Annual report. Texas alligator survey, harvest, and nuisance summary. 1987

Alligator harvesting activity was expanded in 1987 from 13 to 15 counties involved in tag issuance, from 6% to 8% harvest quota rate, and from 952 to 1,396 alligators taken. Basking counts were preliminarily tested as an alligator survey method, but results of all surveys continued to indicate a need for refinement in alligator population estimation methods, especially in non-coastal, non-marsh habitat. The first alligators were tagged by Texas alligator farmers in 1987 out of captive alligator stock. Nuisance control hunters continued to assist TPWD with nuisance alligator calls, as reports of nuisance alligators declined in 1987 in comparison to 1986.