Rodney Long wrote:

jeff wrote:

alligator!!! this was a huge gator for nc...at least 8-10 feet (my
conservative guess...but, then i was hyperventilating a bit at the
time) nose to tail, very fat. he was snoozing in the sun...eyelids
closed. i was walking the bank, paying little attention to anything
but the water, trying to place casts close to the bank 10-15 feet in
front of me. suddenly, there was an unusual smell...it was so unusual
that it caused me to stop and look around. i thought there might be a
dead animal...then i saw it. about 20 feet in front of me. my jaw
dropped, and i ran as fast up the grassy bank as any geezer hoping not
to wrestle with a gator on an easter sunday. i've no experience with
gators up close and personal, so took these two photos and retreated.
he never moved. i don't think he even woke up...


Maybe the gator was dead, might explain the smell and it not moving

I can't remember ever smelling a gator that smelled like rotting meat


don't think so...one of his front legs was still wet. but, i don't
know. my first such encounter. it wasn't rotting meat...but a definite
odor that caught my attention.