Arkansas Hunters Kill Nearly 14-Foot Alligator, Break State Record

A group of men in Arkansas caught a nearly 14-foot-long alligator, breaking the state's record of the longest catch.

Travis Bearden was out on Lake Merrisach, south of Gillett, when he spotted a large gator in the water Saturday. Bearden was accompanied by three men including his brother and father.

"We weren't real sure how big he was when we spotted him, and to our surprise after we harpooned it, it ended up being a giant," Bearden told CBS-affiliated KFSM-TV. "It drug the boat around for almost 2 hours before I was able to get a clean shot on it."

The 800-pound gator measured 13 feet, 11.5 inches long, making it the longest alligator harvested in Arkansas state history, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission confirmed, KFSM-TV reported.

"We don't really have an official state record, but keep data on length, and it's the longest," department spokesman Trey Reid said.

According to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, the longest alligator previously harvested in Arkansas was 13 feet, 10 inches long and over 1,380 pounds.

Speaking to KFSM-TV, Bearden said this was his only chance this year to make a catch as his hunting permit was supposed to expire soon. He hunted for at least 10 hours the previous weekend but was unsuccessful.

"Having my dad and my brother there made it that much more special," he said. "I just sat back and listened to my dad tell stranger after stranger the story! I think he might be more excited than I am."