‘Absolute Freak of a Dinosaur’: 844-Pound Giant Alligator Hauled from SC Lake After Four-Year Pursuit

A four-year pursuit across the dark cypress waters of Lake Moultrie has culminated in one of the most remarkable wildlife harvests in South Carolina history: an 844-pound, 14-foot bull alligator known to locals and hunters as “Snaggletooth.”

Tipped on the scales at Cordray’s Processing and Taxidermy in Ravenel, the beast stands as the second-heaviest alligator ever officially recorded in the Palmetto State, trailing only the historic 1,025-pound giant taken from the same lake in 2010.

The animal had eluded hunters for four consecutive seasons, frequently surfacing during off-season months before vanishing into deep swamp pockets when legal tags opened. When conditions finally aligned during the state’s public hunting season, a seasoned team—including Craig Webb and Cole Poplin—tracked the massive reptile into the night, battling the creature from the boat deck to haul its massive frame off the lake bed.

Key Harvest Facts: At a Glance

• Harvest Weight: 844 pounds (second-heaviest ever recorded in South Carolina)

• Length: 14 feet

• Harvest Location: Lake Moultrie, Berkeley County, S.C.

• Tracking Timeline: Tracked across the Santee Cooper lakes for four years before harvest.

• Official Processing: Weighed and documented via heavy forklift at Cordray’s Processing and Taxidermy in Ravenel.

Lowcountry Waters and Wildlife Precautions

Reactions across the Palmetto State have ranged from awe to stark reality checks for those working, diving, or recreating in coastal river systems. Across commercial diving networks and outdoor sporting circles, images of the massive reptile—requiring a full-sized industrial forklift simply to lift its tail off the ground—have served as an unvarnished reminder of the apex predators inhabiting Lowcountry swamps, blackwater rivers, and reservoirs.

Under South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) regulations, strict lottery tag allocations and designated harvest slots manage the state’s healthy alligator population while safeguarding public waterways and preserving natural wildlife balance.