Record-breaking alligator caught in Mississippi

There's a new record in the state of Mississippi for the biggest alligator caught on public land.

The monster is 12 ft and 7 and 7/8 inches long, making it the biggest by an eighth of an inch.

The people brave enough to go after this behemoth and actually catch him told the clarion ledger newspaper that they were alligator hunting and their attention was on another gator until they saw this guy's head.

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They spent the next two hours lugging the 686 pounder in.

Gators and crocs occupy a large stretch of territory in the United States.

The american alligator male can grow to be as big as 15 feet and the species has actually had a recent comeback.

They were listed on the endangered species list and are protected by the endangered species act of 1973.

They'll eat anything from frogs to crabs to whatever's around.

Congrats to the crew on their epic haul! On top of landing the huge gator they also have the great feeling of knowing they toughed this one out.