Alligators don't do too well on Interstates

[BOSSHOG]

Coming home yesterday from New Orleans I passed two smashed up alligators on the side of the interstate about a half mile apart and near the Louisiana-Mississippi state line. It looked like they had lost races to 18-wheelers. Smashed up pretty good. They were both about five feet long. Seeing alligators poking out of the marsh and checking out the traffic is not an uncommon site but it seems it is becoming more common.

[HughBeaumont]

1. We get that same problem, only it's with deer.

Ohio's almost overRUN by the poor things. You go down 71 to Columbus and it's like watching Close Encounters of the Third Kind . . . only with deer instead of cows. Or alligators.

[AllegroRondo]

10. We had some lady write the local paper about it

asking if the city council could move the deer crossing signs, because too many people were hitting them and they should cross somewhere else.

:shrug:

[BOSSHOG]

15. We've been pleading with the Gators

to stick to the side and frontage roads but they insist on using the interstates.

[skygazer]

2. I kept a record of roadkill on a trip across the country once

I saw raccoon, deer, fox, coyote, 'possum, turtle, lots of squirrels but by far the most common animal I saw squashed on the road was armadillo. All across Arkansas and Texas, I lost count. :(

[CottonBear]

3. Oy! Poor gators.

We have deer, squirrels, possums and armadillos here in NE GA along with the ocassional family pet.

The turkey buzzrds, black vultures and crows take care of most of the carcasses.

I had a deer hit the drivers side of my car a few years back. It caused a lot of damage.
I wouldn't want to hit a gator in a small car. :scared:

:hi: Hi BOSS! I hope all is well with you! We had some rain here and the plants and flowers are very happy, green and growing!

[BOSSHOG]

4. About a month ago

me and the Mrs were returning from a soire in the Big Easy and about two miles west of the twin spans going to Slidell a big Gator darted out of the Marsh and made a pass at the interstate; saw the traffic, made a U-turn and darted back undercover. I'd hate to break down out there. All is well here My Dear. Eating some good tomatoes. I'm just about ready to clean up what we have and then in about two weeks I'm gonna plant some more tomato seeds and Pepperoncini Peppers (the kind ya get with PapaJohn's Pizza. I had to order the seeds on the net, couldn't find the plants anywhere. We have some beautiful New Guinea Impatiens on the front porch and my wife has a coleous and gnome community out back. I planted three lantana out back about two years ago. My God, they are monsters now. My mother in law is coming for a visit in a few weeks so we are approaching general quarters for cleaning up. I'm very lucky, she is a wonderful person; just like her daughter.

[CottonBear]

5. Your garden must be beautiful! I'm planting tomatoes this weekend.

Enjoy your visit with you MIL. I'm sure y'all will show her a fine time!

I sure wish I could get an oyster po' boy from my favorite little po' boy shop over in Lacombe.
I want fried soft shell crab and homemade gumbo too!

A local restaurant (The Big Easy Cafe), which is run by NOLA natives, had a crawfish boil last month!
I stopped in and bought two pounds of crawfish boil! It was just like being down on the Gulf Coast!
My tummy was extra happy that day! I may go there for lunch tomorrow and get a po' boy!

Y'all take care, stay cool and watch out for those gators! :hi: :)

[Taverner]

6. I wonder if Alligators eventually ate the roadkill...

Are gators scavengers?

[BOSSHOG]

9. I don't know of they eat adults

but females have to protect their babies from being eaten by the adult males. They make nasty roadkill. I suspect the state disposes of them. They were not too far from the Pearl River which is near the Honey Island Swamp where there are lots of gators. Most likely the dead ones are dumped in the river.

[jobycom]

7. Which interstate?

12, 10, or 59?

I drive through that area all the time, and I've never seen one near the road.

[BOSSHOG]

8. I-59

northbound, north of the last chance liquor store near the state line. I've also seen them on I-10 west of the twin span. A few weeks ago a live one meandered near the interstate but decided to go back in the marsh. Back in 90 or 91 it rained every day in May and I-10 between Slidell and NOLA was reduced to one lane each way because of the high water. Several alligators were just hanging out at the waters edge pushed out of their habitat.

[trof]

11. Something I learned about roadkill cleanup.

I was walking one morning and kicked a dead squirrel from the middle of the street into the ditch.
OK, I'm 'neatsy'.

Just then one of the natives came by in his pickup.
"If you leave that thang in the road the buzzards and crows can find it easy. They'll clean it up pretty quick. Over in the ditch it'll just rot and smell bad and draw lots of flies."

How 'bout that?
I kicked it back in the road.
In a couple of days it had disappeared.
Learn something every day.
;-)

[Rabrrrrrr]

12. Where I live, one can't be on the Interstate without an engine of a certain minimum size.

I'm not surprised the alligators don't do well. They shouldn't be on the Interstate to begin with. I'm sure the signs posted all over the place about it.

Animals are so fucking dumb.

:eyes:

[BOSSHOG]

13. Silly Rabrrrrr

Alligators can't read. English. And what if they want to travel?

[Parche]

14. Gator

Seems you now have a gator purse for your wife!!!!!!! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :hi: :silly:

[cobalt1999]

16. probably some irate Ohio State Buckeye swerved to hit it.

Sore losers!

[El Fuego]

17. My cousin was killed because of an alligator on the road.

Two years ago. He swerved to miss it, lost control, went into a canal and drowned.

[BOSSHOG]

18. Sorry to hear that. Was it in South Florida?

Alligator or crocodile? I understand Crocodiles are more prevalent the farther south one goes.

[El Fuego]

19. Thanks. Yes it was South Florida.

Near Lake Okeechobee. The witnesses said it was an alligator. Alligators are everywhere, you never hear anything about crocodiles. I read that the American crocodiles are actually pretty docile, at least compared to their African relatives.

[Bake]

20. Lady at work lives on the Ross Barnett Reservoir

Her neighbor had to call the animal control people to get a 5 foot gator out of her back yard ...

Yikes! My doggies wouldn't even be appetizers (except for the Springer).

Bake

[BOSSHOG]

21. Slidell had a problem a few years back

(before Katrina.) Alligators were hanging out in the canals around the city and people were feeding them. There aren't too many small dogs on the properties abutting Honey Island Swamp. It is incredibly beautiful there but not very friendly to small edible things close to the water.

[Bake]

22. Frankly, I don't know why they're "endangered" here in MS

It's illegal to hunt alligators here. But there are about a gazillion of 'em in the Reservoir. And the Pearl River.

Having said that, if I walked into my back yard and a big ol' gator was about to chomp down on my little Muffin, or Jackson, or Livy, or Bebe, suffice it to say that I'd be having a new pair of boots made. And a belt. And a handbag for Mrs. Bake.

Again, YIKES!

[BOSSHOG]

23. Obviously it was a successful plan

One of these days Muffins' owner will be attacked and there will be an outcry and sightings of Alligators on interstates will go way down. There are some beautiful properties on Honey Island Swamp with lawns going right down to the waters edge.

[BOSSHOG]

24. As of Friday Morning it was still out there by the interstate

but now its head is gone. It should be good and ripe by now.

[Bake]

25. This reminds me -- anybody ever had alligator steaks on the grill?

I hear it's pretty good with some Louisiana Hot Sauce ...

How about it, Boss?

Bake

[BOSSHOG]

26. Coops on Decatur in New Orleans serves Alligator

and (I hate to say this) but it tastes like Chicken but a helluva lot tougher. I'd want to marinate it for about a week and pound the crap out of it before grilling but it would be okay. And just about everything tastes better with a little crystal on it.

[Bake]

27. Something about eating reptile just doesn't sound quite right.

But I've heard it's not bad. Didn't know it was that tough, though. Think I'll pass on the steaks (but not necessarily the boots!).

Bake