Wounded gator with arrow in its head caught in Missouri City

On Friday gator hunters Chris Stephens and Christy Kroboth captured a number of alligators from the Missouri City area, including one in a neighborhood that had been shot in the jaw with arrow. The arrow, still suck in his body, had hindered the seven-foot creature’s ability to defend itself or eat. The gator is destined for a local veterinarian’s office where it will undergo surgery. less On Friday gator hunters Chris Stephens and Christy Kroboth captured a number of alligators from the Missouri City area, including one in a neighborhood that had been shot in the jaw with arrow. The arrow, still ... more Photo: Christy Kroboth / Chris Stephens Photo: Christy Kroboth / Chris Stephens Image 1 of / 66 Caption Close Wounded gator with arrow in its head caught in Missouri City 1 / 66 Back to Gallery

In case you haven't been paying attention, Houston is in the thick of alligator season. Recent floods made the beasts unwelcome guests in some neighborhoods.

On Friday Houston-area alligator wranglers Chris "Gator Chris" Stephens and his assistant Christy Kroboth captured a number of alligators from the Missouri City area, including one in a neighborhood that had been shot in the jaw with arrow.

The arrow, still suck in his body, had hindered the seven-foot creature’s ability to defend itself or eat. The gator, destined for a local veterinarian’s office for surgery, died on the way to get checked out on Friday afternoon.

"It's important for people to see how sad this is and understand why the laws and hunting regulations mandate using proper bow equipment with a line attached to the arrow," Stephens says.

On Thursday they were able catch another gator, nicknamed Ray Charles because he’s blind in both eyes and he’s rather vocal, at least for a gator.

“We’ve never heard gators make some of these sounds and it’s likely that he is trying to figure out where he is or talking to the other gators.”

Sadly, Stephens thinks that Ray came into this condition at the hands of man.

“I think he was shot in the eyes with a pellet gun,” Stephens says.

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With the recent floods and rain coaxing gators from their habitats, and into populated areas where their presence is not always welcomed, it's been a busy two weeks for the team, who are both licensed and insured Alligator Nuisance Control Hunters for Texas Parks and Wildlife.



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Stephens said he’s been busiest in Harris and Fort Bend counties, including Missouri City, with its many neighborhoods near ditches and retention ponds that became rushing rivers and lakes last week.

He says the majority of the gators that he and others have been capturing have been “land grabs” outside waterways.