ORANGE LAKE — Anyone who frequents Orange Lake in North Central Florida can agree: There’s no shortage of alligators there.

Orange Lake is the largest lake in the region, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), spanning both Alachua and Marion counties. As of August 2024, it ranks second in Florida in terms of number of alligators, with its 12.550 acres containing approximately 2,732 alligators, according to the A-Z Animals Blog.

Local residents Shawn Robinson and Scott Sommer travel from Ocala frequently to hunt alligators for meat on Orange Lake. They told The Sun in 2023 that they’ve seen thousands of gators, especially many hatchlings during late October and early November.

“I don't see them as a sense of concern,” Robinson said. “I think good proper management of the species is important. If you don't have proper management, then obviously, the lake can get over ran with them and you could have a real major problem. Although I see thousands of pairs of eyes out there, we're out there harvesting some of them. And so, you know, that kind of keeps things in balance.”

Alligator hunting

There are strict rules when it comes to alligator hunting in Florida. Robinson in 2023 received the maximum number of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) tags — two — which allowed him to harvest one alligator per tag. The FWC says alligators can be harvested during certain periods between Aug. 15 and Nov. 1.

The Statewide Alligator Hunt is limited, though. There are normally more than 15,000 applicants who apply for approximately 7,000 harvest permits, which are issued through three random drawings each year, according to the FWC.

Robinson and Sommer were among the lucky chosen winners. Sommer comes to Orange Lake about once a week year-round and said many alligators thrive in its marshlands and shorelines.

“You have the shoreline and then you have, you know — couple hundred, if not, you know, thousand yards of just marsh where all those big gators can breed and be happy and stay away from people,” Sommer said in 2023. “Then during breeding season, hunting season, they come out.”

He also said responsible, ethical hunting is important and most hunters do appreciate wildlife.

“Hunters — we care about the animals… We're the people who pay the FWC when we buy our federal duck stamp, our alligator hunting (permits), you know, the licenses,” Sommer said. “Nobody loves animals more than me. Like, I absolutely love animals… We didn't kill anything today. Taking ethical shots is big — like, we could have been blasting into the sky, but we just chose to, you know, hold off on birds and just watch them.”

Gainesville resident and University of Florida alum Mike Jacobs told The Sun in 2023 that he usually comes to Orange Lake at least once a week to bass fish and usually sees two or three alligators each time he’s there. They don’t bother him — actually, they run from him — and he simply thinks of them as “animals doing their thing.”

“They don't concern me,” Jacobs said. “They will get after small animals. You don't want your dog in the water or out here walking around — and little kids. An adult — they will get away from you as quick as they can.”

State full of gators

According to the A-Z Animals Blog, the No. 1 lake for alligators in Florida is Lake Okeechobee. It is Florida’s largest freshwater lake and borders five counties. It has 9,308 counted alligators and an estimated population of about 30,000.

Orange Lake ranks second in the state, with 2,732 alligators; Lake George, in Volusia County, ranks third with 2,660 alligators; Lake Jesup, in Seminole County, ranks fourth with 2,414 alligators and an estimated population around 13,000; and Lake Kissimmee, in Osceola and Polk Counties, ranks fifth with 2,065 alligators.

Newnan's Lake in Alachua County just east of Gainesville ranks 10th with 657 alligators.

The FWC says there are around 1.3 million alligators living in all 67 counties, so everyone in the Sunshine State is bound to have at least one encounter with the Florida gator — and no, not the sports team. They are simply a part of Florida life, and it seems like most residents have accepted that fact.

Meanwhile, in Alexander Springs

Gators can be found in many Florida bodies of water. For just one recent example, check out this video, shot in late May 2025, of a gator swimming in Alexander Springs in the Ocala National Forest.

MCINTOSH — The Alachua Conservation Trust (ACT) opened expanded hiking trails at the Marjorie A. Hoy Memorial Park at Orange Lake Overlook with a ribbon cutting event on Feb. 28.

The memorial park and overlook are adjacent to the long shuttered Orange Lake Citrus Shop and signature windmill. The street address is 19865 N. U.S. 441. It's on the east side of the highway just south of McIntosh.

ACT made separate parcel purchases in 2019 and 2022 from the Huff and Sawallis families, respectively, to protect the natural environment in an area surrounding Orange Lake.

ACT, a Gainesville-based nonprofit focused on natural land preservation, works with state and federal programs to purchase land like these tracts and ensure the property is protected.

The additional acreage from the 2022 acquisition allowed the trail network to be expanded from 1 1/2 miles to 3 miles.

Tom Kay, executive director of ACT, said in opening remarks that the 83.5 acres purchased from the Sawallis family was formerly cattle grazing land. He said the family wanted to be sure the land was never destroyed.

“We want to keep this beautiful view intact,” Kay said while backdropped by a panoramic view of Orange Lake and the surrounding natural terrain.

Kay indicated ACT plans to convert the former Orange Lake Citrus Shop into a museum.

The earlier land acquisition at the site by ACT was about 71 acres in total purchased from the Huff family in 2019.

According to alachuaconservationtrust.org, ACT, established in 1988, works in the areas of land acquisition, conservation easements, habitat restoration and management and environmental education and outreach in 22 North Central Florida counties.

Ema Olmos, ACT conservation events coordinator, aided with the ribbon cutting on Feb. 18 while Sean Dowie, accompanied by his 13-year-old Labradoodle, Lex, documented the event for ACT with photos.

At least 100 people attended the ribbon cutting. Among them was Guy Marwick, former director of the Silver River Museum and a decorated environmentalist.

James and Carol MacDonald were among the first group to enter the new trails after the ribbon was cut. Carol MacDonald was raised in Ocala and the couple now live in the Palatka area.

“We can’t let developers cover our state with asphalt,” she said.

William Harris of Ocala and David Pais of Gainesville were there, as were Render and Susan Grizzard of nearby Fairfield.

“I think it’s great,” Render Grizzard said of the move to preserve the natural landscape.