South Carolina Mom Goes Viral After Catching 12-Foot Gator in Family Hunt Near Santee River

GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. — A South Carolina mom is taking “family tradition” to a whole new level — after a viral video showed her hauling a 12-foot alligator through a McDonald’s drive-thru in the back of her red pickup truck.

The viral moment, filmed along Highway 17 near the North Santee River, features Brittany Livingston and her husband Matt Livingston showing off their massive catch from the state’s 2025 alligator hunting season. Within hours, the video had racked up hundreds of thousands of views — and a whole lot of disbelief.

“We had a lot of eyes on us,” Brittany laughed. “People were waving, giving us thumbs up — even the McDonald’s workers came outside to see it.”

But for the Livingstons, this wasn’t just a lucky find — it was five years in the making.

The Five-Year Wait for a Tag

Brittany had been applying for an alligator hunting tag through South Carolina’s state lottery system for half a decade. In 2025, her name was finally drawn for Unit 4, which covers the Pee Dee region.

“You gain preference points each year,” she explained. “This year, I finally had enough.”

According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), more than 12,000 applicants compete annually for just 1,400 available tags. The program limits hunting to manage alligator populations while preserving the species’ long-term health.

“The goal isn’t to eliminate alligators,” said Jay Butfiloski, the state’s former alligator program coordinator. “It’s to allow a limited harvest, which helps reduce nuisance issues and maintain balance.”

The 3 A.M. Battle on the River

The Livingstons’ hunt began deep in the night on the North Santee River, where they battled the massive reptile for hours before finally making the catch just after 3 a.m.

Brittany, who was on maternity leave, became the talk of Georgetown County when she helped land the 597-pound gator — now affectionately nicknamed “Chomp Norris.”

“Not something most people do on maternity leave,” she joked. “But yeah.”

Her husband Matt says it was a family affair. Their children watched from the boat as their parents wrangled what they now call a “modern-day dinosaur.”

“They’ll never forget it,” Matt said. “I can’t imagine them going to school and telling their friends they helped catch a dinosaur.”

From Tailgate to Taxidermy

After securing the gator, the family took it to Cordray’s Processing, a family-owned Lowcountry business that’s been handling wild game for generations. Workers there processed the meat into sausage and snack sticks, while the Livingstons plan to have the gator preserved as a full-body rug mount.

“We wouldn’t hunt anything if we weren’t going to eat it,” Matt said. “We respect the wildlife, and we want it to still be here for our kids.”

The family estimates that they’ll get dozens of pounds of meat from the alligator — and plenty of stories for years to come.

“It tastes like chicken,” Brittany joked. “A little tougher, but delicious.”

Viral Fame and Family Tradition

The sight of a 12-foot gator at a McDonald’s drive-thru was enough to make the Livingstons local celebrities overnight. But beyond the viral fame, Brittany says the hunt represents something bigger — a connection to family, nature, and tradition.

“To see it in the back of the truck, to know it was ours, it was exhilarating,” she said. “This is my alligator.”

According to SCDNR, this year’s alligator season ran from the second Saturday in September through the second Saturday in October, with only 438 gators harvested statewide.

From the banks of the Santee River to millions of screens across the South, “Gator Girl” Brittany Livingston has proven that motherhood and adventure can go hand-in-hand — and that in South Carolina, a little wild spirit runs deep.

For more South Carolina wildlife and community stories, visit SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.