Heading to my first GA gator hunt

[Hodgie]

Sounds awesome man! Glad your persistence paid off and I hope you get a nice one.

When does your hunt take place?

[CoffeeMan]

Are you going to keep the head for a mount? Or the hide? Just make sure it is dead before you haul it onto the boat! And put up some pictures!

[jcourson]

I live in zone 8 from 3rd grade until I left for college.
Though the only gators that I ever saw around Macon (in the water) were in the Tobosofkee. A few more in/around the roads, but no more than 5-6 feet.

edit: Nevermind....Macon is in zone 5. I saw a lot more gators growing up in zone 4 though.

[aubie515]

Everything on tv made it seem like that quarter size area was the only way to kill a gator. It makes for good tv ratings, but it's not the reality. I'm finding out that you dont need to be next to gator to make kill shot.

My guide says his preferred method is to hook gator and let it swim away from boat...take shot with crossbow around 10-15' away, so you have entire back of it's head exposed.

He uses specialized broadheads to penetrate the thick skin. I'm debating to use my Mission crossbow or poly 80 9mm pistol. The pistol would be cool, as I'd send it to Polymer 80 to show them that I killed a gator with their lower.

When I was stationed at Ft. Stewart in the early 90s, I saw tons of gators on base. My guide says zone 8 is the sleeper zone and his customers killed a 12'6" gator in zone 8.

I just paid for hunting license and gator tags a few minutes ago. I'll keep this thread updated.

[ar15jules]

Good luck, be safe, have fun and take lots of photos.

[aubie515]

I just got my tag today...it looks like a giant zip tie in red with a tag number. I'm waiting on them to mail me the gator permit. Will update.