A group of Mississippi hunters secured a massive alligator on the opening night of the state's hunting season, landing an animal that stretched over 13 feet and pushed the scales toward 700 pounds. John Raines of Ripley held the permit for the hunt. He joined forces with friends Morgan Perkins and Ben Holcomb to navigate the waters of the West-Central Zone. They launched their boat on Friday, August 28, 2026, around 1:30 p.m. to track local reptiles.
The Encounter on the Water
The hunters started their season by harvesting a smaller alligator, as allowed by state regulations. Hunters in Mississippi can take two alligators, but only one may exceed seven feet in length. After securing their first catch, the trio kept searching for a larger specimen. They spotted a potential target in the early morning hours on Saturday, August 29, but the animal quickly submerged. While watching for that gator, they noticed a second one that appeared even larger than the first.
Rainess noted that animals often look smaller from the surface of the water than they actually are. Despite having experience with large reptiles, he realized this specific alligator presented a different challenge. The group moved into position and used weighted treble hooks to snag the animal. The fight that followed lasted two hours. It was not a simple retrieval task.
A Battle of Strength
The alligator proved to be a difficult opponent. It broke several fishing lines early in the struggle. Once it reached the bottom of the water column, the reptile refused to move. It remained stationary for about an hour, acting as a dead weight that rendered the fishing equipment ineffective. Perkins and Holcomb took turns trying to shift the animal before they managed to place another hook. This disturbance forced the gator back toward the surface.
"It felt like the biggest dead weight you could ever get a hold of and it just slowly started moving to the top," Holcomb said. Once it reached the upper levels of the water, the animal fought with renewed energy. The hunters described the tension on the lines as intense enough to threaten pulling them out of the boat. They finally managed to dispatch the animal after two hours of physical labor.
Logistics and Final Weigh-in
Once the alligator was secured, the group faced a new issue. The animal was too large to fit inside their boat. They tied the carcass to the side of the vessel and slowly navigated back to the boat ramp. The logistical difficulties continued on land, where they had to use a winch to move the gator up the bank for transport to Red Antler Processing in Yazoo City.
Official measurements confirmed the size of the catch. The alligator measured 13 feet, 7 inches in length and weighed 676 pounds. This successful harvest serves as a high point in the careers of the three hunters. Raines admitted the physical toll of the struggle left him considering an end to his alligator hunting. "I may just retire with that one," Raines said. "It's been fun. It's a lot of work and it's tiring, but it's extremely fun." The catch represents the unpredictable nature of Mississippi's alligator season, where success often depends on patience, specialized gear, and significant physical effort.