Louisiana Deer Hunter Attacked by Alligator Upon Exiting Deer Stand

(New Iberia, Louisiana) - A deer hunter from New Iberia is alive to tell the story of an alligator attacking him upon exiting his deer stand, while his grandson looked on.

Keith Price told LouisianaSportsMan that he was attacked by an alligator on October 20th in St. Mary Parish after he and his grandson got down from their deer stand as the sun was setting.

Price let his grandson, Owen, go down first, and once he got on the ground, Price said he heard splashing from a nearby ditch, and at first, he thought it was a possum or an armadillo. Well, it wasn't; it was a 7-foot alligator looking for its next meal, and the wild animal had the hunters in its sight.

The 67-year-old hunter says the alligator was likely going for what it saw first, his grandson's boots, but Price says that he unintentionally stepped between the gator and his grandson, and that is what led to the attack.

Price said the alligator grabbed onto his lower leg and would not let go, even after throwing things at it, but after several kicks with his neoprene boots on, the wild animal let go and retreated.

During the attack, Price recalls telling his grandson to grab a bow, in hopes of shooting the alligator, but Owen could not untie the rope, and now that Price looks back on it, he says that he is glad his grandson could not retrieve the bow, because “he might have shot me in the butt.”

Once the alligator let go of the 67-year-old man, a brief standoff ensued, and the gator ultimately retreated into the water and darkness, and that is when the hunters got away. After the grandfather and his grandson returned to their truck, they noticed that the alligator's teeth had dug into the man's leg and his boots.

They were obviously shaken by this experience, which lasted only a few minutes. Once Owen's parents were notified of the terrifying attack, they were just relieved that no one was killed or seriously injured in the attack.

Safety Reminders While Out Hunting

We share this story with you to remind those hunting in South Louisiana to stay safe when outdoors. Many dangers are lurking in the woods and fields while you're out there, and you should always be aware of your surroundings.

It is also a good idea to keep your cell phone fully charged in case you are injured while in the great outdoors. Remember, you should always let others know where you will be while out hunting so that if anyone needs to find you, they know where to begin looking for you.

We're glad to report that these hunters from New Iberia were not seriously injured after the alligator attack, and we know this will be an outing they will never forget.

To read more about this wild experience, visit LouisianaSportsMan.