Massive gator pulled out of Lake Eufaula

EUFAULA, AL 
By Mackenzie Patterson - WTVM
It is all the buzz around the Valley:  a local man pulls a massive alligator from the waters of Lake Eufaula, and it was his first time gator hunting!
News Leader Nine's Mackenzie Patterson spoke with Zach Moore about his first big catch, and what the people of Eufaula think of this monster swimming in their waters.
"We shot him one time and he came up on the bank and he was standing up and that's when I realized how big he was, and it knocked my socks off because I didn't believe he was that big," said Moore.
Moore and his father wrangled with the 12 feet long gator for about 9 hours on the first day of Alligator Season.  Moore explains they had to use a bow and arrow to connect a wire to the beast before shooting it with a gun.  He says that was the easy part.  Then, they had to get the animal in the boat.
"I tied him and strapped him up.  I had to get in the water with him.  And, I pulled a couple back muscles.  It's a lot harder than I thought it would be," said Moore.
Gators are not strangers in Eufaula.  The Gator Stop is a local gas stationed dedicated to these scaly creatures.  Antwon Wells took some time to look at the gas station's main attraction: alligators sun-bathing out back.
"It's normal for alligators but not for something that massively big," said Wells.
He was shocked to see the giant that came out of the local lake.
"I was thinking if he caught something that big, I wonder what else is in there," said Wells.
Moore hopes Wells is right so he can get a chance at another giant.  For now, he is enjoying his big catch.
"We skinned him out, and we got his meat in the freezer.  We got about 200 lbs of meat, and we definitely plan on sharing it and eating some of it," said Moore.
There are fliers warning about alligators in Lake Eufaula.  Local park rangers encourage people not to feed the animals and to stay a safe distance away because alligators are very fast in short distances.

News Leader Nine