Our Backyard Pond in Hudson, Texas Has an Alligator; What Should We Do?

Last week, one of our neighbors was fishing at our pond in Hudson, Texas. He thought he had latched on to a big bass, but instead of a flapping fish, he said an alligator came to the surface.

I thought he might have latched onto an underwater log until he sent this video.

Yup, that's a gator.

A couple of days later, I drove my truck to the pond and sure enough, there it was.

It was just hovering in the water around 30 yards from the bank closest to me.

I drove back to my house and asked my wife to bring her camera. When we got back to the pond, the alligator was less than 15 feet from the bank.

So, now the question I have is, what are my options?

Neighborhood teenagers occasionally fish at the pond, and some even bring small canoes. I don't think it's safe for that to happen anymore, especially since the gator has been hanging around the most popular fishing spots.

I've gotten advice from a few acquaintances, including:

• Gators are good to have, they eat nutria and beavers
• A game warden may help to relocate the alligator
• It will probably eventually move out of your pond
• Gators are tasty

READ MORE: Texas Welcomes 33 New Game Wardens and State Park Police

I'm not an alligator expert, but I would say it's less than 4 feet long. I walked towards it when it was closest to the bank, and it submerged and moved away, so it doesn't appear to be overly aggressive.

Our house (and pets) are about 60-70 yards away from the pond, so I'm not worried about a visit to our doorstep or our backyard. I guess we will just wait and see for a while.

Besides, it's too hot to fish.