Florida Alligator for My 15 Yr Old Daughter - Help

[IndianaBowman]

I was fortunate to draw an alligator tag for Okeechobee County. It allows for 2 alligators. I got this tag mainly because my 15 year old daughter wanted to try for one. My 19 year old son will also come along and try for one as well. The real goal is to try to get my daughter on a nice gator. We will be bowfishing for them with traditional archery gear.

I have some good ideas on some canals and rivers in the area, but any advice or help would be much appreciated. My dad has a place right in Okeechobee and I'll be bringing my boat.

I did go last year with my 16 year old son and he got a 10' gator out of Blue Cypress Lake. Thanks to Jeff and Daniel Holchin for a great time!

[ishiwannabe]

Awesome Terry! Good luck....back up.

[IndianaBowman]

Thanks Jamie! You've all met Jen and she is excited to go. She even asked when we were going bear hunting next. Glad to see the desire coming back. Boys, cheerleading, sports, etc. all got in the way for a while.

I have some good areas in mind for Florida and we should do OK. I was just hoping for some more local knowledge. I've been down many times and have a friend who has an airboat that we can recruit if necessary. I plan to stick to canals, rivers, and creeks for now.

[Chris Surtees]

Congrats on the tag. I am sure some of the S. FL folks will be along shortly with some advice.

[Stone Knife]

I can see Jen taking a nice gator on this trip  

[gregg dudley]

Try your post on the Florida and Georgia conferences.  If you have killed a gator you know more than I do.  I only bought a tag one time and only got to go out a few nights, but I found the experience pretty humbling.  The area that I hunted was heavily pressured and the gators were hard to approach.  I passed opportunities on a few five and six foor gators holding out for something 8 foot plus and ended up eating my tags.

Good luck and let us know how you do.

Gregg

[john fletch]

My advice is........

When you do get a shot, keep your hands, arms and heads inside the boat at all times !

[IndianaBowman]

Thanks Gregg! We had a good hunt last year with my son and the Holchins. We had many opportunities and with another day or so we could've brought home 4 gators. We only hunted 2 nights.  

Fletcher - that's kind of what Holchin kept saying. Watch for the next PBS issue, should be a fun story in it.

[IndianaBowman]

Any feedback on Taylor Creek, Lemkin Creek, Nubbin and Popash Slough would be great!

[Big Ed]

Terry, Tell Jen Big Ed says hello and good luck on her gator quest. Keep us all posted

[IndianaBowman]

Thanks Ed!  We've got a little while the season is Aug.15-22.

[Jeff D. Holchin]

I hope that Jen and Jeff have as much fun as we all had last year!  Terry will have to change his nickname to "Stumpy" and skip the "high-fives" if he isn't more careful with those varmits.....

I will say this, if Terry ever invites you to join him on a hunt, GO!  Anything can happen while hunting with this man......

[IndianaBowman]

Pot calling the kettle black right there! Jeff, I remember a hunt on a very remote island in Alaska where a hunter came dragging in WAY after dark! Oh, and don't forget the giant snapping turtle! I believe your words were "can I grab it"! Then began the boat dance! Sure was fun! What's next! : ) Good luck to you and Daniel on your hunts this fall. I'm sure you'll have a great time at the PBS Doug Kerr Memorial.  I've got another adventure in mind - you ready?

[ishiwannabe]

Try tackling a rabbit for him...   :rolleyes:   Think I still have a thorn in my leg....  

[IndianaBowman]

Prettiest Superman dive I've ever seen! The rabbit was really tastey! Thanks!

[IndianaBowman]

Looks like we are all set. I just talked with my friend in Florida and he assures me we will be OK. Since we have the only County wide tag offered he knows of a 12+ foot gator that we are the only ones that can hunt it. Looks like Jen could be wrangling a big gator! He also is confident we can get another 11' or better gator for my son Jeff. This is gonna be great! He wasn't all that keen on not using a bang stick, but using a gun just isn't in the equation.

[Jeff Sample]

Chomp chomp!!!  

[gregg dudley]

A COUNTY TAG!!!!!!!!

You are golden!