontal support for their feet/paws/claws whatever you want to call them.
sandwiching the pickets prevents them from being knocked out either direction.
Good call Carl, I will see if patrick will lend me Bronco!
Thanks everyone else, by the way I would love to use my new Mossberg 12 in defense of my dogs but I’m in Park west so I’m pretty sure I would be spending a night or two downtown if I broke that bad boy out in my back yard!
cheers
Bamboo is prolific…you will essentially be planting a nightmare of vegetative dominance that will have no effect on alligators, but will change your landscape in a way you may not want it to.
Might sound crazy,but the sound of a lawnmower or weed wacker works to get them from the lawn.I have worked on golf courses before and that was our way of moving the gators off of the course.If that is not satisfactory to the Mrs., then call dnr or someone to relocate them.Or fried ,grilled gator tastes really good.
Critter Control will remove them for a fee.
We have them on call in our development.
They took a 7’ female out of our pond yesterday.
She had been chasing dogs;almost caught a 90pd Lab.
“Watch what we do, not what we say.” John Mitchell
Sea Hunt Triton 202
Yammy 150
A bolt action 22 with subsonic rounds is likely cheaper and easier than any other option. Thought if the gator is bold and will let you get close take a solid stick to head will knock out a 6’ gator.
