Was fabled 'Two-Toed Tom' bigger than Wilcox County's world record-setting Stokes Alligator?

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) opened registration for Alabama’s regulated alligator hunts yesterday (Tuesday) morning, and the state will award 50 tags for hunts in the West Central Alabama Zone. This zone includes all private and public waters in Wilcox, Monroe (north of U.S. Highway 84) and Dallas counties. The hunts will be held Aug. 13-16 and Aug. 20-23.

Alligator hunting has put Wilcox County on the map in a lot of ways. In fact, Wilcox County is home to the famous Stokes Alligator that was captured by Mandy Stokes and four others in 2014. That world record-holding gator was 15 feet, nine inches long and tipped the scales at 1,011-1/2 pounds.

According to the ADCNR, the American alligator, which is known for its prized meat and leather, is the largest reptile in North America, and it was on the endangered species list from 1967 to 1987. Described as “living fossils,” scientists say that alligators were around at least 2.5 million years ago and possibly much longer than that. As you would imagine for a reptile that’s been around that long, there are a lot of legends and folklore associated with alligators.

The most famous legendary Alabama alligator is Two-Toed Tom, who is said to have lost all but two of his toes during an encounter with a steel trap. In his 1934 book, “Stars Fell on Alabama,” Carl Carmer devotes an entire chapter to this monstrously large “red-eyed ‘gator,” who could “knock a mule into the water with just one flip of his tail.” Two-Toed Tom is even mentioned in Harper Lee’s 2015 novel, “Go Set a Watchman.”

Sources say that the Creek and Seminole Indians had many beliefs about alligators. They believed that powerful medicine men could send alligators to attack or spy on their enemies. Other tales say that alligators would assist Indian hunters if the hunter treated the alligator with respect.

Some Indians also believed that alligators were immune to snake venom, so these Indians would carry alligator teeth in pouches or wear them on necklaces to protect them from snake bites. Other Indians believed that these charms would protect them from witches and sickness. Down in Louisiana, some Cajuns even believed that if an alligator crawled under your house, it was a warning sign that someone was about to die.

On a personal note, I remember my old grandpa telling me years ago that the only way to out-run an alligator was to run away in a zig-zag pattern. Supposedly, alligators have a hard time changing direction, so they can’t catch you if zig-zag away from them. I have never met anyone who has put this theory to the test, but I’ve heard people say it all my life, so maybe it’s true.

In the end, let me hear from you if you’ve got a good alligator story to share. No doubt many Wilcox County residents have had close encounters with these reptiles, so I’m sure many of you have stories to tell. Also, if you remember any old tall tales, folk stories or local legends about alligators, please let me know.