Video: Animal Problems in Michigan

Over the past couple of weeks we have seen a few stories about unusual animals in our great state but these two stories man be the strangest...

First, a man fatally shot an escaped alligator after he says the reptile lunged at him Up North cabin.

Derrick Fells says he was collecting minnows Saturday in Tuscola County’s Dayton Township when he heard a “hissing” sound and the alligator tried to attack. Fells told WEYI-TV he apparently startled the reptile, and it “turned on me.” He says he shot it with a pistol and called 911.

The sheriff’s office says the reptile was 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 meters) long.

I get my pistol - I am right handed, so you know it was a difficult shot, and I shoot him in the head," he said. "Then I immediately called 911."

Michigan State Police and the county sheriff arrived and found that the gator was from a neighbor who is a reptile rescue and had escaped.

"The owner came out with the police and said 'I didn't know it got out, Derrick, I am sorry and I'm glad you are the one who shot it,'" Derrick said, adding that he believed the alligator had been on his property a couple days.

Fells said he is hunter and knew to shoot it in the head. He said by shooting it in the eye, it paralyzed it. He later had to shoot it two additional times.

So Fells learned from watching YouTube videos how to do it himself with the help of his fiance who he joked, was his right hand.

"It was a learning experience for me," he said. "And mission: accomplished. Thank you YouTube."

(fox 2 Detroit)

Second, raccoons are on the attack in Detroit. Families of a Detroit neighborhood are worried after spotting a family of raccoons living in an abandoned home. That is not the only problem though...

The raccoons are trying to get into homes through windows.