How we handle gators in Texas

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HAWKINS, TEXAS - Over the years, Hal Conover said he's seen hundreds of alligators on his ranch outside Hawkins.

"They've all been small," he said. "They haven't bothered any cattle. I've never had any trouble with them; I've left them alone."

The most recent case was different. On June 4, his neighbor spotted a 10 foot, 5 inch long gator in the pen where he was weaning calves.

"I haven't seen any that aggressive," said Conover. "He was looking for a meal."

As the reptile tried to escape from the pen, Conover moved the calves to safety and called his friend Byron South for back-up. He successfully thew one rope around the gator before South and his son arrived.

"We got two ropes on him," said South, owner of Convergent Hunting Solutions. "So during that process is when I decided we oughta film this; this is pretty neat."

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