LARGO — A man found dead in the lake at John S. Taylor Park on Tuesday may have been bitten by an alligator, authorities said.

The lake is next to to a disc golf course. Largo police said the man is believed to have waded into the water to retrieve flying discs.

People spotted an alligator near his body, and local authorities called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for help, said Officer Forest Rothchild, a spokesperson for the Conservation Commission’s law enforcement wing.

Investigators initially believed the man had drowned, Rothchild said. But when they responded about 9:30 a.m. they saw he had other possible injuries.

Police have not publicly identified the man, saying officers were still trying to notify his family early Tuesday. Rothchild said the man was 47 years old.

People are not supposed to swim in the water, which Largo police referred to as Taylor Lake. Authorities said there are “no swimming” signs posted around the park.

A trapper was trying to capture the alligator Tuesday, according to the Conservation Commission. But Rothchild said the gator had not been caught as of about noon. Investigators were still trying to determine what, if any, role the animal played in the man’s death.

Charlie Goodpasture, 34, the owner of PureLine Disc Golf in Pinellas Park and a professional disc golfer, said the Taylor Park course is beautiful in part because of the wildlife.

”When people come to town, that’s one of the courses I point people towards to see the attraction of the large alligators,” he said. “It’s something I warn people about when they come to town, just because us locals know that there are quite a few…