THE DAILY WIRE · SOUTH CAROLINA, USA · 2026-09-24
Waccamaw River Alligator Loses Two-and-a-Half-Hour Negotiation
Three hunters on South Carolina's Waccamaw River spent two and a half hours negotiating with an alligator that, at nearly 13 feet and 600 pounds, apparently felt no urgency to wrap things up.
According to wtvcfox, the trio battled the animal for the better part of an evening before finally hauling it into the boat, a process one outlet summarized simply as ending with 'a monster in the boat.' The alligator's dimensions place it among the largest reported catches in the region this year.
This reporter has sat through shorter congressional hearings. Two and a half hours is enough time to lose cell service twice and question several life choices, which says either great things about South Carolina persistence or very little about the boat's horsepower.
Seeking a local perspective on the river's current champion, this desk tracked down Torque, a Waccamaw River otter who watched much of the encounter from a safe distance. His account of the alligator's temperament comes with considerably more color than the official report.
Wildlife officials did not immediately respond to questions about whether the alligator filed a formal complaint. Either way, the river's reputation as unbothered and enormous remains fully intact.
“Two and a half hours? That gator was just being polite, letting them think they had a chance. I've seen bigger ones sun themselves right there and not even open an eye for the tourists — my advice, if it's got more teeth than your boat has seats, you let it set the schedule.” — Torque, Waccamaw River otter
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