A 17-year-old Alabama woman shoots a 12.5ft alligator with a crossbow while celebrating her birthday. Whitney Williams wanted to participate in this unusual yet fun birthday activity.
She told CBS about how she felt when she killed the deer and said that she may have made use of its skin.
Chris Williams, Williams' father, said that his daughter became intrigued with the show Swamp People.
An estimated 5 million American alligators are thriving in the southeastern United States, with tens of thousands in Alabama alone.
The only legal and humane way to catch an alligator alive in Alabama is by using a harpoon, bow, arrow, or snares. Once captured, a reptile must be killed next to a boat or bank.
The 17-year-old teenager, Williams, decided on a more modern method of hunting. The teenager's parents enlisted the help of alligator hunters experienced in Florida.
Also, they went nighttime hunting for an alligator in a swamp. Hunters attracted alligators with a sound saying it was a baby, who they could then hunt.
The first night they saw an alligator, while the second night, Whitney captured one of the giant reptiles. The animal was shot twice with a bow and then targeted with a metal device that fired ammunition.
The 12 feet long, 6 feet 6 inches heavy snake eventually retreated as five people helped it into the truck. Louisiana is estimated to have earned $60-$70 million annually from alligator hunting and farming.
Some argue that the "use of a bang stick" is cruel to alligators, and the risk of extended suffering is higher.