Online gator draw takes 45 minutes

It took only 45 minutes for the computerized drawing for 920 alligator permits to sell out.

All 920 permits taken, leaving a lot of happy, sad and irate sportsmen

All 920 permits for the 2016 public waters alligator season were claimed in 45 minutes Tuesday, leaving exactly that many people delighted, many more sad and some downright angry.

Alligator program director Ricky Flynt of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks confirmed Tuesday that the process began at 9 a.m. and ended at 9:45 p.m.

By 10 a.m., members of the Facebook page “Mississippi Alligator Hunters” were posting reactions.

They went from ecstatic: “Me and ******** both got tags for the Rez. We bout to break in that new Bass Cat!!!!! Whhhhhaaatttttttt. Rippin!!!!!”

To sad: “Congrats everyone that got tags. But it’s a sad day for me maybe next year guess I will get ready to elk hunt.”

To sarcastic: “Good news, I just saved $183.23 by getting the proxy server boot.”

To irate: “There has got to be a better way this sucks”

To hilarious: “Out of 7 guys trying we got ZERO. No waterways this year for our group. Good luck to all those who got tags. Next year I’m hiring a team of nerds. We good ole boys just ain’t computer savvy enough for such an advanced website.”

Most of the complaints posted involved not being able to complete the online process, with some legitimate concerns raised over such things as the system’s failure to recognize a valid lifetime hunting license.

But others found out the hard way that having an expired driver’s license or hunting/fishing license would automatically end the transaction.

The 2016 alligator season for public waters opens at noon on Aug. 26 and ends at noon on Sept. 5.

About Bobby Cleveland 1340 Articles
Bobby Cleveland has covered sports in Mississippi for over 40 years. A native of Hattiesburg and graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, Cleveland lives on Ross Barnett Reservoir near Jackson with his wife Pam.

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