CAMDEN — Last year, tags were handed out for a very rare alligator hunting season. What took place were a few weekends where local rivers, creeks and tributaries were scoured by hunting teams in search for the biggest alligator.

They didn’t have to look very hard.

In fact, it seemed every weekend turned up another state record. But all of that came to an end when Keith Fancher of Shelby County, and a team of six friends captured an alligator on Fosters Creek in Wilcox County that stretched the measuring tape to 14-foot, 2-inches and tipped the scales at 838 pounds.

Starting Friday, and for the rest of May, this Alabama record alligator — known as the Fancher Alligator — will be on location in The Gees Bend Ferry Terminal in Camden for 30 days and then tour throughout Alabama for the next few months.

“I’ll admit that I get chill bumps every time I look at it,” Wilcox Chamber of Commerce director Sandy Curl said. “We saw it this morning as it was being unloaded and it is impressive.”

The Camden showing, which will begin at noon for residents, is the first in what is expected to be a statewide tour for the alligator that was prepared by Ken Owens and Morris Lipham of Ken’s Wildlife Images in Autuagaville.

According to a press release announcing the unveiling, organizers said the mounted alligator is believed to be the largest mounted alligator in the Southeast.

Curl said she expects the alligator to draw hundreds of visitors to the Terminal during its stay in Camden.

For more information contact the chamber at 682-4929.