All gator hunters must resubmit applications

Records Management Liaison Officer Patsy Heiss notified local Historic City News reporters that due to a coding error with the Florida Wildlife Commission’s contractor, all alligator hunters must resubmit their applications before a random drawing can be conducted and permits issued.

The agency will accept new applications between June 1st and June 14th. Everyone who previously submitted an application will have to resubmit a new application during the new application period.

“Visit or call any of the offices of the St. Johns County Tax Collector for more information or to submit your application,” Heiss said.

David Dutch, General Manager for FWC contractor Active Outdoors, said, “In furtherance of our commitment to FWC and its constituents, Active Outdoors is waiving all convenience fees for online Internet purchasers of the licenses awarded as a result of the random draw. Florida residents buying online will save over $9, while covering all costs of the online purchase, including processing the payment and printing/mailing the license.”

The FWC is contacting all applicants via e-mail or the U.S. Postal Service to inform them of this issue. The agency had planned to post the results of the random drawing on its website on May 27, but resolving the problem made that impossible.

The start of the alligator hunting season, Aug. 15, will not be delayed.

For more information about gator hunts, visit the Alligator Management Program website.