Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents cited three subjects for alleged alligator harvesting violations in two separate cases.
On Sept. 3 in St. Martin Parish, agents cited Blair Weber, 47, of Brusly, and Clifford Legrange, 77, of Plaquemine, for cutting a live alligator from a line prior to reaching the hunter’s quota.
On Sept. 10 in St. Mary Parish, agents cited Kim H. Reagan, 46, of Franklin, for taking an alligator without a license and intentional concealment of wildlife.
Agents received a complaint about illegal alligator hunting activity in West Fork Bayou in St. Martin Parish. An agent patrolled this area on Sept. 3 and setup surveillance on a line that had a live five foot alligator on the line. The agent then observed Weber and Lagrange check the line before cutting the alligator loose.
The agent made contact with the subjects and they admitted to cutting the line with the live alligator. Louisiana‘s alligator hunting regulations require hunters to inspect their hooks and lines daily and remove all captured alligators. Hooks and lines must be removed once a hunter’s quota has been reached. If an alligator is captured after the quota has been met, the hunter is required to release the alligator in the most humane manner possible.
Agents also received a complaint about a subject that shot an alligator on his property along Franklin Canal in St. Mary Parish. Agents arrived on scene and made contact with Reagan.
Agents observed a dead alligator tied up to the bank with several pieces of brush placed over the carcass in an effort to conceal the alligator. During questioning, Reagan admitted to shooting the alligator several days prior with a .22 caliber rifle. Reagan did not possess a license to legally shoot an alligator.
Intentional concealment of wildlife brings a $900 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail. Taking an alligator without a license carries a $250 to $500 fine and up to 120 days in jail. Cutting a live alligator from a line prior to reaching the hunter’s quota brings up to a $350 fine.
Reagan also faces civil restitution totaling $250 for the illegally taken alligator.
Agents participating in these cases are Senior Agent Carl Reed, Senior Agent Trevor Benoit, Lt. Jeremy Foret, Senior Agent Patrick Stansbury, and Agent Gage Naquin.
