Louisiana Alligator Advisory Council
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History

Early Wild Harvest History

  • 1800  Earliest record of use of alligator leather; thousands used for boots, shoes, saddles, etc. 
  • 1855  Sporadic demand; first as a novelty leather and in Civil War to supply confederate with shoe/boot leather.  In late 1860s, alligator leather rose to top of fashion scale of all leathers.
  • 1880-1933  Approximately 3.5 million Louisiana skins harvested, largest 19’2”.
  • 1939-60  Commercial harvest of 18,005/year.
  • 1962-72  Louisiana closed season statewide; turned attention to professional management of this resource, extensive research, and federal and state laws governing alligators enacted (listed in Federal Endangered Species Act, 1967).
  • 1970  Louisiana Legislature enacted Act 550 giving Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries full authority to regulate the alligator.
  • 1970-72  Framework for implementation of a sustainable use program developed.
  • 1972  Experimental hunt in Cameron Parish yielded 1,350 alligators by 59 hunters.
  • 1975-77  Experimental hunt expanded to three coastal parishes (Cameron, Vermilion and Calcasieu).
  • 1978  No season – limited market in U.S. and ban on overseas shipments due to Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
  • 1979-80  Harvest expanded to 12 coastal parishes.
  • 1981  Alligator reclassified to Threatened due to Similarity of Appearance; harvest expanded to entire state.​
For more recent program history, as well as for harvest numbers and values for both wild and farmed alligators, see the Alligator Management Reports.

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  • Council
    • Meeting Schedule
    • Council Members
    • Annual Reports
    • IACTS Reports
    • Contractor Reports
  • Contacts
    • LDWF Staff >
      • Farmers
    • Dealers
    • Tanneries
    • Retailers
    • Hunting Guides
  • Management
    • Regulations & Applications
    • Management Videos
    • Alligator Biology and Behavior
    • Alligator Management Program
    • History
    • Alligator Management Reports
    • Rockefeller Refuge
  • Products
    • Meat and Recipes
    • Hide Care
    • Crocodilian Leather Features
  • Annual Reports