Gator hunt

[FLS]

Exactly. I can hunt both practically out my back door. Same with deer. My wife thinks I’m nuts driving 3/4 of the way across the country every year to kill another “deer”.

 

[FLS]

I drew a South Carolina Alligator tag with my 5 points this year. It'll be interesting that's for sure.

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Hard to imagine it takes that many points. The first few years, if you applied you got a tag. What region did you apply for?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Grew up in Louisiana and ate a lot of gator.

jowls aNd tail are great. Depending on what the gator eats, they can have a bit of a fishy taste And more or less fat. Most people fry it in one form or another. I liked taking the tail tenderloins (like a back strap up from the tail) and slicing, pounding and frying like cutlets.

the legs and other parts are edible but tougher in an old gator. I have had them smoked (slow, low and long) and baked and braised and they taste great, but you have to cook them in a way that breaks them down.

 

[realunlucky]

Hard to imagine it takes that many points. The first few years, if you applied you got a tag. What region did you apply for?

Hard to say since they don't publish a public list. They told me it normally takes 4 points to draw Southern coastal unit.

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[WRM]

It's funny how we seek new adventures. Living in Montana I have all the elk and deer hunting a guy could want. But hogs and gators sound awesome. Maybe it's the redneck in me!

Like everything else, you're seemingly kicking them out of the way...until you're hunting them.

 

[kloppy]

If it's legal where you "hunt", they can be caught on a large top water spook. Get it within 50' of one and they will attack it. Hell of a fight.

Can attest to this - fished a pond at sunset each night during my osceola trip this spring. Pretty much could not use a topwater because every gator in the pond raced after it.

 

[Doepee]

Can attest to this - fished a pond at sunset each night during my osceola trip this spring. Pretty much could not use a topwater because every gator in the pond raced after it.

Works fine for small gators but you'll be hard pressed to get a large gator to expend the energy to chase one and if they do even harder pressed to get it in. I trapped them for the state for several years while living in FL and caught hundreds using every method legally available. Far and above most are caught with rod and snagging treble hook. Use a juvenile distress call and and snagging rod.
Another poster is probably correct in that most guides will take you to a farm to hunt the canals or ponds in which they have increased the odds by purchasing live gators from the trappers and placed them on-site. Since the hide market plummeted most trappers are selling their live caught gators to these guys. They are still wild animals and will give you a hell of a fight. The only way to avoid this is apply for the draw or buy a tag from a someone that did draw. Then you will hunt public lakes or rivers.
You will regret it if you do not tan the hide, definitely get the hide and some of the meat. You can often offset some of the costs if you are willing to trade the meat to the processor. Just ask for a few pounds back. It turns out pretty well ground up and made into an andouille or boudin sausage. The bleached skull is cheap and cool looking memory of the hunt or the freeze dried ones turn out nice as well. Good luck!

 

[WRM]

Hunt in NW Florida. No gator farms around here that I know of, so should be "fair chase". I have some friends that have self guided on some big ones, mostly using the rod and weighted treble approach. We've got some monsters here. There's an old news story about one that came out of Blackwater WMA with several deer dog collars in it's belly. Think we had another similar one recently.

 

[WRM]

GATOR TURNS DOGS INTO CHOW, BUT COLLARS SIGNAL HIS DOOM

For the past 20 years, hunting dogs have been disappearing in the Blackwater River State Forest. Their owners thought people were stealing the expensive animals. The thief, it turns out, was a 500-pound alligator that turned a game trail into his private diner, grabbing dogs as they ran...

www.deseret.com

Milton alligator hunters discover dog tag inside 450-pound gator

In the belly of one of the two beasts caught Sunday at Marquis Basin — the other being a 120-pound gator — a dog tag was found by the crew's taxidermist.

www.pnj.com

 

[Slicktreedog]

Pretty much the only hunt I’ve been on where I actually did more fishing for the target animal. Depending on who you go with, you won’t regret a penny you spend on it if it is a bucket list.

 

[timinflorida]

Just a tip, watch videos and do research on Florida gator hunts if you're heading this way. A lot of it is snagging. Some of it is the guide doing the snagging and bringing it in so you can pay $1500-3000 to hit them with a bang stick. Outdoor Boys on Youtube did some gator hunts that are definitely more leaning towards snagging but look pretty good.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I’ve been trying to convince the wife we should do this. Spend a couple days hunting gators and couple days on a beach! Then I can get some new boots made up..


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This is also my plan, my wife is pretty cool with it. I’d absolutely mount the hide or get some sort of a mount made. A gator on the wall would be really cool here in AK.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Just a tip, watch videos and do research on Florida gator hunts if you're heading this way. A lot of it is snagging. Some of it is the guide doing the snagging and bringing it in so you can pay $1500-3000 to hit them with a bang stick. Outdoor Boys on Youtube did some gator hunts that are definitely more leaning towards snagging but look pretty good.

That’s good advice, I’d like to shoot one with a bow, preferably one that isn’t stuck on a hook.

 

[timinflorida]

Here's one of the mounting options for a gator trophy. The skull is bronzed.

 

[realunlucky]

I drew a tag in South Carolina. It was a pretty neat experience for someone from the high desert just seeing the amount of water they have in that state. I feel lucky to take part in the management of such a unique and amazing American animal. The shear power that a alligator processes is hard to describe. It's an experience I won't ever forget that's for sure.

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[AnimalChen71]

Here's one of the mounting options for a gator trophy. The skull is bronzed.View attachment 334040

That looks very cool. White teeth showcase well!

 

[NRTaxidermy]

Gators is a fun hunt! Keep your skull for sure, I had a head mount done with mine. If I ever got another one I would go with just the skull.

 

[Buckshot85]

Anyone have experience with this gator outfitter?
I’ve contacted a handful of outfitters and getting anyone to either reply or answer questions seems like pulling teeth.
I’ve had the same experience in talking with western outfitters. They all want your money it seems but I want answers first.
Anyway, the outfitter is Scott Lagrange with Cajun Outfitters.

 

[Buckshot85]

Back up?

 

[Pat McGroin]

Here's one of the mounting options for a gator trophy. The skull is bronzed.View attachment 334040

That looks great