Gator, before and after

SoylentGreen · 02-16-2009, 07:12 PM

A bit off topic, but I thought you guys might enjoy. I got a piece of home shipped to me in the mail today. Here it is before:

And now here it is after. This is the belly cut only.

You can tan the "horn back" too but only a few places will do boots from it. So after killing the gator near Gainesville, FL and sending it to the tannery at Sebring, FL this arrived today at my place in Hillsboro. Then I shipped it to the custom leather place in EL Paso. Round trip ~6800 miles. After all this I have the steaks in the freezer and get a pair of boots in the mail.

Like I said, I know it is a bit off topic for Oregon but if you ever get a chance to do it, jump!

Art Vandeley · 02-16-2009, 07:15 PM

Very nice ! How long did that measure out to? Every time I go visit my grandparents, there are a lot of those swimming around while I fish. Oh, and Gator tail was very good to eat. My grandpa has got a few of those...

Mitch

Wak · 02-16-2009, 07:17 PM

Pretty cool looking. How did you kill it? Is the tape around its mouth just there in case it comes back to life?

merten · 02-16-2009, 07:18 PM

what did you use to kill the gator

Rauly · 02-16-2009, 07:20 PM

I ate some gator a few years ago. It was really good.

chukarchaser · 02-16-2009, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wak

Pretty cool looking. How did you kill it? Is the tape around its mouth just there in case it comes back to life?

I was wondering the same thing about the tape.

CC

adobe wall · 02-16-2009, 07:23 PM

I always wonder if the gators that have eaten people tell other gators that we taste like chicken?

Great pic, nothing at all off topic about it. People here like to travel. I always wanted to take a gator while I was living on the east coast but never got around to it.

regards, aw

RogueFishr · 02-16-2009, 07:34 PM

Very cool!

I would love to try gator sometime. Is that a pole spear in the back of the picture???

RF

SoylentGreen · 02-16-2009, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merten

what did you use to kill the gator

Right, should have included that.... I'm not in Florida any more. In the back of the truck in the first picture are my snatch rod and a bangstick. The snatch rod is just a fishing rod with a big snatch hook on it. It is useful for smaller gators. This one was 10' tip to tip so we hit it with a harpoon (not pictured). After some time back and forth and round and round the boat on the harpoon line the gator tires and out comes the bangstick. That is the pink rod in the first picture. It is just a .357 receiver on the end of a fiberglass rod. If you have ever used powerheads while spearfishing it is the same principal. You load in the round and stab the stick into the neck of the gator. CRACK and if you did it right the whole thing goes limp. The tape is precautionary. The legs are also tied while in the boat but I took that off for the picture. Hopefully the tape is never needed, but the problem is that people hit them with the bangstick, knocking them unconscious (but not dead) if you miss the brain/spine. Then the 10' and 400lb "dead" gator wakes up while in the boat in the middle of the swamp at 4 AM and now you've got serious problems. Not good, and then you really wich you had the tape on it!

huntsforfood · 02-16-2009, 08:03 PM

ive got a buddie whos grandma lives in florida and next time he goes to visit im hopin to go with he does a lot of hunting and fishing.

Elkhunter · 02-16-2009, 08:03 PM

Sweet, Lets see the boots when you get them. EH

bo4elk · 02-16-2009, 08:19 PM

I'm curious, is it diffiult to get an alligator permit? Expensive? Does it work like tags in Oregon, where you apply, and some areas are harder to draw? Do you need a guide, or is something that folks do on their own? Is harvesting a gator common in Florida, as say an elk is to an Oregonian? Like I said, just curious, I'm naive to gator hunting, but I'm certain that I'm not alone in this group.

nakoa · 02-17-2009, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elkhunter

Sweet, Lets see the boots when you get them. EH

i wouldn't mind trying to shoot one with my bow. but if i misss i'm not sure i want a made gator in a pond for the next guy.

AnnaDraMoss · 02-17-2009, 07:59 AM

What type of boat were you hunting from. What length was the boat. Airboat possibly?
I've seen people promoting guided gator hunts.
What is the limit for gators?
Looks like a blast.
Thanks for the pictures, and story.
snatchrod and bangstick

only in the south........

jr5575 · 02-17-2009, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bo4elk

I'm curious, is it diffiult to get an alligator permit? Expensive? Does it work like tags in Oregon, where you apply, and some areas are harder to draw? Do you need a guide, or is something that folks do on their own? Is harvesting a gator common in Florida, as say an elk is to an Oregonian? Like I said, just curious, I'm naive to gator hunting, but I'm certain that I'm not alone in this group.

I know a girl that lives in Florida and she says its just like deer season here. You go buy your tag and go get a gator.

Looks like fun

SoylentGreen · 02-17-2009, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bo4elk

I'm curious, is it diffiult to get an alligator permit? Expensive? Does it work like tags in Oregon, where you apply, and some areas are harder to draw? Do you need a guide, or is something that folks do on their own? Is harvesting a gator common in Florida, as say an elk is to an Oregonian?

Unfortunately, I have never killed an elk in Oregon, although I hope to change that this year. They just changed the system this year and gator tags are first come, first served for the whole state. I've been three times, and only had a guide once. If you know what you're doing it is not terribly difficult. You just have to really want one to stay awake out in the swamp all night. I think there were ~7000 gator tags last year in Florida, statewide. Just for reference, that number in Arkansas is ~20 and in Louisiana it's ~50,000 (yes...).

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnnaDraMoss

What type of boat were you hunting from. What length was the boat. Airboat possibly?
I've seen people promoting guided gator hunts.
What is the limit for gators?
Looks like a blast.
Thanks for the pictures, and story.
snatchrod and bangstick

only in the south........

Most people do use airboats. I was in an 18' jon boat since I don't own an airboat. You get two tags when you register for gators.

Pink Salmon · 02-18-2009, 09:44 PM

That is just too sweet. Where near Gainsville did you get him? I lived near Gainsville for many years and loved chasing gators (out of the roads that is). They can get HUGE, we've found some 12-14 ft. long. Every now and then we would run into a snapping turtle. Congrats on the gator

Critter Getter · 02-18-2009, 10:01 PM

I always thought that gaters were distributed all through the south. I was on a company business trip some years back to Mississippi. While there I asked every place we ate about alligator and they told me I would have to go to Louisiana to get gator on the menu, as they were protected in Mississippi at that time. They didn't say anything about Florida. But things are probably different now. By the way I never did get to try eating alligator.But have heard it is very good eating similar to pork roast is what I was told. YumYum.