Winter Doldrums - How To DIY Florida Alligator Bowhunt

IndianaBowman · January 23, 2010, 05:10:00 PM

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. If that's out of bounds, just edit it out!

Thanks for sharing in the wonderful time I had with my kids.

IndianaBowman · January 23, 2010, 05:22:00 PM

Jay, how do you rig an arrow that has the detacheable head with a safety slide?

Gray Buffalo · January 23, 2010, 05:41:00 PM

Now this is some Cool stuff

Jay Campbell JD · January 23, 2010, 07:59:00 PM

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

Cyclic-Rivers · January 23, 2010, 09:05:00 PM

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.

Gil · January 24, 2010, 09:20:00 AM

Wow is all I can say!!!

dpowers311 · January 24, 2010, 09:23:00 AM

Cool trip looks like all had fun.

Dave

IndianaBowman · January 24, 2010, 02:18:00 PM

Cyclic-Rivers, I'm bringing alligator stir fry to the JLMBH.

JEFF B · January 24, 2010, 03:09:00 PM

HOLLY crap!!!! ya would not get me near one of those things. man that is

right there

IndianaBowman · January 25, 2010, 08:21:00 AM

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.

Jay Campbell JD · January 25, 2010, 09:58:00 AM

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

caleb7mm · January 25, 2010, 10:21:00 AM

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.

tradtusker · January 25, 2010, 10:42:00 AM

last pic is spectacular!
thanks for taking the time to put this all together! great job thanks

Missouri Bowman · January 25, 2010, 04:23:00 PM

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.

IndianaBowman · January 26, 2010, 07:34:00 AM

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.

Stone Knife · January 26, 2010, 07:47:00 AM

Awesome thread terry

lt-m-grow · January 26, 2010, 10:39:00 AM

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.

IndianaBowman · January 26, 2010, 11:43:00 AM

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! : )

TommyBoy · January 27, 2010, 05:42:00 PM

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?

Jay Campbell JD · January 28, 2010, 06:14:00 AM

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