Great tip Jay! Snap back can kill you! I really enjoyed your article in TBM with Karen's Redneck Mink!
I wish I could explain what a great time it is to bowfish for alligators with your kids. The photo below is of my younger son Tyler and the gator he took in 2008 on a very similar hunt as described above.
As a summary of the hunt I have included a quick hunt logistics section below:
•Permits are $272 for residents and $1,022 (plus taxes) for non-residents and were issued on a random drawing basis in 2009. Visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FFWC) website for a full description of the program.
•You are able to select up to five Harvest Unit Numbers with a corresponding Harvest Period. There are four one week harvest periods to choose from generally beginning in mid August and running through mid September. There is also a second season that runs from mid September to the first of November.
•Two CITES tags are provided with the license and must be immediately affixed to the alligator upon harvest. Unused CITES tags must be returned to the FFWC. A Florida hunting license is not required to participate in the Statewide Alligator Harvest.
•Permittees may license alligator trapping agents to assist them with their hunt. Agent’s licenses ($51.50) may be purchased at a license distribution location or online.
•The legal methods for taking of Alligator mississippiensis include: baited wooden pegs, harpoons, snatch hooks, snares, crossguns, or bows. Our chosen method involved stick bows specifically rigged with very stout bowfishing gear.
•Muzzy makes a “gator getter kit” that works very well. It includes very heavy Kevlar line, heavy aluminum arrows with detachable bowfishing heads, float bow mount, and two large floats.
•Alligator meat is excellent and you should salvage as much as possible. The meat will spoil very quickly in the warm Florida weather. You must get the alligator on ice almost immediately.
•If successful in obtaining a permit, you will receive many mailings from alligator processors that will skin and process the alligator. Many will buy the hide from you or process it for a fee.
•Alligator European hide mounts make a very unique trophy and will be the talk of your trophy room. The other option is to have it tanned and to make useful everyday items.
•A good sized boat is recommended. We used a 17' Roughneck boat with a 50/35 Jet motor.
•Much of the hunting time will be while trolling. A good foot controlled trolling motor with a couple of backup batteries is essential.
•Head lamps will definitely make the hunt a bit easier.
•Very bright hand held spotlights are used most of the time for searching for the alligators eye shine. Again, heavy duty marine batteries are needed for the all night excursions. Some experienced alligator hunters equip their boat with a small, quiet generator.
•The very nature of the night hunting experience and the capture and harvest of alligators has the potential of being extremely dangerous and could result in injury.
•Alligators are very powerful and their bite force is one of the highest pounds per inch in the world. They harbor a very infectious bacteria in their mouths that requires immediate and special treatment if you are bitten.
•Electrical tape sticks when wet and is used to tape the alligators mouth closed.
•Skinning the alligator is very similar to skinning of any other animal. If possible, leave the skinning and processing to the professionals.
Topic: Winter Doldrums - How To DIY Florida Alligator Bowhunt (Read 2472 times)
