BASTROP, Texas – State authorities are closing in on the hunter who boasted on Facebook that he killed an 11 1/2-foot alligator.

The gator’s enormous corpse was found in a remote part of Bastrop County a week ago, according to game warden – Fred Ensinger.

The gator was unusually large for this part of the state and was called an anomaly, by Ensinger. An alligator expert estimated the gator to be 20 to 30 years old and weighed between 500 to 800 pounds.

Someone sent a tip to Operation Game Thief, a state program that offers rewards for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of poachers. Ensinger said, “Once it hit social networking it was all over the place.”

The suspect has not been identified because he has not been officially charged. Ensinger anticipates misdemeanor charges will be filed soon. Ensinger further stated that the suspect has been cooperative, and that he did not shoot the gator for its meat or hide. Ensinger believes the act was committed out of curiosity or ignorance.

Unfortunately for the suspect, killing gators in that particular county is unlawful, as there is no open hunting season for them there.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/03/10/facebook-post-leads-suspect-massive-gators-death/#ixzz1GKRlV2or