The hunt for the alligator quickly became a good-natured publicity contest between the city's two daily newspapers, the "Chronicle" and the "Examiner". The "Chronicle" attempted to catch the alligator along with officials from the National Park Service and Zoo curators, but received ridicule from professional alligator hunters, who said the apparatus that had been used (a salmon net) was unsuitable and offered advice. One of the professional hunters, Jimmie Long, stated that he would be able to catch the alligator within 15 minutes and the "Chronicle" sponsored a trip for him and his wife to fly to San Francisco to hunt the alligator. The "Examiner" responded by sending executive editor Phil Bronstein and reporter Dennis Opatrny, outfitted in wet suits, to try to humanely capture the reptile first, as Long was noted to make his living by selling captured alligators for their hide and meat.