It is believed that alligators may go through thousands of teeth in their lifetimes. It is also popular among wildlife enthusiasts for opportunities to encounter a wide range of species within a small radius. Laid end to end, that amount of lumber would stretch 189 miles. And the man next to her said, 'She's too busy. Stay at Bonnie's Laurel Cottage, a super-friendly place owned by Bonnie McConkey (it's about five minutes from downtown). The coastal area has always been part of their natural range. In 1942, Howard Wash, a 45-year-old African-American man who had been convicted of murder, was dragged from jail and lynched by a mob. a 27-year-old who goes by "Boo" and works for a trucking company in Laurel, Miss . Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. That is where I became interested in cooking. The Chinese alligator can lay 10 to 50. Nationwide, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reports there are 7,000-8,000 snake bites annually. A husband and wife duo (Ben & Erin) show their pride in their hometown of Laurel, MS by redoing and remodeling older homes that are being purchased. For every 100 females, there were 85.8 males. The best way to see alligators in this river is by getting out onto the water with a boat tour. Ben and I were the storytellers. In 1893, the new Eastman-Gardiner Company mill began operations, using the best technology and labor-saving devices of the day. "That rating of a two goes to a nine or 10," Flynt said. "I said man, this beats everything I've ever seen," Wayne said. "The alligator itself is an apex predator. I just thought, 'Man, I need to do something different.' And the beautiful mural on the side of a once-dilapidated building? Alligators are found in coastal habitats from Texas to South Carolina, and occasionally venture into saltwater. There may be alligators in the Mississippi River in Louisiana, but they're only found in the marshy swamps around the river. Snakes probably generate more interest and fear than just about anything out there especially the venomous varieties. (AP) The lower three counties of South Mississippi are home to 38 percent of the state's alligators. We recently estimated that there are 32,000-38,000 alligators and about 408,000 acres of alligator habitat in Mississippi. Unfortunately, what is generally just an itchy bite can be a killer. When I was growing up, I could go by that hotel and look in the window at the coffee shop, but I couldn't walk in. The premise of the show is simple, and wonderful all at once. I grew up in a community called the KC in a three-room shotgun house. Laurel has changed, and I'd like for people to know that.". In addition to influencing a diverse architectural district, the "timber families" of Laurel influenced the building of the town's broad avenues, the design of numerous public parks, and the development of strong public schools.[9]. The state is mainly known for being home to one of North Americas most extended rivers, the Mississippi River. We recently estimated that there are 32,000-38,000 alligators and about 408,000 acres of alligator habitat in Mississippi. With over 408,000 acres of possible alligator habitat, an estimated 32,000-38,000 alligators have lived in Mississippi. Alligators can also be found within the lake premises, with the most relevant sighting dating back to 2013 when festival-goers near the lake spotted and took a picture of a gator at Grenada Lake. We used to have trucks that went out and sold door-to-door till about 1995. As of the census[18] of 2000, there were 18,393 people, 6,925 households, and 4,542 families residing in the city. According to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, there are about 55 alligators currently making Okatibbee Lake their home. To control the alligator population, Mississippi adopted a hunting season seven years ago in which tags are awarded through a computer drawing. The residents of Laurel pulled together to transform the small town they called home. I hold seven years of professional experience in the content world, focusing on nature, and wildlife. We opened in 2017, and now there are very few days you can come in here that we don't have a full house.". It's made Laurel a popular destination, especially for fans. "They (Florida) have a tremendously larger alligator population than we do. I went to my car in tears, and I said to myself, 'Well, I guess I'm moving here.' "It was just us and the feral cats. Thanks for reading this post on where to see alligators in Mississippi. With large teeth and bone-crushing jaws, large alligators can easily kill a human. My mother had been here for so long that after a period of time, she owned all the stock. 28.9% of the population and 21.4% of families were below the poverty line. Brookhaven, MS (BRH) Greenwood, MS (GWD) Hazlehurst, MS (HAZ) Jackson . Along with it, concern about safety has also grown among some outdoors enthusiasts. As of the 2010 census, Laurel had a population of 18,540. Flynt, who has caught and handled alligators for years in his research, said only larger alligators require two hands to hold their jaws closed and that's because the mouths can be too large to grip with a single hand. It's been an amazing journey. I'm an HGTV junkie, so one night I was hunched over my computer, and here came a new TV show, Home Townfirst season, first episode. The alligators are reaping the benefits of that, which results in abnormal specimens. His son shares his same passion and has followed him in his footsteps. Laurel, MS Weather Forecast | AccuWeather Current Weather 8:18 PM 72 F RealFeel 71 Air Quality Fair Wind SW 6 mph Wind Gusts 6 mph Partly cloudy More Details Current Air Quality Today 2/27. Studies found that inAmerican alligatoreggs, incubation at 93 degrees and above produces mostly males, while incubation at or lower than 86degrees produces mostly females. Flynt said the alluvial valley is gathering nutrients and is being funneled into the Mississippi River . To get this huge gator out of the water, Wayne used his gator fishing line, bait, truck and son Bo Parker to help out. The sex of an alligatoris determined by the temperature of the egg at around 21 days of incubation. So I stayed. Check out the alligators at Gulf Coast Gator Ranch in the video below: Another place in Mississippi where you can see alligators is at the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge. Mammals in the park range from tiny, secretive northern shrews to more obvious animals such as otters, beavers, coyotes, and white-tailed deer. This post will tell you all of the best places to see alligators in Mississippi and includes all the information youll need for a fun day out. By the early 1900s, the success of Eastman-Gardner Company's operations in Laurel and the region's superabundance of timber began to attract the attention of other lumber industrialists. As long as people and alligators have shared Mississippi, there have been people who hunted the creatures. alligator, (genus Alligator), either of two crocodilians related to the tropical American caimans (family Alligatoridae). If you enjoyed this, be sure to check out 11 Life Lessons Everyone Learns Growing Up In Mississippi.. 'You could tell it was bone cracking. The hunts do not include Okatibbee Lake. The alligators here can often be found in small lagoons, ponds and swamps. [22][23], The Mississippi Department of Mental Health South Mississippi State Hospital Crisis Intervention Center is in Laurel. Males had a median income of $27,077 versus $17,336 for females. and signals that you've found the historic district of this small Mississippi town. Each tag holder is allowed to harvest two alligators that are a minimum of 4 feet. You might even spot one eating a fish! An alligator estimated to be about 10 feet long caused quite a stir along Highway 11 north near Thermo-kool, a short distance south of 24th Street in Laurel. Laurel is a city in and the second county seat of Jones County, Mississippi, United States. Laurel is currently declining at a rate of -0.82% annually and its population has decreased by -2.41% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 17,161 in 2020. The real catalyst here happened a little over eight years ago, when Judi Holifield became the director of Laurel Main Street. The Jackson Zoo does have alligators in one of their exhibits. Only three days into the start of Mississippi's alligator hunting season, NBC News reported that Dustin Brockman of Vicksburg and his hunting party nabbed a record-breaking 13-foot, 727-pound gator on Saturday. "When my daughter graduated high school, she said she was going to leave. "He does what he wants to do.". The Pascagoula River is one place capable of it.". A tall white man with a deep Southern . Alligators can be found in every county of the state, but southeast Mississippi reigns king. "The current state record length of 16 feet, 6 1/2 inches was taken down there. See full Affiliate Disclosure here. Trapper Wayne traps alligators and other nuisance animals for a living and has done this for about 35 years. By the time an animal control officer showed up, the gator had taken cover under a pile of pallets next to the restaurants dumpster. Nearly everyone you talk to in Laurel points to Judi Holifield as a powerful agent of change in the community. Alligators are more common in the river's smaller tributaries and swamps, where the water is warmer and there is more cover to hide in. Fourteen northern Mississippi counties have produced no alligator records, but nuisance alligator complaints have come from as far north as Coahoma, Lafayette, and Itawamba Counties. Wayne, an alligator trapper,said he had to put the alligator down because it was too big to relocate. They are very strong and capable.". "I was the first generation in my family who was not born here. :What to know about the chances of attack. Yes, there are alligators all over Mississippi but the highest populations of alligators are found in the southeast region of the state. Theres plenty of places to see alligators in their natural habitat all over Mississippi from Jackson to the Mississippi Coast. Stock up on artisanal beef jerky and homemade fudge at The Knight Butcher. They can grow to be more than 12 feet (3.6 meters) in length and weigh as much as 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms), with males being slightly larger than females on average. "It can be just a fever.". Most people are uncomfortable around snakes and may be uncertain of their ability to identify them. In Mississippi, there is no record of an alligator attack, fatal or not. The Agape Church founders foster community beyond their walls. "In a natural setting, a bear in the woods and you're walking in the woods, the chance of an encounter is slim to none. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Despite the large population of alligators in South Mississippi, state wildlife officials say there has never been a reported alligator attack on humans. The racial makeup of the city was 55.08% African American, 40.64% White, 0.33% Asian, 0.11% Native American, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.17% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. Hes keeping a century-old business alive. There are parts of the Pascagoula that are extremely remote and have been home to big alligators for a long time. By the 1920sthe peak of Laurel's lumber productionthe area's four mills were producing a total of one million board feet of lumber per day. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.87% of the population. The river is also strongly preserved as it is one of the largest undammed rivers in the United States. But when people interact with the reptiles, such as by feeding them, they become more comfortable around humans and the risk of conflict dramatically rises. Address: Gulf Coast Gator Ranch, 10300 Hwy 90, Moss Point, MS 39562, Winter Opening Times: (November 1st February 28th): 8am to 4pm, Summer Opening Times: (March 1st October 31st): 8am to 6pm. I think everybody was just so excited about downtown.". In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.9% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. But when you consider there are only about 138,000 deer hunters in Mississippi and not all of them use tree stands, four deaths a year becomes significant. What Happens To The Gorgeous Furnishings Featured On HGTV 'Home Town'? This is called temperature-depended sex determination. The officer used a catch pole to secure it and put the gator in a dog box in the back of his truck. "The Pascagoula has an overall abundant number of alligators, and they are widespread," Flynt said. . I always said I'd never work here, but then the girl I was going to marry was here (she came in to help my mother in 1983), my family was here, and downtown Laurel was starting to die. Address: 3500 Park Rd, Ocean Springs, MS 39564, Opening Times: Monday to Sunday, 6am to 10pm. When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. We put some lights in the trees and had these potluck parties and invited our friends from Hattiesburg. In Mississippi, only one death has ever been recorded from a snake bite. So I was in Laurel visiting and was in a restaurant chatting with the family who runs it. . If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. Even for an expert like Wayne, this wasn't an easy task. Laurel has the second county courthouse as there are two judicial districts in Jones County. 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