08-20-2016, 06:38 PM
I've been in the water many times and never had a gator come close enough to cause concern, though I'm keenly aware of what they can do. I've never heard of a 30 MPH gator on land or sea. In the water they can manage bursts up to 20 MPH and on land they can run maybe as much as 10 - 12 MPH (very short distances), but that's it. I'm not sure where you're hearing they can run 30 MPH, but we'd have been eliminated from the food chain long ago if they could.
Now, I've read some undocumented published comments, about bursts up to 30 MPH, by wild life officers (read really scared shittless WL officers), but even these comments are immediately "qualified" by the number of steps they can sustain (5 - 6). In other words, if you're within say 10' of a gator on land, he can quickstep you in 3 strides so fast, a Texas Fish and Game warden will crap his pants, as he reaches for his radar gun to see how fast it actually was. If a person is 15' from a gator and you both take off, you'll easily out run him in just a few adrenaline laden steps. Of course, if you're within his strike zone range, you're probably lunch.
Gators are ambush predators and they know they can burst some speed, but generally wait until you're well within striking distance (again usually a few steps at most). They know what this distance is and don't even try, unless you're well inside the "zone". They're naturally intimidated by humans, unless they've been fed by bone heads.
This doesn't mean be casual around them, but just aware they're beasts, but not as scary as their reputation might suggest they are. Native Americans walked among them for many centuries, in our southern swamps and learned how to keep from getting eaten, we can too. One last point, never tease or torment a beast that can eat you whole. This might seem like common sense, but some folks are just not all that well lit. They will find a way to get you back, just like a human would, expect we might ruin you financially just for spite, they'll tear off an arm and laugh, just for spite and mid day snack. Pick your poison.
Now, I've read some undocumented published comments, about bursts up to 30 MPH, by wild life officers (read really scared shittless WL officers), but even these comments are immediately "qualified" by the number of steps they can sustain (5 - 6). In other words, if you're within say 10' of a gator on land, he can quickstep you in 3 strides so fast, a Texas Fish and Game warden will crap his pants, as he reaches for his radar gun to see how fast it actually was. If a person is 15' from a gator and you both take off, you'll easily out run him in just a few adrenaline laden steps. Of course, if you're within his strike zone range, you're probably lunch.
Gators are ambush predators and they know they can burst some speed, but generally wait until you're well within striking distance (again usually a few steps at most). They know what this distance is and don't even try, unless you're well inside the "zone". They're naturally intimidated by humans, unless they've been fed by bone heads.
This doesn't mean be casual around them, but just aware they're beasts, but not as scary as their reputation might suggest they are. Native Americans walked among them for many centuries, in our southern swamps and learned how to keep from getting eaten, we can too. One last point, never tease or torment a beast that can eat you whole. This might seem like common sense, but some folks are just not all that well lit. They will find a way to get you back, just like a human would, expect we might ruin you financially just for spite, they'll tear off an arm and laugh, just for spite and mid day snack. Pick your poison.
