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[email protected] Never shot a gator--no idea how they fight, but 'rays amaze me. Even the smaller ones fight like crazy (unless you hit that perfect spot, then there's zero fight), and when they get tired they have the ability to stick to the bottom like a suction cup. How in the world they can do that on sand is beyond me. Be sure to have limb loppers (tree pruning type) on the boat--long handle type. Best thing I've seen for breaking/cutting off the tail so you don't get stung. The stinger isn't on the very end like you might think, and it's not uncommon for them to have more than one stinger. You can run a knife under it to cut it off, put it in a bottle with some diluted bleach or peroxide, and it will get the skin off leaving just the bone. I think that's the only bone in a 'ray (they are cousins to sharks). Makes a cool keepsake. Forgot to mention...it's a cheap trip too, at least compared to most trips you'll take.