Gator hunt

[GetReal]

So a friend asked me for help dispatching What is legally termed a nuisance alligator.

After significant research on his part with State department of natural resources and wildlife fish and game and police and all other imaginable legal sources, he came up with the legal requirements to get rid of an alligator that has become a nuisance in his subdivision. DNR says they can't do anything about it until it has harmed a pet or a humam, bur resudents can.

Assuming all other legal requirements are met, I'm looking for recommendations as to an ethical, clean kill.

His research says back of the alligator's head behind the ears is proper shot placement. The neighborhood wants suppressed firearm used.

Ive got 9mm SBR, 6ARC, 300BLK, 300Hamr.

What shot placement and caliber would you recommend ?

Thx.

 

[SD guy]

Sounds like a application for the 300 BLK pushing a 150 to 220 grain Maker. Study up on a brain shot for this critter.

 

[6BRA]

They use 22s on Swamp people. Placement is key.

 

[Knotwild]

How big is he? What you use to kill the gator depends on how you are required to take him. Most states require you to hook the gator before you take him. Second thought is how big it is and if you are trying to save the head for a mount. Some people want to process the meat and hide, and mount the head. The brain is a little smaller than a walnut. Take a look on the internet so you'll know where that tiny brain is located. Your 9mm SBR suppressed should be great.

If you have to hook him, a .22lr or 22 magnum will be sufficient. Hooking them is good because they can sink if brain shot. If you make a bad shot under the brain, which knocks them out, be careful, because you will be handling something that can regain consciousness and be pretty angry (I once had that happen as I trying to get one into a small aluminum boat once). I once knew a guy who poached alligators when it was illegal to hunt them. He used a suppressed .22 sometimes, but most often used a 1 1/2lb hammer. If trying to save the head, you can also shoot the spine where it joins the head, but make sure you get that spine cut.

It's really not a good idea to shoot one on the water unhooked if you have houses and neighbors close by. Trying to hit that walnut sized brain at any distance is hard and misses will mean ricochets. Plus, if you kill one and he sinks, and you can't find him with a treble hook - you will have the most ill smelling carcass to deal with that you can ever imagine.

If you eat the meat, cube it and brine it for about 30 minutes after you cube it and then soak it in freshwater for another 30 to get the salt out. Do this before you freeze it. They taste better in the early spring because they are lean. Once they start feeding and building fat, they get rank.

I got his one for the guy holding the tail to eat. He's about 6'.


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[TimS]

Choot it

 

[GetReal]

 

[Kevin57]

Be real careful about the laws. You may not be getting good info. In Florida nuisance gators can only be removed by a specifically licensed gator trapper. A homeowner killing one is a FELONY.

I have taken a bunch of them during Gator season. We have a permit draw here. We must use a bang stick during hunting season no firearms allowed. They are VERY hard to get a brain shot on. About 3 inches behind the eyes. A close shot will stun them, and they will come back to life at the exact wrong time. After shooting them take a mallet and chisel and sever the spine just behind the skull...it sorts everything out. I had one come back to life in a 22-foot boat. It was character building. My taxidermist has only one arm because he was careless with a "dead" gator. We deal with this a lot in Florida.

 

[Hipshoot]

Feed the gator a Democrat!

 

[Mark W]

A little OT but, anybody in the Florida area know is it's legal to shoot/kill pythons? Seems to be an overabundance that needs killing?? The folks that are catching them, getting paid $$$ for them???

I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong, but the last time I looked into it, they couldn’t be legally killed in the field. They had to be captured and brought in alive in order to be humanely euthanized…lol

At the time I was making mid winter trip to Florida and was hoping to go try to kill some. Catching them is out for me. I was hoping to blast them with a 12 gauge……lol

 

[ebb]

The spot that your friend mentioned is in fact my favorite. Caliber means nothing, Ive seen many DRT with 22magnum. Anything you mentioned will be overkill. Be prepared they will wiggle and twist some times for hours after they are dead. Do some research on cleaning a gator, there is way more meat than just the tail. Taking only the tail is a poachers way of getting meat in a hurry. Many of the muscles have a membrane between them that if removed will make for a better tasting meal, and it will be less chewy. One of my neighbors was a state certified trapper, Ive watched him on several occasions, but usually i was there to get something tig welded and not too serious on gator cleaning. Good luck!!!

 

[ebb]

Call the FWC I am sure if you want to kill pythons they can set you up. On public land they may require some paper work on private land I am reasonably sure it is an issue like wild hogs where they are not considered a game animal and the property of the landowner. Taht said there may be some regs as to how and when, but minor.

 

[Kevin57]

Cheeks are the best meat. Back straps, tail meat and tenderloins can be removed without opening the body cavity where the internal organs are, if you open that you will be sorry. Skin the gator first with a cut from the tip of the tail to the skull on the top of the gator. The white meat will be obvious. Years ago we tried to eat the meat from the legs. It was awful.

 

[DGP4]

Having lived all my life around them, I would say your best bet is to trap it. Gators are highly unpredictable and not in a good way. Getting close enough to one to dispatch it with a handgun is not wise. A pal of mine dispatched one that came up close to us in our jon boat when fishing for bass many years ago. He used a .22 revolver on the back of the head as mentioned and it rolled over dead.

 

[akajun]

Big hook
Like almost 1/4” thick, they also make a woven / flexible fish tape that a gators teeth can’t wear down , and half rotten chicken
Stinkier the better. Hang it about 2 feet from the water from a tree or bamboo pole and tie it to something big
When you go to get it bring help
One person to pull it in slowly on land and one person to shoot . .223 is plenty
If in a boat a 22 out next to its head will work
Or if you can catch him sunning like that and have a safe shot, 223, 270, etc
Doesn’t take much but if it goes back in the water don’t go after it, it will float up in a day or two

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Looks like a fun "problem" to have.