Kelly Murphy, a Booneville resident, drew a coveted Mississippi alligator tag on her first application and helped land a 770‑pound, 13‑foot, 5‑inch alligator during a legal hunt in the Mississippi River Southwest Zone on Aug. 29. The struggle lasted about an hour and broke multiple lines and two rods. The catch highlights how permit systems regulate recreational harvest even as climate change, development, and habitat loss increase human‑wildlife encounters.
Mississippi Hunter Draws First-Time Tag, Lands a 770‑Pound, 13'5" Alligator
Photo Credit: Red Antler Processing
Kelly Murphy of Booneville, Mississippi, drew a coveted state alligator tag on her first application and helped land a massive 770‑pound, 13‑foot, 5‑inch alligator during a legal hunt in the Mississippi River's Southwest Zone on Aug. 29, The Clarion Ledger reported.
The Catch
The animal fought for roughly an hour, snapping multiple lines and destroying two fishing rods before the hunting party finally hauled it into the boat. Josh McCoy — the only member of the group with prior alligator‑hunting experience — helped secure the monster after casting near the bank, Kelly's husband Trey Murphy told the paper.
"It was unbelievable how big it was and seeing the head," Murphy said. "I've never seen anything like it."
Fellow hunter Kenzie Williams described the moment plainly: "He was strong. It was kind of a rush because you don't think you're going to wrestle an alligator at any point in your life."
Permits and Management
Mississippi restricts alligator hunting with a permit system and zoned hunts to manage harvest and maintain recreational access. Demand for these tags is high: thousands apply each year despite the state issuing fewer than 1,000 permits, underscoring how sought‑after legal hunts can be.
Broader Context: Human‑Wildlife Overlap
While this was a legal, state‑regulated hunt in habitat where alligators naturally occur, experts note that human activity increases encounters with wildlife. The BBC and other sources cite higher average temperatures, more frequent and severe extreme weather, land development, and habitat loss as factors driving greater overlap between people and wild animals.
Other Recent Encounters
The report also highlighted several recent human‑alligator incidents, including a homeowner hospitalized after a gator attack near a mulch pile, an investigation in Marion County, Florida, after video showed a woman petting a wild alligator, and Charleston officers wrestling a thrashing alligator as mating season intensified.
Murphy called the hunt "surreal" and "life‑changing," saying she hopes to hunt alligators again. The story illustrates both the thrill of regulated outdoor recreation and the larger conservation and safety challenges that come with more frequent human‑wildlife interactions.
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