Ann, Hunting season varies by county and is limited to one alligator per person or tag depending on the county. Right now alligators are not a problem in this area.
What I do have problems with are Black Vultures and Caracaras, AKA Mexican Eagles. They are very agressive toward newborn calves. This is calving season for us and already I have lost one newborn heifer (I raise registered Angus.) to them. Sometimes they attack as the calf is being born and peck out the eyes and kill it. The cow can't protect her calf because she lies down to give birth. These ugly birds are protected by the Migratory Act, but it is possible to get a permit to harass them. I was so sickened when I went to check on the cow's progress only to find her surrounded by a mixed flock of vultures and caracaras and her dead calf. I hate to kill anything, but at that moment, I would have shot the lot if I'd owned a shotgun. They also make it difficult for the young calves, who spend a lot of time napping, to get any rest. They walk up to a sleeping calf and peck at it. Unless they get the eyes, the calf is relatively safe from actual danger (Other than what problems stress and lack of sleep bring.) as long as it pops right up. This scares the birds so that, at least for the moment, they fly up into the trees to watch.
