Photo submitted Blayten Windom, 11, of Bogue Chitto killed his first alligator in the Mississippi River. The alligator was killed on Aug. 29, and was 12-foot-3 with a belly girth of 70 inches, with an estimated weight of more than 600 pounds. Above, from left, Trey Walker, Stan Raseberry, LJ Guess, Randy Walker, Blayten Windom, Paige Palmer, Brad Palmer, Vance Windom and David Ruth. At right, Blayten Windom and his dad Vance.

JACKSON — Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks announced two sets of dates for the Alligator hunting season draw application. Hunters must be drawn to hunt alligators in Mississippi.

MDWFP announced the Private Waters alligator season application will open next Wednesday, May 1 and will be open until July.

The draw application period for Public Waters alligator season will open at 10:00 a.m. on June 3 and will conclude at 10:00 a.m. on June 10.

MDWFP’s Alligator Program Coordinator Andrew Arnett reported 6,373 hunters applied for public water draw permits and 954 were drawn for tags. Hunters killed 838 alligators last year with the average length of gators at 7.69 feet.

MDWFP reports 3,705 hunters participated in alligator hunts with an average of 5.62 people per hunting party. Nearly double the number of alligators killed last year were caught and released. Mississippi regulations require hunters to catch alligators with a hook and line on a fishing pole before they are able to be brought up to the boat, secured by a larger hook and dispatched.

Alligator season brought in $287,925 for the MDWFP between possession tags, hunting licenses and other fees.

The 2024 Alligator public season will be from noon August 30 until noon September 9, 2024.

Check back for more information about how to apply for the alligator hunting season draw.