Lets go Gator hunting!

[Benjy]

My daughter finally drew a SC Gator tag after 3 years! After a couple of failed attempts to go hunting, at last we made it to the river!

We arrived at the boat landing and launched the boat, after about 10 minutes we had to stop and take a few pictures.


 

Of course we had to pose for a picture!

 

[Sharpend60]

I dunno why but Ive always wanted to go on a gator hunt.

[zipper bowss]

[Benjy]

This is her bow and arrow set up.

The Bow
58" Zipper SXT recurve, evolution limbs, 35# at her draw length of 25"

 

 

AMS retriver Big Game reel. With my home made accessory quiver bracket strap. It attaches with velcro and then I use electrical tape to secure it so it does not come off.

 

The arrow is a Beman .340 @ 29". It has a 100 grain insert, 145 grain field point and a 250 modified muzzy gator point. For a total point weight of 495 grains and a total arrow weight of 800 grains. I shorten the point and the barbs so it does not require as much penetration to get the barbs under the skin. I then coat the feathers with Camp Dry to water proof them. The bottom arrow was under water for 45 minutes ( sounds like a hint!)

 

 

[Whip]

I like the way this is starting out! Looking forward to the rest  

[Jerry Jeffer]

That reel brings in Gators!?      Amazing. Can't wait to see this.

[JEFF B]

come on Bro we want more tell april i said hey and i hope she gets a gator  first  and beats the old man      

[gregg dudley]

:D        :D

[VictoryHunter]

[IndianaBowman]

Awesome! Can't wait for this one! Gator hunting with you daughter is the best! Both my daughters have taken gators with me.

[South MS Bowhunter]

 Check up later after church!

[Benjy]

Jerry, the reel has a slot built into it so that you attach the line to a float. When you shoot something big, it pulls the line off and if it runs far enough it will pull off the float.

Back to the story. I run about 8 miles up the river, I try to get away from other people so I don't disturb them. I like to slow troll and drift using as little light as possible. When I get into shooting range I turn on the big light to judge the size and to shoot if big enough.

This would be my daughter's first gator so we planed to shoot anything over 7'. As soon as dark set in we started drifting, trolling and shinning for a gator. The first set of eyes lit up and we started easing to that side of the river so we would drift by it. It went down when we were about 50 yards away. This happened at least 20 times over the next couple of hours. The gators were not cooperating so we lowered our size to around 6'.

Finally we had one that stayed up, I put the big light on him, he was about 3' long. Our luck is changing!

How about a little tease while I go grab a bite to eat.

 

[tippit]

Very exciting...were those meds controlling your HR   :eek:

[JEFF B]

way cool Bro i hope thats Aprils Gator      

[JAG]

Come On Benjy!  You're making my heart condition worse..................  Get on with the story!!!!!
Johnny/JAG

[FerretWYO]

Loving this story already.

[IndianaBowman]

Fantastic! Let's go April! Can't wait for the rest.

[Benjy]

Jeff, I did not have any problems with my HR, I had some help with me, he needed some meds when everything was over.    

Jeff B, April has the gator tag. I did not draw one this year.

After 5 hours of chasing gators, a couple of very close shot oportunities, we decided to "hunt" back towards the boatramp. The ramp is about 5 miles away so it would take about 2 1/2 hours to get back.

After a couple more stalks and another close call, we were all feeling a little rejected. It has been cooler this year and we are close to the end of the Gator season so I just figured between the hunting pressure and the cooler weather, the gators were hiding up in the grass flats. April had made the comment earlier that "all we need is one dumb one to show up". I laughed because I knew that she was right!

April said "there is one" and we headed toward the middle of the river. We were at about 10 yards away and I turned on the spot light! We all busted out laughing, we just put a perfect spot and stalk on, on a stick!It is funny how an air bubble on a stick can reflect light!

[slim_grim]

Can't wait to see some pictures. Gator hunting The Carolinas? I had no idea...

[Benjy]

After a few more minutes, we went around a bend in the river and there was another one. This time it had the red glow that is normal from the reflection in there eyes.

This time I kept the big spotlight on. I would shine it at 12 O'clock over it's head so we had just enough light to see the glow in the gators eyes.

We slowly close the gap to around 5 yards, I put the light on him and imediately tell April to shoot! This gator is over 7' and is perfect! She draws back, hits anchor and shoots...right over the back of his neck! This gator just sits there! I am thinking "we found the dumb one"! I pull the line and arrow back and the gator just eases under. Aprils heart sank, I told her "he will come back up in a few minutes" I got her retriver set back up and you gussed it he popped back up about 10 yards up river.

I eased the boat up to him, we get to 5 yards. I told April to shoot! She drew back and shot, this time...she shot under him! He still did not bust out of there! He just eased under the water again. Now April is "ticked" off! I am still thinking that this is Aprils gator! I set her bow up up and told her I felt he would be back up again.

In Aprils defense, we are in a moving boat, in the dark and the target(neck area)that you can see is the size of a quart mason jar. There head is solid bone and is not the target!

Would you believe it, he is up again! We ease over to him, April draws back and shoots! Crack! She shot him right in the head! This time he took off like a rocket! I am thinking oh crap, he is gone now! April exclaims "Dad, I got him he is pulling out the line! I look, and to my surprise she is right he is peeling off the line!

I told her "Do not pull on that line!" The gator went to the bottom. I did not want to pull on the arrow line cause I was scared that it would pull out. So I have a big treble hook attached to a cord that I am going to use. We ease up and throw the hook out and snag him. After about 15 minutes of kaos we have him secured, dispatched and in the boat!

Wow what an adventure! There is nothing like seeing and sharing the excitement of your kids enjoying a sport that we love!

 By the way, this is Aprils first Trad bow kill!!! We were so pumped!
Ok, Here are the pictures!

   

The head shot! This was unbelievable! This is the only "soft" spot on a gators head! It is 3/4" tall and 3" long!

   

Gators are reptiles, after the humane dispatch, ALWAYS tape there mouth shut and hog tie there feet with electrical tape. This one was blinking 10 minutes after we had him in the boat so I used my Tippit knife and severed his spine.

On I almost forgot, the trophy specs are...

PRICELESS!!!!!!!!


I hope ya'll enjoyed our hunt!
The day after pictures!