By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff

FORT MYERS, Fla. — There are alligators in this part of Florida and they're everywhere. There's even a few in the pond behind Field 5 at the Player Development Complex.

NESN's Don Orsillo, a fisherman, spotted a big gator in the pond behind his rented condo a few days ago and snapped a few photos. He wondered whether they could be legally hunted. Not that he wanted to hunt them. He just wondered.

J.D. Drew, outfielder and avid outdoorsman, seemed like a good person to ask.

Turns out you need a special license to hunt alligators in Florida. "But it's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to ask permission." J.D. said with a twinkle in his eye.

According to J.D., you can hunt alligators with a bow and arrow or a gun. Or you can use his method.

Drew said he was in a boat with his son once when they hooked an alligator with a fishing lure. He had his son hold the pole and took position to try and leap on the alligator.

"I figured I could get him myself," he said. "He was about five or six feet."

"With your bare hands?" I asked.

J.D. gave me his best "no, you stupid city boy" look.

"I had a knife," he said.

But the line snapped and the gator got away. J.D. missed his chance.

So next time you read about J.D. missing a game with a bad hamstring and consider complaining, consider that this is a guy who was willing to jump out of a perfectly good boat and attack a man-sized alligator with a knife.

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As for me, I am not going alligator hunting, but I do have two days off. Nick Cafardo and Mike Vega will keep you informed of all the Sox news and I'll be back on Friday.