Alligator hunting tactics

[FrankNess14]

Probably not the typical predator discussed here, but there has to be some southerners on here with some experience!

Well, after putting in for a few years, one of our network of friends finally drew a gator tag this year! Will be my first gator hunt. We live near a river that is full of them and some well over 10’. In GA, you can’t bait a hook or shoot them until you have a line on them.

Looking for recommended techniques to convince that big boy to ride the lightning! I’m all ears, so start typing.


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[S-3 ranch]

Weighted treble hook on a penn 0/6 with 60-80lbs
we have used this or a fishing arrow, to bad a hook and rotten chicken is illegal in Ga , Texas it works great

 

[Marshfly]

You can't bait a hook? What? Weird.
Standard on the bayou is baited hook tied to a tree hung above the water so you miss the small guys. Come back in the morning and see if the line is tight.

—someone that grew up in extreme south Louisiana.


Also, pistol or 22 mag is the right weapon when you pull their head above water to pop them in the brain.

 

[Marshfly]

You got me thinking. Find them chilling, floating. A buzz bait will 100% attract a gator to bite. I have had to rip one away from a gators hundreds of times bass fishing.

Make one out of strong wire and attach to a wire leader.

 

[Bluumoon]

I drew a SC tag the first year they had the hunt, good times. Ex-wife about dumped me on top of the 11fter I ended up killing a few days later (found someone who could drive a boat, and also a new life long friend).

My set up was a harpoon (driver attached to a wheel barrow handle), that had some heft to it and could be thrown accurately for short distance. Stainless steel driver (ordered from a guy in FL ) on end of the wheel barrow handle, harpoon tip slipped over the driver, rope tied to harpoon tip and coiled in a bucket (x2), drilled a hole at rear of harpoon with a small rope loop that would allow to harpoon to float along the main rope as to not be lost after a throw. Had some big trebble hooks, but was under gunned on the rod and reel, probably the better approach.

I found that the gators didn't like reg boat motors, used the river flow and trolling motor to approach. Cruise around at night and spot light them, give a wide berth, get up river, and float into them with motor off and you can get pretty close. Harpoon and hang on!!! We got hell of a ride before he tired out, they can be a little angry when you pull them up, get another harpoon in and dispatch. FYI a .357 at 4-5ft is overkill and you can expect blowback.

 

[realunlucky]

I drew a South Carolina tag once. My guide only went in the daylight so he knew exactly how big the alligator was not just a reflection of thier eye at night and guessing.

Alligators either make a run down the river or just sit on the bottom and try and wait you out. Watch for thier air bubbles and snag them with a treble hook and bring them to the boat.

I severed its spine with a knife, the guide said he doesn't shoot them anymore as to many things can go wrong, so bang stick or knife to finish them.

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[FLS]

I live in SC and deal with them on a daily basis. I hunted them first few seasons. Killed a couple with a fish arrow. Most effective method is big spinning rod with a big weighted treble hook, and a pistol or bang stick. Killing one is easy. Hardest part is getting their dead ass in the boat.

 

[Loper]

In FL you can’t bait a hook either, however you can insert a thick 2 inch long wooden dowel attached to some heavy duty mono into some rotting chicken. The gators swallow it and due to their narrow esophagus can’t spit out the dowel. This way if the gator isn’t as big as you’d hoped you can cut the mono and the gator will fully digest the dowel and doesn’t hurt them like a large treble hook

 

[Fowl Play]

I know the guy personally who owns this company. Good guy and all the gear is good quality and affordable. I use all his gear and pick up locally. https://alligatorhuntingequipment.com/product.html

For big gators the most tried and true method is to bait with beef lung (wooden dowel method). It floats so they can scent it. You then use the line to locate them, harpoon, then bangstick. I have used this method for several big gators and find it extremely boring but very effective. Tons of waiting around.

I prefer run-and-gun style trying to snag them with weighted treble hooks, then harpoon, then bangstick. Way more fun. In Fl, there is absolutely no shortage of them. I will see 100+ every night. So I will run at them wide open throttle and just try to get as close as possible before they sink down. Then me and brother cast repetitively last place we saw trying to snag him on the bottom. Probably 10x gators missed for every one you hook, so a numbers game. But way more active and fun. Not necessarily a good practice unless in gator dense areas.

I also will take the trebles off a big popper ( like 8” long offshore fishing popper) and will cast that in front of a gator that’s in thick cover. Rip it towards you and they will chase it. Effectively laying them up perfectly for another caster to cast and snag him with a large treble.

This year the river was up high so I hunted them with my 25ft bay boat gators didn’t know what to do when I ran up on them at 50mph with 3 casters at the ready lol

 

[FrankNess14]

In FL you can’t bait a hook either, however you can insert a thick 2 inch long wooden dowel attached to some heavy duty mono into some rotting chicken. The gators swallow it and due to their narrow esophagus can’t spit out the dowel. This way if the gator isn’t as big as you’d hoped you can cut the mono and the gator will fully digest the dowel and doesn’t hurt them like a large treble hook

First I’ve heard of the dowel method! That’s slick. Any particular size y’all recommend? We taking 1/2”, 1”, or 1.5” diameter? [mention]Fowl Play [/mention]


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[Bcleck90]

Get good at throwing a line (think pro fishing, where you want it every time good). Caught a few a couple years ago on an Alabama tag my buddy had. We never pulled the trigger because they had to be 8’ or bigger (Lake Eufaula- regs at the time) Caught a couple at 6-7’, in the boat to measure, and released. Cool experience and good luck!

 

[Andrewlonghi]

First I’ve heard of the dowel method! That’s slick. Any particular size y’all recommend? We taking 1/2”, 1”, or 1.5” diameter? [mention]Fowl Play [/mention]


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I believe it can't be larger then 2" in diameter

 

[KnCaffre]

I drew a South Carolina tag once. My guide only went in the daylight so he knew exactly how big the alligator was not just a reflection of thier eye at night and guessing.

Alligators either make a run down the river or just sit on the bottom and try and wait you out. Watch for thier air bubbles and snag them with a treble hook and bring them to the boat.

I severed its spine with a knife, the guide said he doesn't shoot them anymore as to many things can go wrong, so bang stick or knife to finish them.

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A "bang stick" being one of those sticks with a 12ga shell on the end? Or am I making that up out of memories from a misspent youth?

 

[FLS]

It can be a shot shell or pistol cartridge.

 

[Panhandler80]

might have caught this thread too late, but PM me.

 

[Mike Islander]

I live in SC and deal with them on a daily basis. I hunted them first few seasons. Killed a couple with a fish arrow. Most effective method is big spinning rod with a big weighted treble hook, and a pistol or bang stick. Killing one is easy. Hardest part is getting their dead ass in the boat.

We do have some monsters out here, don't we.

 

[FLS]

We do have some monsters out here, don't we.

Yes we do. I was deer hunting near Lake Marion this weekend and saw some studs. There are some giants In those old hatchery impoundments.

 

[Panhandler80]

Killed a pig off a 10 footer and a nice little 6’9 meat gator Friday night. Fun trip.

 

[KHNC]

Drew 2 tags and killed two gators a 10-2 and a 9-3 at Seminole. Took me 5 years on first tag and 6 years to draw 2nd. Doubtful i will ever hunt them again. Me and buddy went both times in my boat. First time i used bowfishing equipment on the 10 footer. last year used the snatch hook with 80lb braid on a surf rod. Thats definitely much more effective. Seminole is a cluster fk of people down there now compared to 6 years ago.

 

[BigTX]

13'6" and 12'6" we got on public land hunt in Texas. We had to use hook and line and they were killed with a 410 with bird shot, one shot a piece. Fished with chicken several days and nothing, switched to beef spleen and caught both in one night. You can only set one line per hunter on this hunt.