Florida Man Dream Job: Nuisance Alligator Trapper Needed In Polk County
You’ve probably seen the video of a Florida man wrangling and wrestling an alligator in his neighborhood. Well the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is looking for a nuisance alligator trapper in Polk County. It sounds like the perfect Florida Man/Redneck dream job, and here’s how you apply.
The Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) is administered by FWC’s Division of Hunting and Game Management, Alligator Management Program. The FWC contracts with private individuals, nuisance alligator trappers, to remove specific nuisance alligators.
What is a nuisance alligator? The FWC says “an alligator may be considered a nuisance if it’s at least 4 feet in length and believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property.” Alligators less than 4 feet long are not large enough to be considered dangerous to people or pets, unless handled.
Because Florida has a population of about 1.3 million alligators, The removal of nuisance alligators does not have a significant impact on our state’s alligator population. If they did try to relocate the gators, they might find there way back to the location and be harder to catch a second time. Even if the FWC relocated nuisance alligators to a remote area with established social structures, the new alligator would likely cause fighting and possibly result in the death of a resident alligator.
How To Apply To Become A Nuisance Alligator Trapper In Polk County
Before applying you should know that this is a contacted part-time job. Nuisance alligator trappers are primarily compensated by their marketing and sale of alligator products (hides and meat) from nuisance alligators taken. Trappers also may receive a small expense reimbursement from the FWC for each alligator taken. Most trappers have other sources of income.
In order to apply for this perfect Florida Man position, you need to:
- Be able to supply any equipment necessary to take alligators (truck, boat, snares, hooks, etc).
- Have sufficient time to efficiently respond to permits to remove nuisance alligators.
- Have a record of adherence to fish and wildlife regulations and have no criminal history.
- A point of contact (cell phone or email).
- Assume personal liability for health, welfare and safety of themselves and their trapping agents.
- Project a positive image to the public and media.
If this sounds like a side hustle for you, then you can click here to apply or email [email protected] for more information.
The 5 Most Dangerous Animals In Florida
Great White Shark
Yes, Great White Sharks are found in the waters around Florida. A almost 1,200 pound shark that was almost 13 feet in length was tracked back in March of this year.
Bull Shark
#1 and #2 on the list are sharks. They are in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. They grow to about 11 feet and can live about 24 years.
Alligator
Alligators live in all 67 counties in Florida. You can find alligators in any body of water including lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, swamps and man-made canals. We’ve seen multiple reports this year of gator attacks, even some fatal ones.
Eastern Dimondback Rattlesnake
They are found in pine flatwoods, longleaf pine and turkey oak hammocks, sand pine scrub areas, and coastal barrier islands. Yes it is venomous.
Cottonmouth Snake
It is venomous and can be found throughout Florida. It is called a cottonmouth because of the white color of the inside of its mouth.
