NC county to permit alligator hunting due to over population

HYDE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Rabbit Season ... Duck Season ... Alligator Season?

Have you been wanting to up your game, like maybe to the size of a gator?

Well, now is your chance because Hyde County will soon allow alligator hunting.

Officials said the alligator population has become so vast that encounters with humans are becoming too frequent.

So, to help curb those interactions, The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission recently approved adding three designated areas in the county to its "Alligator Management Plan."

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Those areas are in Swan Quarter, Fairfield, and Engelhard.

Five permits will be issued in both Swan Quarter and Fairfield, while 10 permits issued in Engelhard.

A hunting license will cost $250 for in-state and $500 for out-of-state residents.

Officials said permit holders will only be allowed to shoot one alligator per season.

People must be at least 16 to apply; applications are due by August 10.

In March, The North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission approved a one-month alligator season from September 1 to October 1.

It had been illegal in the state for the past 44 years.