Jim,
at least you have the option of heading off to Yellowstone and taking your chances. Here in Florida? Not so much . Ultimately, I'd love to capture all my "nature" shots in the wild but for some animals, that's just not possible. So, you take advantage of those places that are dedicated to their preservation. On the other hand, we do have Alligators and I can point you to several places where you can capture them in the wild .

Happy travels.

Jim