Alligator tags

[wob]

SC is opening up an alligator season this year. Tags are to be distributed on a random basis, and I have thrown my name in the pot. The only caveat to the hunt has to be that the alligator has to be brought next to the boat secured or secured on dry land before you can dispatch it. My question is, have any of you ever pulled this off? I'm thinking that my best bet will be to shoot it with my bowfishing setup, and work it back to boat before I shoot it with a gun. Any other ideas out there?

[Boone]

I've seen it in one of my dads old hunting videos. They dont like getting shot with arrows, hold on...

[lunyou]

I was watching a gator hunt on a hunting show once and this guy shot a gator in the head with his bow......the amazing part of the shot was you could only see part of his head and it was a really long shot......not a typical bowfishing shot.

lunyou

[wob]

Originally Posted by Boone

I've seen it in one of my dads old hunting videos. They dont like getting shot with arrows, hold on...

I've got a float system rigged on my bow, so I think I'm gonna try it that way first. I'm kinda at a loss as to how I could get a big dead gator back in the boat, though.

[fsusteve]

throw a towel over it's head or get it belly up, otherwise it'll put up a fight. I have fished for them....it's all fun and games until they start heading towards you.

[wob]

Originally Posted by fsusteve

throw a towel over it's head or get it belly up, otherwise it'll put up a fight. I have fished for them....it's all fun and games until they start heading towards you.

lol


That might be the biggest example of "easier said than done" that I have ever seen.


Thanks for the laugh.

[brian]

how are the F&G guys going to know where you shot it???

[Atticus]

Originally Posted by brian

how are the F&G guys going to know where you shot it???

Apparently, they sink if you shoot them. I think that what you do is spotlight them, turn your engine off, jump on top of them, and wrestle them to shore, while your drunken friends empty a .30 caliber carbine into the alligator you are now using as a shield.

[Atticus]

Then everybody goes to the hospital.

[Skillet]

Originally Posted by Atticus

Apparently, they sink if you shoot them. I think that what you do is spotlight them, turn your engine off, jump on top of them, and wrestle them to shore, while you drunken friends empty a .30 caliber carbine into the alligator you are now using as a shield.

Originally Posted by Atticus

Then everybody goes to the hospital.

Thanks for the laugh. I needed that.

[wob]

Yep, they sink like a stone once they get shot. Usually, you use a heavy duty fishing setup with a big ass barbed treble hook and drag the bottom to find them afterwards. With the regulation that you have to have them under control, I guess we may have to use the hook to snag them when they are alive, then dispatch them. It makes it about a zillion times harder, but I'd rather have it that way than a lake full of drunken yahoos firing off high powered rifle shots at them from 100 yards.

['74 UA FJ]

Anybody know why they sink when you shoot them? When they are alive, they just float with their head just out of the water. They aren't moving their feets or anything.

['74 UA FJ]

Btw, wob, don't become gator bait.

[Skillet]

Originally Posted by '74 UA FJ

Anybody know why they sink when you shoot them? When they are alive, they just float with their head just out of the water. They aren't moving their feets or anything.

Has something to do with exhaling, I am sure of it.

[DallasFJ40]

In Texas, you must have them hooked prior to shooting. The hook used is very large and baited with a whole chicken. I believe you typically shoot them in the head with a .22.

[fsusteve]

Originally Posted by Atticus

Apparently, they sink if you shoot them. I think that what you do is spotlight them, turn your engine off, jump on top of them, and wrestle them to shore, while your drunken friends empty a .30 caliber carbine into the alligator you are now using as a shield.

that's how I've typically accomplished it.

[wob]

Originally Posted by Skillet

Has something to do with exhaling, I am sure of it.

That's the reason. Next time your at a pool, try floating on your back and exhale completely. Down to the bottom you'll go.

[wob]

Originally Posted by DallasFJ40

In Texas, you must have them hooked prior to shooting. The hook used is very large and baited with a whole chicken. I believe you typically shoot them in the head with a .22.

Damn, y'all just like to piss them off in Tejas?

[Junk]

Toss a couple big treble hooks around Mrs Wob then toss her in.

[DallasFJ40]

Originally Posted by wob

Damn, y'all just like to piss them off in Tejas?

Sorry, I am a dumbass.

From TPWD:
LAWFUL MEANS

• hook and line (line set)*

• alligator gig*–A lawful gig is a pole or staff equipped with at least one of the following:
-immovable prongs;

1. 1. 1. two or more spring-loaded grasping arms; or
      2. a detachable head.

• lawful archery equipment and barbed arrow*
• hand-held snare with integral locking mechanism*
• lawful firearms (in non-core counties

• ONLY). Firearms are not lawful on special properties. *NOTICE: A line of at least 300-pound test must be securely attached to all taking devices. Unattended hook-bearing lines must be attached to a stationary object capable of maintaining a portion of the line above water when an alligator is caught on the line. A line attached to an arrow, snare, or gig must have a float attached when used to take alligators. The float shall be no less than six inches by six inches by eight inches, or, if the float is spherical, no less than eight inches in diameter.

HOOK AND LINE (LINE SET)

• In core counties and on special properties, no person shall set more than one line per unused hide tag in possession. In all other counties (except for special properties), no person shall set more than one line.
• In core counties and on special properties, all line sets shall be secured at one end on the tract of land specified for the hide tags. In all other counties (except for special properties), line sets shall be secured at one end on private property (with the consent of the owner of the property).

• In all counties, each baited line shall be labeled with a plainly visible, permanent, and legibly marked gear tag that contains:
(1) the full name and current address of the person who set the line;
(2) the hunting license number of the person who set the line; and
(3) a valid hide tag number, if the line is set on a property for which hide tags have been issued.
• In all counties, line sets shall be inspected daily, and alligators shall be killed, tagged or documented, and removed immediately upon discovery.
FIREARMS

• It is lawful to hunt alligators with any legal firearm, including muzzleloading weapons, except in core counties.
• It is unlawful to use rimfire ammunition to hunt alligators.
• It is unlawful to hunt alligators with a fully automatic firearm or any firearm equipped with a silencer or sound-suppressing device.
• Alligators may by hunted by means of firearms ONLY on private property (including private waters wholly within private property).
• Alligators MAY NOT be hunted by means of firearms from, on, in, across, or over public water.
• Alligators lawfully caught on a taking device may be dispatched by means of firearms in all counties.

[wob]

Originally Posted by Junk

Toss a couple big treble hooks around Mrs Wob then toss her in.

That may work. Last time I used your wife as bait, I had nothing but catfish come up to the boat. I guess the smell made them think it was spawning time, or something dead was in the water.

['74 UA FJ]

What size range would you kill?

[Skillet]

Originally Posted by wob

That may work. Last time I used your wife as bait, I had nothing but catfish come up to the boat. I guess the smell made them think it was spawning time, or something dead was in the water.

l o l

[wob]

Originally Posted by '74 UA FJ

What size range would you kill?

I dunno. I'm guessing it will depend on where I go to get it, and what I see. I'd like to tell you that I'm gonna hold out for a twelve footer, but honestly, I would probably shit my pants trying to get a behemoth like that next to the boat. Dead or not, I don't want 1000 pounds of alligator in the boat with me.

Not drinking during the hunt is going to have to be a requirement.

[Atticus]

Originally Posted by wob

I dunno. I'm guessing it will depend on where I go to get it, and what I see. I'd like to tell you that I'm gonna hold out for a twelve footer, but honestly, I would probably shit my pants trying to get a behemoth like that next to the boat. Dead or not, I don't want 1000 pounds of alligator in the boat with me.

Not drinking during the hunt is going to have to be a requirement.

Dude, you cannot seriously tell me that you would even consider drinking during a hunt like this.


You need to get a good buzz on BEFORE the hunt.

[BeefBarley]

Originally Posted by wob

Yep, they sink like a stone once they get shot. Usually, you use a heavy duty fishing setup with a big ass barbed treble hook and drag the bottom to find them afterwards. With the regulation that you have to have them under control, I guess we may have to use the hook to snag them when they are alive, then dispatch them. It makes it about a zillion times harder, but I'd rather have it that way than a lake full of drunken yahoos firing off high powered rifle shots at them from 100 yards.

I have shot three alligators in the swamps in LA and all three floated, all shot in the head with a 22, however, they were not very big so maybe that is the difference...
4ft long.....

[wob]

Originally Posted by BeefBarley

I have shot three alligators in the swamps in LA and all three floated, all shot in the head with a 22, however, they were not very big so maybe that is the difference...
4ft long.....

lol

Why did you shoot a 4 footer? You can usually just walk to them and pick them up at that size.

[BeefBarley]

Originally Posted by wob

lol

Why did you shoot a 4 footer? You can usually just walk to them and pick them up at that size.

not when they are in the water.....the smaller ones are better eating.