Here is the roport on our alligator hunt in Darien, Georgia. This is the second year in a row that we have gone. Each year we have seen hundreds of alligators including several monsters. This is a really exciting type of hunting. You hunt from a boat at night with lights. You basically ride around slowly shining the lights around you until you see the tell tale red eyes shining back at you. It is amazing how far away you can see this even with a Surefire flashlight. The problem is that you usually can't tell how big the gator is until you are right on top of him. Unless he is facing toward you and you can judge the distance between the eyes, a three foot gator's eye pretty much shines like a 12 foot gator's eye.

So you spot the eye and then start trying to close the distance. Once you get about 50 yards, depending on if the current is helping or hurting you, you cut the big motor and go to the trolling motor to close the gap. We found that cutting all but one light helped not spook the gators allowing you to get closer without them going under. Keep in mind that you must be in line with the light to see the shine though, when you cut your light, you must keep your eyes in line reamining light. If you are at another angle off, you will not be able to see the reflection.

Sometimes they are stationary in the weeds, sometimes they are right out in the channel swimming. Most of the time, you can get fairly close either way.

The hunter stands in the bow of the boat. In our case we were using an Excaliber crossbow with a Muzzy Gatorgetter arrow set and retrieval system. (By the way, you have to rig the bracket for a crossbow as it is really designed for a regular bow). Georgia law is that you must restrain the gator at boatside before it can be dispached with a bag stick or pistol.

So anyway, you come cruising in on the gator. The hard part is judging the gators. Usually all you can see is the head. The rule of thumb is that for each inch from nose to eye equals about a foot of gator. I have not found this to be exact by any means but it is a start.

From the shine of the eye, you can't usually tell which way the gator is facing, etc. So as you cruise in you have to try to evaluate the gator very quickly before he submerges. This is a total adrenalin rush.

The first trip in 04 we were really just learning how to do all this and we blew shots at several nice gators. We also only had two days and ended up taking an 8 foot gator.

This trip, we were after a monster. We had 3 nights to hunt and were were prepared to come home empty handed if needed. We passed on several 11+ gators looking for a monster, but ended up taking the 9'8" gator on literally as the rooster crowed (I have no idea why a rooster was crowing in the middle of a tidal river, but it was) on the last morning of the hunt.

After you shoot the gator with the crossbow, he usually goes straight to the bottom and refuses to come up. We lost a nice gator last year trying to horse him up, so this year we thought we would wait him out. Apparently, an hour is not long enough to do so and we lost patience and horsed him up. Fortunately the arrow held and we put another arrow in him and attached another line. Needless to say, these arrows do nothing to kill the gator. The point lodges below the skin and holds but does nothing to the vitals.

So when you get him a boatside, he is very much alive and less than happy. Last year, we used a homemade rabies pole around the mouth with a look of cable to further restrain him which is a total rush since it really lets you feel his power. We forgot the pole on this trip.

Anyway, we then dispatched him with my Beretta 96 40 S&W. I took a couple of shots to convience him we were serious. With a little insurance duct tape around the mouth we lugged him in the boat. Since he is cold blooded, he did manage to rearrange the boat contents a bit with his tail on the ride back to the dock inspiring several "are you sure this thing is dead" thoughts.

One sad turn of events was when we had pulled the boat out of the water with a dead gator on the bow of the boat and I managed to get a speeding ticket about 100 yards from the boat ramp. Oddly, the police officer didn't even comment on the gator or the pistol in plain view on the seat next to me.

As a side note, I would like to say that there is a reason that manatees are endangered. There we were shooting the gator in the head with the pistol when a curious manatee decided to swim over and join the party. In fact he stayed around the boat for over an hour until we cranked up the motor. Given the prop scars all over his back, when the motor cranked, he took off, but during the hour he was with us, he allowed us to pet him even rolling over so we could pet his stomach. It was a nice bonus on a cool gator hunt.

I definitely hope I get to go back and try to track down one of the big boys soon.

Photos:

Great photos and good report. Can
non-residents hunt in Georgia?
Do you need help next year

They can. You just have to draw a tag which usually requires several years of building rejection points. However, you have the same odds as the residents (I am sad to say). It is a lot of fun though and definitly something you can do without a guide. Well maybe if you want a 13 footer you better hire a guide.

Nice write-up and pictures! I've always wanted to chase 'gators around in water at night. Costs or link to an outfitter?

Oops. Just re-read the title as far as self-guided...

Thanks,

KG

Nice gators ,here in Argentina we have some different species but a lot of them in the north of the country see DON LIETZAU SAFARI POST.Juan

Every time I see a post with a title like "Self-guided Alligator Hunt in South Georgia" I ask myself, "Shouldn't that be in the Humor Forum?

But I've always wanted to hunt gators, and it sounds like you guys are getting it figured out.

Great story.


Okie John

Gators are gettiing thick in the south. Today on MSN rport that 3 people have been killed by gaters in one week iin florida
sounds liike Florida is a good place to wack a gator

The video in particular was more humor than quality action. My highly trained videogropher, after numerous beers started videoing himself with a Steve Irwin croc hunter/Blair witch flair. It is hilarious but due to his antics, the batteries lasted right up to the point where we shot the gator with the bow. So you never really see the fight or the gator in the boat on camera. I guess we are learning but have a long way to go.

Fantastic Gator Hunt report & photos - learning by doing, glad you guys arwe having a good time!

After the tragic news of the past couple of days maybe some of the southern States will get a little bit more judicious with issung tags!

Very Interesting Report for this unguided Gator hunt.

Waidmannsheil
s.