MEAWW.COM / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

Who is Whitney Williams? Alabama girl, 17, hunts 500lbs alligator with crossbow to celebrate her birthday

When asked what she is going to do with the dead alligator, Whitney revealed she is going to put his head in her room

TUSCUMBIA, ALABAMA:  An Alabama teen celebrated her 17th birthday by hunting down a gigantic alligator with her crossbow and now she is planning to keep the head of the alligator in her room as a showpiece.

High schooler Whitney Williams left her parents, Chris and Tammie Williams dumbfounded when she proposed the suggestion of alligator hunting to celebrate her 17th birthday. "My whole body was just nervous and shaking. I'm glad I didn't miss though," Williams told CBS. It may sound weird or dangerous but for Whitney, who is fond of animal hunting and fishing, this was an adventurous way to celebrate her day.

ALSO READ

Alligator euthanized after being found swimming with knife embedded in head in Florida pond

Donald Trump Jr and Kimberley Guilfoyle enjoy gator hunting in Louisiana

Williams’ father, Chris told CBS that her daughter had been hooked on US alligator-hunting reality TV show 'Swamp People' and it inspired her to take this decision. 'I'm going to do that one day.' She just kept on after me about it." Chris said. To execute this plan, it took a long time for the family to line everything up. But eventually, everything came on track once they applied for the permit to hunt alligators. Just like in other US states, in Alabama which has more than ten thousand alligators, people can apply for a permit to hunt or kill these water predators.

Chris hired a professional hunter and decided to do night hunting with bow and arrow on the weekend of July 30. "I found some guys who work for the state of Florida and go around surveying different places," Chris said. "The surveys tell how many gators are there and they do egg collection and that kind of stuff."

"We went into this old swampy area," Chris added. "They had to cut trees to get a flat-bottom boat in there. We went in there at night with spotlights and they had a little gator call." The hunter approached by the family used an alligator call to mimic the sound of gator hatchlings in order to attract adults. The first day was a rollercoaster ride for the teen as even after encountering an alligator on the first day, the teen failed to hunt because of her fear.

But the next day, she didn’t miss a chance and captured one of the large reptiles. The animal was shot twice with a bow before it was hauled close to the boat, at which point Whitney used a bang stick to shoot the alligator in the head. The brave teen hunted a gigantic alligator which weighed more than 500 pounds and was 12 feet 6 inches reptile. The alligator was so giant that it took 5 people to get it inside the truck.

When asked what she is going to do with the dead alligator, Whitney revealed she is going to put his head in her room. "The head I'm probably going to put it in my room," the teenager said she may use the animal's skin for a knife-holder or possibly boots. The family is keeping the alligator meat to eat and share. Chris said he was glad to get to see Whitney go through the experience. "She'll remember that and tell her grandkids one day," he said. "How many kids get to do that? And (get) something that size."