Even if you know right where the kill spot is, not every shot on it will be equally effective. Some states allow you to use a baited line with a wooden dowel. As Morrell tried to calm down Jesse (and her daddy), he said, "Now the real fun begins. Therefore, it is advisable to thoroughly check with your state if there are any updates in the alligator hunting regulations before proceeding so you can manage your expectations and start with your preparations. After arriving in Panama City, Jesse and I watched it pour down rain all day from our hotel room. Once you stick the gator with a harpoon, now the excitement really begins. Bear Archery celebrates its 90-year anniversary with a new 2023 bow lineup. Be sure to pick one up and see it for yourself! NAPLES, Fla. Florida Wildlife Officers want your input in a big change to the Alligator Hunting game. Info:georgiawildlife.com/hunting/alligator, Season: Second Saturday of September Second Saturday of October. Once you, as the hunter decide to take a shot, the driver eases up to the gator with the light directly fixated on the gators eyes as you draw your bow. But, in the short run, it just makes them mad. In fact, it is just getting started. Hunting hours for alligators in Florida run from 5 p.m. to 10 a.m. Buy some good headlamps and be ready for a long, exciting night. Most alligators that are male reach up to the 10-foot mark, while female alligators rarely do. After spotting a big gator, he casts the line to try to hook the reptiles body with the treble and reel it in close to the boat. As you ease up to the buoy, grab the nylon string attached and slowly pull in the gator. Most hunters hang the bait higher at the beginning of the season to prevent smaller gators from taking the bait. But it is legal to shoot a swimming alligator. . He then instructed Jesse to grab the bang stick, a long, handheld pole that fires a .357 Magnum bullet. Other than broadhead, other hunters use a bang stick or knife to dispatch a tethered alligator. Here are a couple photos showing the location of an alligators brain with still images taken from the video: But, an alligator comes equipped with a very thick skull that protects his thinking muscle from above and from the side, and as a result, you have to come at it from a little bit further back. 10-year-old Texas girl kills 13-foot, 800-pound alligator with - mySA According to Land, a "gator bow" only needs enough power to get the point under the hide of the animal, so most any compound bow in the 30 to 70 pound range can work great. A variety of tools and techniques can be used to hunt alligators, often resulting in high success rates. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Share this on Facebook (opens in new window), Share this on Twitter (opens in new window). Tomorrow: Nicole Jones Reeve Tells about Bing Inside a Brown Bear's Den. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Both Land and Russell noted that gators really begin to pack on the weight once they hit the nine to 10 foot mark. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Booth spotlights gators at night and uses a heavy-duty tarpon rod with a treble hook tied to a 200-pound braided line. They are most prevalent in the southern two-thirds of the state, south of the U.S. 82 highway. Most of these types of hunts charge by the foot. The most common method way to dispatch a tethered gator is by using a bang stick. The license you use to hunt deer and other game is the one needed to hunt alligators. Like any hunting game or hobby, follow your states regulations to avoid legal trouble. Can I Shoot a Bow in My Backyard in Texas? It would be best to find a state where hunting alligators are legal and within your budget. Your email address will not be published. With our public land hunts, the hunter is required to either apply and draw a tag via a state lottery system or purchase a state public land tag from one of our guides when available and in season. Bowhunter Editor and "Bowhunter TV" host Curt Wells visits with Josh Johnson of Spot Hogg at the 2023 Archery Trade Show in Indianapolis. Join other outdoor enthusiasts who already get great content delivered right to their inbox. 2023 Grand View Outdoors All Rights Reserved To shoot an alligator with a gun, you must be on private property (including private waters entirely . Stay out of the q-beam light to avoid interrupting the light casting upon the alligator.