Mississippi’s alligator program coordinator says great weather, high water and increasing expertise made for a good alligator season in public waters.

Ricky Flynt of the state Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks says hunters took 918 alligators from public waters this year. That’s 153 more than last year.

The state record of 982 was in 2015, when 997 hunters and guests went out and nearly 70% of the groups harvested at least one alligator.

With 816 permit holders and their guests participating this year, about 75% of the groups brought in at least one alligator.

Paul Edwards of Okolona and five guests tied a state record by catching a 10-foot-long (3-meter-long) female.

The 10-day public harvest ended Sept. 9. The private lands season runs until 6 a.m. Sept. 23.