To help pass some time in this winter doldrum period, I thought I would share a quick "How To" thread for a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Florida alligator bowhunt. I did this "semi-live" over on PBS' site, but thought some of you might enjoy it here as well. I have shared some of the photos from the hunts, so you will most likely recognize some of it. I do have to place a disclaimer - I am not an "expert", but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn last night. Just stating this up front so all of you real experts can jump in and share your knowledge with all of us as well. I know for a fact there are a lots of guys on here that have forgotten 10X more than I know about alligator bowfishing. The photo below is of my (then 15) daughter with the gator she took this past August.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JenBigGator.jpg)
Tery, that is the coolest pic.I hope she had boots made from that feller.
I have been applying for a Florida Public Waters Alligator Harvest Permit for over 10 years. I finally got a permit in an area I wanted to hunt in 2008 and again in 2009. My good friend Jeff Holchin was also successful with drawing the same permit in 2008 and we began the planning process. Applicants who are awarded a permit must submit payment for two CITES tags and an Alligator Trapping License. The cost for a non-resident is $1,049.34 (includes all fees) and allows you to take two alligators. You can have someone assist you in taking the alligators if they purchase an Alligator Trappers Agent license for $50.50. So, this makes Florida alligator bowfishing a great buddy hunt. You can split the tag cost and each of you can harvest a nice gator for about $550 in tag costs. Or as Jeff and I did in 2008 and what I did in 2009, you can have your kids go with you and they can have a chance at an alligator.
The application process has changed over the years. In 2008 it was on a 1st come 1st served basis. In 2009 it went to a random draw. I believe they will have the random draw again this year in 2010. You must apply in early June and you apply for specific lakes, rivers, counties, or "units". The permit you get limits you to a very specific area. For example, Okeechobee South unit. There is an imaginary line across the lake and you can hunt the big lake anywhere South of that line. They do this to control the number of hunters and to manage the alligator population. Most of the units have plenty of alligators, it is really more about finding a unit with lots of big ones. I believe the best chance for success is to apply for one of the first hunt periods. The overall season is broken up into 4 harvest periods. For 2009 it was as follows. 1st was Aug. 15 to Aug. 22 and Sep. 12 to Nov. 1, 2nd was Aug. 22 to Aug. 29 and Sep. 12 to Nov. 1, 3rd was Aug. 29 to Sep. 5 and Sep. 12 to Nov. 1, and 4th was Sep. 5 to Sep. 12 and Sep. 12 to Nov. 1. Basically, you get a week in the first 3 periods and if unsuccessful you get another @2 weeks in Sept. The big alligators don't get that way by being dumb. After the 1st period they begin to get spooky and will retreat into the depths of the backwaters where you can't reach them. You don't have to pay for your permit until after you are drawn. You have a certain period to pay and if you don't your permit goes back into a pool for a 2nd random draw, after the 2nd random draw and there are still permits available they become available 1st come 1st served. Most of the best units and times are gone in the random draw process. Another disclaimer is if you are interested to be sure and visit the Florida Fish and Game website for "official" rules.
This is the address for the online alligator hunt worksheet. It shows the units and seasons.
http://myfwc.com/docs/LicensesPermits/Quota_Work_0910_Alligator.pdf
This is a small gator in typical habitat.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/SmallGator.jpg)
Really looking forward to this thread...too cool Terry!!!
Another disclaimer - alligator bowfishing is a ton of fun to do yourself, but like any DIY you learn a lot from trial and error. Jeff, our sons, and I had a wonderful time in 2008, but for a lot of reasons we only got 1 gator. We had many opportunities and if we had more than 2 nights to hunt, I'm positive we would've taken 4 gators. However, I learned an immense amount on that 1st hunt and we did much better in 2009. I was also really fortunate to have a couple of good friends live in the area I hunted and they took us out a few nights. I'm really confident we all would've gotten gators in 2009 without local help, but Capp Williams of Capp's Gator Hunts and Jay Trent really helped us get on a lot of gators and taught us even more. A DIY gator hunt does take a lot of equipment and it can get expensive. You also need a boat. I towed mine from NY both times. So, if you don't have the desire to buy the bowfishing stuff or don't have a boat then give Capp or another local gator guide a call.
Bowfishing for alligators is a night time event, with legal hours 1 hour before sundown until 1 hour after sunrise. The basic technique for hunting alligators involves using a high powered spotlight to cruise the shoreline in a boat looking for the reflective glare of the red eyes of the alligator. Once you see their reflective eyes you try to stealthily get within bow range using a trolling motor. After you shoot it the alligator will take off and a detachable float will deploy so you can follow the gator. Once the gator tires and stops you begin to pull the gator to the boat with a very heavy (200-640# Kevlar) line. When you get them close to the boat it is best to sink another bowfishing arrow into him as insurance. You then try to get a bigger rope attached to the gator and this can be done by using a big grapple hook attached to the rope and you manually yank it into the gator or a harpoon on a long pole. You now have a big rope attached and a bit better control of the gator. Some guys also use a heavy casting rod with heavy line and a big treble hook to get another line on the gator. Once you get the gator under pretty good control with the bowfishing lines and rope the next step is to dispatch the animal. There are 3 basic techniques. The one most often used and preferred by gator guides and the owner of the boat is to use a "bang stick". A bang stick is basically a gun on a stick. They shoot the gator at the base of the skull to kill it. For most folks "bow" fishing the bang stick isn't a preferred method. The method I prefer is to tire the gator enough to get him to the side of the boat where you can get a noose around his snout. This process can get pretty hairy and caused my friend Jeff to tell his son Daniel, to get away from that dang fool (me). The gator isn't a fan of you grabbing them and if given the chance will be happy to tear your hand or arm off. They can also do a lot of damage to the side of your boat. Teeth marks in .100 gauge aluminum tells a pretty good story. Anyway, once the snout is roped, you then grab him by the head and wrap black electrical tape around the jaws so he can not bite. The gator is then roped better and wrangled so as to not bite you. You then pull it up with just its head in the boat and hold it in place while the 2nd person administers a "pithing". Pithing is where you insert a big knife right at the base of the skull and scramble the spinal cord and cut up into the brain cavity. This is very quick and painless (so they say). The 3rd method is to use a broadhead to shoot the gator through the chest and lungs like you would most other big game animals. The only difference is that in Florida ALL arrows must have a line attached. We had a few Hickory arrows with Eclipse broadheads on them. We drilled a hole just below the nock and threaded 200# Kevlar line through it and attached the other end of the line (10 yards of line) to a small float.
This is pretty much how you hunt for them!
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/HuntingGators.jpg)
Gator hunting is for everyone! Even pretty little 15 year old girls.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JenReadyforaGator.jpg)
This is my son getting ready for a "pithing" of a gator. As you can see he was pretty happy about getting a gator!
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/TylerKissingtheGator.jpg)
More to come later with lots of photos. The content will include hunt details and success photos for 5 alligators (7', 9'1", 10", 10", and 12'2") taken by 3 of my kids and myself.
wooooohoooo colts!!! :thumbsup: oh, wait a minute.
sweet thread terry!! looks like alotta fun!
gaff :archer:
Very cool! Can't wait for the rest to come.
One way too keep the cost way down is to buy the hunt I donate to the St Jude auction every year. It has yet to break anyones bank. And I`m better looking than 15 year old girls. Kinda
Why shoot an alligator?
Because they are like most other species. If you give them a value and create demand they are protected. Alligators have increased their population in Florida to a degree that they need to be controlled. Several attacks on people occur each year and many pets are lost to them. It is a terrific management tool.
I don't like to kill things that I don't eat and alligators are excellent eating. Following is a decription of the meat. From www.WiseGeek.com (http://www.wisegeek.com) - "Alligator meat is considered to be healthier than domestic chicken, especially when it comes to cholesterol and fat content. The most common alligator meat product sold in stores is the tail section. Alligator tail meat is very similar to veal in texture, but is said to taste like chicken, rabbit, fish or frog's legs. Some also compare the tail meat to the white portions of pork. There is also a tenderloin portion of alligator meat, located in a tubular section of the tail.
While the tail portion may be considered the best section of alligator meat, there is also some consumer demand for the darker, slightly tougher midsection meat. The taste of the midsection alligator meat is said to be closer to a pork shoulder, with sinewy grains and a stronger natural flavor than the tail section. Some alligator meat enthusiasts also enjoy the meat found in an alligator's feet, often called the alligator's wings. The flavor and texture reportedly resembles frog's legs.
From a health standpoint, alligator meat may be considered a better alternative to marbled steaks or fatty pork products. According to one alligator meat producer in Florida, the nutritional value of alligator breaks down like this:
Nutritional values for approximately 4 ounces (114 grams) of raw, edible portions:
Calories 110
Calories From Fat 20
Total Fat 2 g
Saturated Fat .5 g
Cholesterol 55 mg
Sodium 55 mg
Total Carbohydrates 0 g
Protein 24 g
The number of calories from fat and the low amount of saturated fat, along with the high protein and low carbohydrate ratio, suggests that alligator meat is a healthy meat product. The alligators used for commercial meat products are raised on farms, which means their diets are strictly controlled and their habitats are properly maintained. Even wild alligators, whose meat is occasionally sold, maintain a varied diet of shellfish and other seafood. Some experienced cooks suggest marinating alligator meat for better results, but it can be served as steaks, stewing cubes, hamburger patties and even sausages." My favorite is to simply make small cubes, roll them in bread crumbs, corn meal, and some spices and then deep fry in corn oil. I call them "gator bites". Another favorite is alligator stir fry. It tastes most like pork to me.
The hide can also be used to make a lot of neat leather products. As for a trophy there are lots of things you can do with them. I'm having one made into a "rug" like the one shown below. An European skull looks cool as does just the head.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/AlligatorRug.jpg)
This is a photo of me skinning my sons 10' gator. This one will be a rug and this way of skinning is correct. For leather products you skin it entirely different.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/LetTheSkinningBegin.jpg)
In order to get prepared for bowfishing you will need some specialized equipment. Following is a list of needed items:
Bow - Any standard model will work, recurve, longbow, or compound. Note: It is legal to use methods other than a bow. You can use a harpoon, a baited wooden peg, and even the dreaded crossgun.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/GatorBowRig.jpg)
Arrows - Any very heavy shaft will work, but most people use heavy fiberglass. The Muzzy Gator Getter Kit has a aluminum arrow filled with what appears to be fiberglass. Alligator skin is very thick and the scutes (boney projections running along the back) are impenetrable. The heavy arrows help penetrate the water and the skin. The photo below shows part of the Muzzy arrow and Muzzy head.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/MuzzyHeadwithArrowRig.jpg)
Detachable Bowfishing Point - A good solid bowfishing head is required to hold the gator. Muzzy is the most popular head, but there are several other good heads like the Gator Grappler shown below. A good solid chisel head is important. A detachable head helps prevent the arrow from pulling loose due to arrow leverage. The photo below shows how you rig the tip. The line is then taped to the arrow and threaded through the tip. The head will pull loose and the arrow will slide up and down the cord. However, only one of may arrows survived without getting bent.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/GatorGrapplerHead.jpg)
Bowfishing Line - The minimum I would use is 200# and I normally use the 640# Kevlar. The gators will roll when shot and can abrade a line very quickly.
Line Retriever - This can be anything from a Gatorade bottle (no not how it got its name) to the Aims Slotted Retriever. Something to hold the line before shooting. The photo below shows the Aims retriever on a recurve. It also shows the float.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/TylerAimsSlottedRetriever-1.jpg)
Float - Gators are strong and if you are holding the line you will be pulled into the lake and it will cut your hands up. A float is sent out with the line and you follow it up.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/BearBowGatorRigwithFloat.jpg)
Hand Held Spotlight - Used for scanning the water for gator eyes. I used a red lens that didn't seem to help much, but they really didn't seem to mind the blue lens at all. Gators that are hunted hard will get light shy.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/Spotlights.jpg)
Boat - Any jon boat will work. Some use airboats to get back into the foilage. A trolling motor on the jon boat allows for a quiet approach after spotting the gator. My boat is a 17" Roughneck with a 50/35 Jet motor.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/GatorHuntingBoat.jpg)
The photo below shows Jeff Holchin with a complete bowfishing rig and good form.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/GatorFishingBowRig.jpg)
Some other miscellaneous equipment includes the things in this photo. You can see a couple different lens filters for the QBeam, extra bulb, black electrical tape for taping the gators mouth closed, ThermaCell and replacement fillers, skinning knives and diamond sharpener, binoculars for daytime gator assessment, clip on cap lights, LED headlamp, 640# spool of gator cord.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/MiscellaneousGear2.jpg)
This is a rod with a snagging treble for getting another line on a gator.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/GatorSnaggingRig2.jpg)
Close up of the weighted treble.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/GatorSnaggingHook.jpg)
Some of my Muzzy Gator Gettor Arrows and some home made aluminum ones. I actually filled some with weedeater line and glue to make them heavier.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/GatorArrows.jpg)
This is a home made snare for the gator snout. I made this after my first trip and Jeff called me crazy.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/HomeMadeSnare.jpg)
These are some essential elements for a direct 24 hour drive from Upstate NY to Okeechobee, FL.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/TravelSnacks.jpg)
More later! I'm off to a meeting. You definitely want one bigger than this one.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/TylerwithBabyGator.jpg)
Terry, would you say that one of the best chances to experience this awesome hunt would be to join PBS, thereby getting your name in a drawing for it? (Shameless plug, I know. Didn't mean to hijack your thread!)
This hunt looks like nothing but FUN!
Kevin, what a great idea! : ) That is definitely a way to experience this hunt. More on that later.
The way to judge an alligator's size is by the length of the snout. See photo and description.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/GatorSizeEstimation.jpg)
I have to add a little bit about safety. You will be hunting at night and you probably should wear a floatation device at all times. I'm not quite that smart, but it is recommended.
Alligators are very powerful and their bite force is one of the highest pounds per inch in the world. If they don't tear your arm off with their death roll, the ensuing infection probably will kill you. They harbor a very infectious bacteria in their mouths that requires immediate and special treatment if you are bitten.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JenHeadinGatorsMouth.jpg)
"Snap back" is the term used if your bowfishing line gets caught on your reel/retriever, bow, or anything else. The arrow will go out a little ways and then snap back with enough force to easily impale you. You MUST be exceptionally careful to ensure your line is clear prior to shooting. Also, make sure the line is on the outside of your bow holding arm. That hurts a lot! The photo below shows the line in the proper position. For regular bowfishing the arrows are equipped with a safety slide. Unfortunately, they aren't feasible with the detacheable head. I tried to attach the line to a hole in the arrow near the tip, but the heavy line would cause the arrow to nose dip. By far the best accuracy was obtained by tightly taping the line along the shaft and securing it near the nock.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/GatorBowRigArrowonRest.jpg)
More tomorrow with some hunting stories.
Please feel free to ask any questions.
awesome thread Terry!! never really gave gater huntin much thought.. looks like a ball! :campfire:
gaff
go colts!!! :jumper:
Super thread bud :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
:jumper: :jumper: GO JETS!!! :jumper: :jumper:
Now back to some gator hunting. Below are a couple of bow rigging options. There are really 4 options that I know of: 1)slotted Aims retriever; 2) basic line spool (Bear, on the Float, or other standards); 3) just let the line be in a coil on the boat deck; and 4) with line in a large fishing reel (unique method that does work).
This is the Aims Slotted system:
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/SlottedRetrieverSet-up.jpg)
This is the spool system on the float. You obviously should replace the heavy tape with light tape.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/BearBowGatorRigwithFloat.jpg)
This is a regular old Bear type spool.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/GatorFishingBowRig.jpg)
This shows my daughter ready to shoot and you can see the white float. It is attached to the short wood pole the fishing reel is attached to. That handsome fellow on the left is our good friend Capp.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JenReadytoShootaGator.jpg)
This is some good looking gator country!
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/NubbinSlough3.jpg)
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/GatorCountry2.jpg)
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/TypicalFloridaCover.jpg)
This is a picture I should have added for the safety part. You can see they do have some nice looking teeth.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JeffBigGatorTeeth.jpg)
I'm off to another meeting and will start doing some "day-by-day" hunts when I get back.
we want more terry!! lets go, we aint gettin any younger.. lol :smileystooges:
gaff :campfire: :archer:
Terry, great thread....so far you are covering all the info IMO. Putting a whole new light on gator hunting, atleast for me. It was always one of those things I was kinda iffy about. Thanks for changing my mind.
:clapper:
Sorry guys! I was at my son's volleyball game and it went a full 5 games with our team winning after being down 2 games!
I also apologize for mixing football with hunting. I started all this stuff with Gaff and Curt and was just having fun. No one will lose any sleep over a football game. So, again sorry!
Now, LET'S GO HUNTING!
I'll start with our most recent hunt from August of this year.
It all began with this little statement by my then 15 year old daughter Jennifer - "Hey dad, will you take me alligator hunting like you did with Tyler last year?" What is a dad to do! Her request came as a little bit of a surprise since she has been distracted from her outdoor pursuits for a couple years due to cheerleading, boys and sports. I really had no choice but to get the gears in motion for planning a Florida alligator hunt for her. The first step was to select a hunt unit and prepare to apply in early June. We selected a few areas around Lake Okeechobee since my dad owns a place right in the town of Okeechobee and our lodging would be free. We thought we would try for the ONLY County wide tag offered and were really lucky to draw it! This gave us thousands of acres of gator water that we had exclusive access to. We also chose this area because we have two great friends in the area that gator hunt as a part-time business and Capp is one of the best in the business and combine Jay Trent and we had the best team out there. They would be able to do some scouting for us and did find a few good sized gators for us prior to our arrival. My older son Jeff was home after his freshman year at BYU and was waiting on his mission call for our church. He was called to the Brussels Belgium/Netherlands mission and had to report on Oct. 7th. This meant he could go with us to Florida. This was great news as we wouldn't see him for a solid 2 years. What a great way to send off my son and spend time with my daughter.
This is my son Jeff and daughter Jennifer with good friends Capp Williams and Jay Trent in Capp's boat. You can tell we weren't having any fun at all.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JeffJayCappJenFunnyFacesinBoat.jpg)
The dates were set and we made our plans. Jeff and I would drive down pulling my boat and then Jennifer would fly down and join us on the Sunday after the opening Sat. She couldn't drive with us as she was planning a big Youth Conference. This is a photo of my son taking a rest during our trip down.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JeffTravelPosition.jpg)
After we arrived, Jeff and I immediately launched the boat and went scouting for some gators. It is really amazing that we didn't see hardly any gators in the daylight, but that night we must've saw 30 or 40. They can sure hide in the daytime.
This is from the 1st days scouting.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/GatorCountry2.jpg)
We did run into some bad luck as we were running my boat on the first day and sheared off a pin on my Jet impeller. Fortunately, my friends had a couple boats to offer, but we were able to travel to Fort Pierce to get a replacement part that was the wrong part. Jay and I had to manually grind it down to fit. Anyway, we finally got the boat running and Jeff and I were off on our first night of hunting.
what do you think is a good draw weight to use? this thread is really making me want to go gator hunting
Well we weren't actually hunting yet. We still had the night before the opener to scout. We went out until about 2 AM. Jeff and I were about dead without having slept for over 2 days. We did have a great scouting night and saw well over 40 gators.
This is some good gator country. It is really nice to hunt the canals without a lot of shoreline timber and brush. Gators will immediately go to the thickest and nastiest stuff and will pull the arrowhead out.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/GatorCountryOkeechobeeLake.jpg)
This is Jeff on the point and lookout for gators.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JeffLookingforGators.jpg)
The first picture gives you an idea of what to look for. The two red eyes just below the white spot. The other photos are of a few of the gators we called next to the boat. The call is basically like a loud swallowing sound. Anyway we called 10 or more right next to the boat. The largest we called next to the boat was a 10+ footer. We also were withing range of at least one 12+ footer and saw another good solid 12+ and had three others over 11' that we saw but didn't want to pressure.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/GatorEyes.jpg)
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/SmallGator-1.jpg)
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/7FootGatorCalledtoBoat.jpg)
This is close to a 10' gator right next to the boat. See the angled side of the boat in the upper left. Even I can make this shot!
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/8GatorCalledtoBoat.jpg)
This picture is probably a 10' gator swimming away from us.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/NiceSwimmingGator.jpg)
That's it for tonight. Actual hunting tomorrow!
Tradsniper, I know that there have been some gators taken with bows as light as 40#s. But let me tell you, if you are shooting that low of a weight you better be very close. You really need to be shooting an arrow over 1000 gr and you wouldn't believe how tough their hide is. My son Jeff shot 3 going away from him with a 66# bow and the arrow couldn't penetrate the back. In fact, don't even bother shooting one near the scutes (hard boney projections on the back). You really have to shoot them in the soft side of the neck for best penetration. Of the 5 gators we have taken 4 were in the neck region and one was in the lower jaw area. They can be taken from the sides, but again, they are tough. My daughter used a 50# Bear Grizzly recurve, my sons used a 66# recurve, and I used a 65# takedown TimberHawk recurve. So, the best answer I can give is to shoot the heaviest one you can with some good accuracy out to 15 yards.
QuoteOriginally posted by ishiwannabe:
Terry, great thread....so far you are covering all the info IMO. Putting a whole new light on gator hunting, atleast for me. It was always one of those things I was kinda iffy about. Thanks for changing my mind.
I really gotta agree with Jamie on those statements. I was kinda iffy as well but you have sure openened my eyes to gator hunting!
Looking forward to the rest!
I know one thing for sure....Im NEVER gator hunting with ya Terry. Aint no way Im swan diving on an angry gator!Bad enough doing hand to hand with a mortally wounded bunny. :biglaugh:
Jeff and I were at the boat launch site about a half hour before legal shooting time (one hour before sundown). You can't be on the water with your hunting gear before legal time or you could get a ticket. August is the rainy season in Florida and it was no disappointment for our first night out. Jeff and I were under a constant barrage of rain until about 1 AM. We had several gators in range, but passed looking for a bigger one. We took a quick break to get some dry clothes on and then headed back out with our friends who had been out earlier and took 2 nice gators with another friend.
This is Jeff ready for action on the first night.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JeffReadyforaGator-1.jpg)
From about 1 AM till 6:30 AM we had some good action and Jeff had some bad luck. We saw probably 25 gators. It was slower due to the storms. Jeff passed on 5 "give me" shots on gators from 8 - 9.5 feet. He wants a 10' plus and had two great shots. He shot perfectly, but had horrible luck. The first shot penetrated about to the barbs, but didn't seem to go all the way in. His reel jammed and he almost lost the bow and all, but he held on. The head pulled out. He evidently hit one of the scutes. Perfect shot, just bad luck. The second shot was also right on target but this time he hit the shoulder blade and the head again didn't penetrate all the way. Horrible luck! Great shooting. Both were well over 10' gators.
After you shoot the gator you have to hand line them with some decent pressure. You do need to play them like a big fish, but if the barb is in good you can put a lot of pressure on them. The intent is to get them close for a 2nd arrow and or to get a big treble and larger rope on them.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/FightingBigGator.jpg)
The really big gators are amazingly tough! There is a big difference between a 10' and a 12'. Jeff was about 1 second from a really big 11 or 12. Just as he was getting ready to shoot the big boy submerged. Believe it or not the gators are actually pretty smart and wary. Like anything the big trophy animals don't get that way by being dumb.
You will spend a lot of time in this position.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JeffonBowReady.jpg)
Traditional archers are a rare breed down here where everyone else is shooting the gators with crossbows and compounds. My two buddies were really impressed with Jeff's shooting.
You guys can't imagine how proud I was of my son. Not only for his wonderful attitude in less than ideal situations with rain and pulled arrows. He never once complained and just cherished our time together. He knew that in a couple of months we would be separated for two years. I get emotional just writing this and missing him.
I'm really proud of Jeff. He did exactly what he was supposed to do and shot really well. He showed great restraint on the 8' and 9' gators at 3 feet away.
Unfortunately, we didn't get any other photos due to the incessant rain. It was a really long night. We got back to the dock at 6:30 AM. We were very wet and very tired. We got a couple hours of sleep and then were off to pickup Jennifer from the airport.
Well I just spent an hour getting the next night's hunt account and photos loaded and it wouldn't process because there is a 8 photo maximum per post. Would've been nice to know before spending all the time and losing a ton of work.
Oh well! I know now!
Jeff and I got a few hours of rest and then had to make the 2 1/2 hour drive to Ft. Lauderdale to pickup Jennifer. Jeff actually crawled into the back of the car and got some nice sleep. Jennifer was really excited for her night of hunting. We immediately turned around and made the same drive back. Jeff slept most of the way back as well. We had a quick stop at the local Okeechobee Taco Bell to gas up (pun intended) for the nights hunt! We then were back at my parents place and began getting all of our gear together. We were going to go in Capp's boat tonight as it is a nice big 21' SeaArk with an 84" beam. Plenty big for the five of us (Jen, Jeff, Capp, Jay, and I) and a better fit than my 17' Roughneck. Capp and Jay arrived to pick us up and we were on the water in 15 minutes. We then made a very long run to the back of a very long canal.
The overcast night made the orange orchard canal as dark as ebony bow wood. We were extremely fortunate to at least be enjoying a rainless night. Florida summer days almost always end with an evening thunderstorm and our trip thus far lived up to expectations.
Jeff being the kind and generous brother that he is offered Jen the first opportunity at a gator.
Here is Jennifer ready for action.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JenReadyforaGator.jpg)
Jennifer was poised on the bow of the boat with her 50# Bear Grizzly recurve rigged and ready with a heavy Muzzy fish head and Gator Getter arrow. Jeff and I knew the canal where we were hunting held some very nice alligators as Jeff had passed several on the previous night. Jennifer wasn't going to be picky and wanted to take the first decent gator she encountered.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JenReadytoShootaGator.jpg)
The wait was short lived and we were close to a really nice gator, but just before Jen could shoot it submerged under some weeds. We then moved on and within a minute or two spotted another gator. We didn't think it was a very big gator but Jen thought it looked huge and was big enough. Capp made a couple grunts and the gator swam right toward the boat. Jen took a long range shot of about 3 feet and the gator didn't move. I thought she missed. It then made a lunge and a splash and Jen jumped back and yelled "that thing is huge". Her shot turned out to be perfect and the rodeo was on.
This is Jen scanning the canal for a gator.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JenFrontofBoatLookingforGators.jpg)
This is Jen right after shooting the gator and the fight beginning.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/FightingJensGator.jpg)
Here you can see the gator fight in action and see Jen's arrow wrapped up with another heavier line we were able to get attached. The gator is pretty wrapped up due to its "death rolls".
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/FightingJensGator2.jpg)
Really great thread! Felt like I was there (just had to open the office door and let that cold wet air in!)
Here you can see where the gator rolled even more and we have another heavy line attached. It is getting close to being able to be wrangled for pithing.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JensToothyGator.jpg)
Here is Jen getting ready to pull the gator up for the pithing.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JenPullingHerGatorIn.jpg)
This is pithing in action!
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/PithingJensGator2.jpg)
After the pithing you have to roll the gator into the boat as they can be very heavy. Here's Jeff helping roll the gator into the boat.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/PullingJeffsGatorinBoat.jpg)
Here's Jen with her gator after getting it into the boat.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JenWithGatorinBoat.jpg)
Overall, Jen couldn't have been happier with her gator and Jeff was just as happy for her as if it were his gator. Here's the 3 of us with her gator. What a great night with my daughter and son and it wasn't over yet. Jeff was up next!
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/TerryJenJeffGator3.jpg)
After we finished up with getting Jen's gator in the boat we went after one for Jeff. He continued to have some bad luck. He started out with a perfect shot on a solid 11' gator and the thump and placement sounded great. This gator took off like a cannon shot. It obviously knew its home turf and headed straight for a submerged tree. It must have wrapped up in the tree was able to pull the head out. About an hour later we were in "chase mode" and had another good solid 10' gator at about 5 yards. We told Jeff to try just behind the head at water level as he was going away and the shot was perfect, but the solid thwack we heard indicated he hit the center scute and sure enough, only one barb penetrated. We had to exert a lot of pressure to keep him out of the brush and the head again pulled out. The next was another solid 11' gator and we got into "chase mode". We closed the gap and told Jeff to try shooting to the left or right of center line. He pulled the shot a little too far left and had his one and only miss. Talk about some serious bad luck. We continued on with lots of other gators stalked and passed. Finally, with an hour left and plans to hunt another location the next night on a different permit. Jay was extremely generous and offered to let Jeff be a Trappers Agent on his permit. Since we wouldn't be in my area again we told Jeff to just take the very next gator for some good meat and hide. Sure enough with less than an hour to go we got up on a 7' gator and his shot was perfect. A pretty good fight later and Jeff had his first gator. Jeff would be up first on the next night with hopes for a larger gator.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JeffonBowReady.jpg)
One last thing. How many of you have experienced Jeff's luck? He comes down early puts in some hard scouting and preparation, hunts really hard and has some bad luck. Then in pops Jen after a gruelling 2 hours plane ride (wink, wink). Remember Jeff and my 24 hour direct drive. She hunts really hard for less than an hour and kills a great animal. Been there done that. It is great for Jeff to see "life in action". He was as excited or more for Jen then she was. Although, she was really excited! I couldn't have been more proud of Jeff. He is just having fun being here! What a great example for us all.
Here is Jeff pithing his 1st gator.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/PithingJeffs1stGator.jpg)
Here is Jeff with his meat and hide 7' alligator.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JeffGator1.jpg)
Here is Jeff and Jen with their gators! Makes a papa proud.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JennJeffGators.jpg)
This is what Jen did during the wee hours of the early morning!
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JenSleepinginBoat.jpg)
hey terry, about how much meat does a 7-10ft. gator give ya? got any pics of that process? really enjoyin the thread so far man!!
gaff
oh, who gets the fun job of untangling all those ropes?? lol
We had one more night to go out and Jay dropped another surprise on me and offered to let me shoot a gator as an Agent as well. So Jeff and I would both get a chance to hunt them. Of course, Jeff was up first and I wouldn't even pickup a bow until he got a gator. Well fortunately our wait wasn't long at all. After being checked by the local game warden after launching the boat we made a quick 5 minute run and saw several gators. It was still light out when we encountered what we thought was a big gator. Jeff made the perfect shot and by the time we saw that it wasn't as big as we hoped it was too late. Jeff had a great fight and was able to land a really nice 9'1" gator.
Fighting his gator!
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JeffFightingHis7Gator.jpg)
Here is Jeff with his gator.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/JeffBigGator.jpg)
This was early in the night and we still had lots of time for me to try to get a gator. The mosquitos were big enough and hungry enough to carry us off. I was very happy with Jen and Jeff getting gators and was going to be happy with any gator that gave me a shot.
Hey Terry: These are cool pictures and a cool hunt. My wife Karen and I have been hunting gators for a while, and have articles on our hunts in Sports Afield, one coming up in Bowhunter, and in the current TBM (I mention that only to point out that we have a bit of experience).
One thing I would never do is use a bowfishing rig for gator that allows the line to come behind the riser of the bow. I see your lines are rigged that way, and lots of folks do it, but in my experience (!!) and opinion the risk of catching the line and snap back by the arrow, or snagging a body part is too great. I have nearly been blinded by snap back while bowfishing. The AMS "slider" or any number of other inexpensive "ring" rigs will allow the string to always remain forward of the riser, but let the arrow slip through the slider or ring so the pressure of the shot is on the nock end of the arrow when the line plays out. Just another way of doing it. Congratulations! - Jay Campbell, JD
Gaff, you don't get a ton of meat of the gators. The tail meat is the best, but we salvaged it all. I would guess the 7' gator gave us 30#s of meat and the 10' probably 60-70#s.
After Jeff's gator was in the boat we set off after one for me. We spotted what looked like a good gator down river a bit and made a stalk. Unfortunately, it submerged before we got up on it. They appeared to be pretty spooky. We saw another and made another stealthy approach only to lose site of the gator. It had submerged and fortunately we caught site of something on the outside of the boat. We swung a light over to it and it was a huge gator. Fortunately, I was using a fast swinging longbow and was able to swing and shoot very fast and made a very lucky shot right into its lower jaw/jowl. After a really long fight we were able to land the big 12'2" beast.
Here is my gator right after pithing.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/TryingtoGetGatorinWrappedLine.jpg)
Here is Jeff, Jen, and I with our gators.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/ThreeWithGators.jpg)
This shows how huge it's head is.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/TerryHangingGatorHugeHeadwithBow.jpg)
Great tip Jay! Snap back can kill you! I really enjoyed your article in TBM with Karen's Redneck Mink!
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/RegisterStarJeffTerryGators.jpg)
I wish I could explain what a great time it is to bowfish for alligators with your kids. The photo below is of my younger son Tyler and the gator he took in 2008 on a very similar hunt as described above.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/TylerBigGatorMouthClosed.jpg)
As a summary of the hunt I have included a quick hunt logistics section below:
•Permits are $272 for residents and $1,022 (plus taxes) for non-residents and were issued on a random drawing basis in 2009. Visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FFWC) website for a full description of the program.
•You are able to select up to five Harvest Unit Numbers with a corresponding Harvest Period. There are four one week harvest periods to choose from generally beginning in mid August and running through mid September. There is also a second season that runs from mid September to the first of November.
•Two CITES tags are provided with the license and must be immediately affixed to the alligator upon harvest. Unused CITES tags must be returned to the FFWC. A Florida hunting license is not required to participate in the Statewide Alligator Harvest.
•Permittees may license alligator trapping agents to assist them with their hunt. Agent's licenses ($51.50) may be purchased at a license distribution location or online.
•The legal methods for taking of Alligator mississippiensis include: baited wooden pegs, harpoons, snatch hooks, snares, crossguns, or bows. Our chosen method involved stick bows specifically rigged with very stout bowfishing gear.
•Muzzy makes a "gator getter kit" that works very well. It includes very heavy Kevlar line, heavy aluminum arrows with detachable bowfishing heads, float bow mount, and two large floats.
•Alligator meat is excellent and you should salvage as much as possible. The meat will spoil very quickly in the warm Florida weather. You must get the alligator on ice almost immediately.
•If successful in obtaining a permit, you will receive many mailings from alligator processors that will skin and process the alligator. Many will buy the hide from you or process it for a fee.
•Alligator European hide mounts make a very unique trophy and will be the talk of your trophy room. The other option is to have it tanned and to make useful everyday items.
•A good sized boat is recommended. We used a 17' Roughneck boat with a 50/35 Jet motor.
•Much of the hunting time will be while trolling. A good foot controlled trolling motor with a couple of backup batteries is essential.
•Head lamps will definitely make the hunt a bit easier.
•Very bright hand held spotlights are used most of the time for searching for the alligators eye shine. Again, heavy duty marine batteries are needed for the all night excursions. Some experienced alligator hunters equip their boat with a small, quiet generator.
•The very nature of the night hunting experience and the capture and harvest of alligators has the potential of being extremely dangerous and could result in injury.
•Alligators are very powerful and their bite force is one of the highest pounds per inch in the world. They harbor a very infectious bacteria in their mouths that requires immediate and special treatment if you are bitten.
•Electrical tape sticks when wet and is used to tape the alligators mouth closed.
•Skinning the alligator is very similar to skinning of any other animal. If possible, leave the skinning and processing to the professionals.
Ok, I guess I'll let this thread fade into the sunset! But before I do I have to let you in on a great opportunity. As a membership drive for the Professional Bowhunters Society, Capp Williams of Capp's Gator Hunts and I are giving away a fully guided alligator hunt for the lucky winner of a random drawing for anyone who either joins or renews their membership in the PBS. It will include everything except their travel to Florida. We will even pick them up at a local airport. Food, lodging, license, guide, boat, equipment etc. will be provided. Terry I hope you don't mind that I let them know they can find out more about the alligator hunt and joining the PBS at www.probowsociety.org. (http://www.probowsociety.org.) If that's out of bounds, just edit it out!
Thanks for sharing in the wonderful time I had with my kids.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/FloridaSunset.jpg)
Jay, how do you rig an arrow that has the detacheable head with a safety slide?
Now this is some Cool stuff
Hey Terry: You would do everything the same at the head that you do now, but just use one elastic to hold the string snug to the shaft near the back of the head (or use a piece of electrical tape). Then tie the string tight to the slide in-line with a little slack so the slide hits the "stop" before the string goes tight along the shaft. Then tie a non-slip knot in the end of the string about 8" away from the nock. Now you have pre-rigged arrows that can be tied to the end of your line coming out of the AMS retriver reel (or any reel), so you can reload quick by cutting any fouled string or a stuck arrow away and tying a new one on.
I actually was going to do an article for TBM about this way of rigging a head for gators. I do it a little differently, and its a bit more complicated, as I get the string coming off the slide's two holes on both sides of the arrow for uniform flight. But this way will work. E-mail me if its not clear, and I'll try to explain it. Great pics!! Great gators! - Jay
Great Thread Terry!
After seeing a quiver with alligator hide recently I was thinking an alligator head with the mouth open would be a cool looking quiver.
Awesome spending quality time with the kids, Glad it was safe and fun! Would like to try someday although its not a priority at the moment. I would however be interested in trying some gator meat. ;) ;)
Wow is all I can say!!!
Cool trip looks like all had fun.
Dave
Cyclic-Rivers, I'm bringing alligator stir fry to the JLMBH.
HOLLY crap!!!! ya would not get me near one of those things. man that is :scared: right there
Jay, do you have an photos of an arrow rigged like you are describing? Most of the guys I know that bowfish the gators are rigging the arrows like I do because if gives much better arrow flight. If we could get the same great flight with a safety slide then that would be fantastic.
Thanks for helping out.
Hey Terry: I'm traveling right now (as I do every week), but I'll try to get a picture to you. This might help: a safety slide (the AMS, anyway) is really a "best flight" slide - Unlike a shaft ring, the AMS slide is designed to get equal tension on both sides of the arrow on a line trailing out perfectly from behind the shaft. The trick is, when hunting big things, to now attach that slide (actually the line, although it can go through the slide) also to the head of the arrow (detachable or not), so the line is directly in the animal. There's a few ways to do it. It's funny - I don't know anyone who pulls the line past the riser. Those who don't rig the arrow like I do just suffer with less than perfect arrow flight, rather than take the risk. - Jay
Nice thread! I use to be a gator hunting guide in FL. I lived there and hunted there most of my life. Lots of good info on here for anyone that wants to give it a shot.
last pic is spectacular!
thanks for taking the time to put this all together! great job thanks
The fishing arrows I use have a hole in the head/front part of the shaft and a hole in the back. I just tie my line to the hole in the front and thread thru the back hole. I've never had any issues with flight or kickback. I've got fiberglass and thick walled easton fishing arrows I use. Not sure if the Easton thick walled shafts are still available.
Thank Jay! Does the rig your describing allow the shaft to detach from the head?
Missouri, That's what I do as well, but Jay makes a great point about the potential for the line to tangle on a part of the bow, reel, or even your hand and then "snap back". I always use the slide system when bowfishing, but I like the idea of the detacheable head for gators so the stiff bowfishing arrow shaft can't be used as a lever to pull the head out.
Awesome thread terry :thumbsup:
That was awesome. Great pictures.
Also, I think it is so cool that a guy with a handle called "INDIANNA...Bowman", and then hales from New York, does a DIY bowhunt for something as different as gators in FLA.
Thanks for sharing. And here is hoping you get bored again so you share more!
As an aside, I too was super concerned when I saw the way you rigged the arrow, but since I only hunt carp, I kept quiet. When I saw one of the first pictures of your buddy practicing with the line draped over is left arm and almost on his armguard, I about choked on my coffee worrying for your safety.
All the best.
lt-m-grow, you are exactly right and that is why I wrote about it in the safety section. Prior to starting gator hunting a while back I had the same concern and asked around as much I could. I even talked with Mark Land of Muzzy and tried to get a good rigging method for the arrows. Believe it or not the rigging method for the detacheable head arrows are like I've shown. We all know the danger and are really careful, but I am very interested in Jay's way of rigging.
I really hope to get to Chincoteague this year and bowfish for the stingrays! Gotta mix it up to keep the kids interested! : )
Awesome explaination. I've been wanting to do this for years, but the cost scared me off a little. If two guys can split it, that isn't bad at all. Anyone wanna go?
Hey Terry: In answer to your question, the rig I use lets the head detach or not, as you like. If you use the slide and don't rig to the head, the weakest part of your system is where the slide hits the "stop", and that's not enough to hold a big gator every time. You know that, which is why you are rigging to the head. The only difference in what I do is getting the head tied in to the line AND the slide. Still on the road, then gotta go hunt with Karen. I'll try to get pics in a few days. Again, great hunt, great pics, nice gators! - Jay
Thanks Jay! Got a visual now!
Good luck to you and Karen! You aren't hanging out with DonD are you? If yes, tell him I said hello and I really enjoyed the book "Totch".
Also, what part of Florida you in. I'll be bringing the family down to Okeechobee the first week in April.
Hey Terry: We're in Tampa, but our lease (the super secret 10,000 acre deal) is near Okeechobee, call it Yee-haw junction, about at the intersection of 441 and State road 60. Yes, I suffer with soulmate redneck Asian-American Don Davis, for years now, who convinced his buds to take me and Karen onto the lease (well, Karen, as they were convinced I would die soon, and she would have to pair up with one of them). I'm still alive, so we have good hunting, but disgruntled lease-mates. We can probably accomodate you-all on the lease to hunt pigs and/or turkeys, let me know. Just depends on what we're doing at the time. - Jay
Very familiar with Yee-Haw junction. My dad used to have a place on Blue Cypress Lake and that is where I gator hunted 2 years ago. The ranch along the road to the lake is covered up with hogs, turkey, and deer.
I've got a conference in Clearwater for a few of the day.
I'll drop you a PM about your more than generous offer.
"soulmate redneck Asian-American"
Yep thats me alright :wavey:
Jay, I must take you to task on a couple things:
1- To you I'm SENSEI Asian American Redneck Don Davis, quite possibly the only Asian American Redneck Sumo wrestler in training trad bowhunter in the world.
2- You ain't dead yet?!!
DonD, I was wondering when the real expert was going to show up!
I still think your rig with twine and a soda bottle is the best setup!
Terry, Great how to read along, really enjoyed the pics. Hopefully the weather will be a little better this year for some rays. Would love to get together. See you in a couple weeks, Big Ed
Don, I think my mixed up back ground may have you beat. Irish, english, Rhodesian, American redneck hillbilly wanna be craker in sumo training....oh and better looking.
Mr Indiana, if Jay can`t accomadate you I`d be happy to take you hog hunting. I can go any time. We`ll take the airboat along the Kissimee river and see what we can scare up. Unfortunatly you`ll have to put up with my old boat and F150, Bills boat and Hummer are not available.......
Oh no Terry, Jay's rig is much better. Mine just worked on a very limited budget. And you can't forget about the milk jug float and finish nail barb in the fiberglass arrow. And Chris, didn't you graduate from sumo training already?
Boss, that's a great offer and I really appreciate it. My dads place is just minutes from the Kissimee ramp at Okeechobee lake. I'll drop you a PM as the time gets closer. My son and daughter would have a ball.
DonD, the finish nail barb is what made it such a marvel. I can only imagine what you could do with a roll of bailing wire and duct tape.
Bailing wire and duct tape?!! Childs play. I may even fly it to Nashville
So you were the guy in Alaska who fixed the bear riddled plane with duct tape! Gotcha!
Terry: I'm back from the road, and will see about the April logistics this weekend. Chris Horsman (otherwise known as Boss?) who is from Zimbabwe, but don't hold that against him, always puts together a great excursion. Don Davis is losing weight quickly, and soon will not qualify for Sumo-class status. Don, I feel dead, but apparently I don't technically qualify. Karen's trying to keep me alive until some better-looking guys join the lease. :-) - Jay
Sounds great Jay!
DonD, what are you doing to lose weight? I could stand to drop a few, OK a few dozen.
Maybe boss can set us up on a African crocodile bowfishing trip! I'd love to tie into a 20' croc!
Have a great weekend everyone and GO COLTS!
Yeah Don, what ARE you doing to lose weight?
:-) - Jay
Not enough.
No Coca Cola, No coffee, No caffeine, No fun.
I'm down about 10 since Christmas. Only 60 more to go.
Terry, check your pm's
Sure looks like a ton of fun thats for sure!!! I hope someday I will have the opportunity to experience such a hunt for myself. Thanks for the tremendous info and great pictures.
Ganzer
Great read!
Got me thinking about a future Kayak adventure.
Of course, I'll need to come up with a little more robust vessel! ;)
Thanks for sharing!
Watts