Reptilian hunts

Evangeline Parish is known for its contributions to the Sportsman’s Paradise of Louisiana. Hunters from all four corners of the map flock to the parish for some of its beloved deer, duck, and squirrel hunting.
In the heart of the parish, lies Miller’s Lake which provides people with a different hunting opportunity.
One Lafayette teenager, who is a junior at Ascension Episcopal School in Lafayette, recently experienced this different opportunity on her first visit to Miller’s Lake.
For Jillian Rizzuto, Miller’s Lake is “a very beautiful lake.” She added, “When you first get there, it looks to be a normal size, but, when you get in the boat, it really goes very far. It’s beautiful to go past all the trees and to see all the grasses and the little baby ducks. The water is a pretty color.”
Jillian’s visit to the lake began as just a normal day on the water. “It was hot and sunny, which was nice,” she said. “We got in the boat, and we decided to go to the furthest line. We took a detour around all the other lines. We passed a couple of baby ducks, and I thought they were really cute.”
According to Jillian, the boat ventured about 10 to 15 minutes from the dock until spotting what the people on board were looking for - an alligator.
“We got there, and we could see it swimming around, which was pretty cool,” Jillian expressed. “That was the first one we had seen all day.”
With Jillian in the boat was driver Mike Perron who is the caretaker at the South Landing of Miller’s Lake. Prior to the hunt with Jillian, he set lines for the alligator with chicken parts as bait.
Once the alligator was hooked on the line, Jillian said, “Everybody got really excited because they realized it was a real big one. We all slowed down to confer with the other boat on what the best course of action would be.”
What happened next turned a normal day into one for the memory books. Jillian used a .22 magnum for the first time to shoot the alligator.
“To be honest, Jillian said, “it never really occurred to me how big it truly was until it was dead and came floating up. So, it actually was not very scary because it never clicked in my mind that it was that big.”
Once Jillian and the rest of her hunting party got the alligator onshore, the animal measured 12 feet and weighed between 800 and 900 pounds.
“It was so cool and phenomenal,” Jillian commented. “It was amazing just to be there and then to realize that it was mine and I had done that. It was awesome.”
While these events were transpiring, Jillian’s father, Greg, was in his Lafayette office. “They started pretty early in the morning, so I was at work,” Greg said. “I ran out of the office telling everybody, ‘Jillian shot a huge alligator, and I’m driving out to Ville Platte to go see her.”
Greg arrived at Miller’s Lake at the time the alligator was being brought on shore. He went on to say, “I was so happy for her. She was so excited to do this. For her to be able to kill such a big alligator, I was ecstatic for her.”
He continued, “It was amazing. I’m a very proud parent. My family did not grow up much with hunting, so I enjoy seeing her and my son take off with it. Jillian, especially, developed such an interest in hunting, wildlife and nature, and spending time out there bringing in all types of game like duck, deer, and now alligator. She loves to fish, too. I absolutely love it. She can sit out there for hours and, whether it’s holding the line in the water or sitting in a tree stand, she can just stay there.”
Duck hunting is not Jillian’s favorite as she prefers deer hunting. She frequently hunts deer and other big game on private lands here in Evangeline Parish. “It’s a lot of fun,” she said about deer hunting. “I really enjoy it and the peacefulness.”
While deer hunting is her first love, it does not compare to that of alligator hunting. For Jillian, “they are two totally different spectrums.”
To be able to take part in this different spectrum, Jillian had all the necessary licenses and tags to be able to hunt and keep the alligator. With all the necessary documentation, she was able to take “the meat home to eat and take the head and the hide to a taxidermist,” she said. “They will tan the hide, and then it’s up to me to do whatever I want with it. Then, we’re going to mount the head.”
To be able to accomplish such a task, Jillian is grateful to Mike Perron and everyone else who made the hunting trip a success. She also would like to thank Sam Johnson of Evangeline Parish for going with her and supporting her.
Reflecting back on such a memorable hunt on the water, Jillian concluded, “It was exhilarating.”