Record Gator Taxidermist Talks about the Big Catch

by Ellis Eskew

A huge 15 foot gator was caught in the Alabama River in Wilcox County over the weekend.
Now the taxidermist who is about to perform the taxidermy is speaking out about it.

John and Mandy Stokes, Kevin Jenkins, and his children 16 year old Savannah and 14 year old Parker bagged a 15 foot gator — weighing more than a thousand pounds.
 The giant beast  ten hours to reel it in.The gator is now at Ken’s Taxidermy in Autaugaville where it’ll be skinned, tanned and mounted — a process they say can take several months. Ken Owens, the taxidermist, says he will start the process Wednesday.
 

“I knew right off that it was bigger than the previous state record. I mean it was, it is a HUGE gator,and I was just overwhelmed looking at it you know, I was like MERCY!” said Owens.

It will be around spring of next year before it is fully ready to displayed.