Well the first session of the Southwest Alabama alligator hunt which started at 8:00pm August 15 and ended at 6:00am August 18 i

[santa]

Well the first session of the Southwest Alabama alligator hunt which started at 8:00pm August 15 and ended at 6:00am August 18 is now in the history books. The hunt started out with fair weather and looked to be real promising, but that soon changed. The majority of the hunt ended up in unpleasant rain which limited the gators movements and no use of bait is allowed by Alabama regulations to entice them to activity. I do not participate in the hunt myself, but I do have two friends with one tag each (which is all you are allowed out of the 150 issued for the delta). I was depending on them for my alligator meat this this year, but with the weather so bad, they did not even go out to try to get one during this first session. I have not given up hope on them yet because there is a second part to the season which starts at 8m August 22 and ends at 6:am August 25. So there still is a chance that I will end up with some fresh alligator meat this year.

[DakotaMan]

Thanks for the update Santa and good luck with the second season! I really like alligator meat and should get my rear in gear and do this myself.

[bayouwoof]

Vevva seen as many gatorz as whut's in Little Bay John Creek.

Nevva take a dawg there.

They'll grab him right outta the boat!

[Treestand]

Hey santa, I love Gator meat...but to Olde to Fight one...but like you, I have many Friends that give me some meat. Back strap and Tail are the best. Good Luck to you and friends on part II of Gator season.

[jay]

Is there a difference between wild gator and farm raised gator meat? I've only had what was served at restaurants which I assume is farm raised.

[Gary Devine]

How do you hunt gators?

With a large hook and bait then check it the following day?
Or do you spot them at night with a flashlight then shot them?

[Gary Devine]

sorry, shoot not shot

[Treestand]

Here in Fl they use a BANG Stick, 45Acp or 357Mag
You can use Spot light or Car/Head light off a 12Volt Battery,Time: 1/Hr after Sunset to 9:Am.

[santa]

Jay, last year I was lucky enough to score a large portion of a 13'+ gator and the tail meat on it was so tough that it even made the gravy chewy. But the backstrap off it was not too bad. We ended up grinding the tail and three of the hams into sausage. The only experience I have with farm raised gator meat is some that I ate at a restaurant in New Iberia, La and it was not tough at all and probably came off a much smaller gator.

Gary, Gator hunting in Alabama is nothing like you see done in Louisiana on TV. First, you can only hunt them after sundown (8:00pm) until dawn (6:00am). Second, you can not bait hooks to catch them! You can not even shoot them out in open water. You must have the gator secured and up to the boat before dispatching. No rifles, (not even a .22) only shotguns with #4 shot or smaller or with a kill stick. Methods of actually catching the gator to get it to the boat for dispatching include specialized bow fishing equipment, harpoon, snag hook, or a long handled snare. There were only 150 tags issued this year for the Mobile River Delta. Those tags were chosen from many thousands of applications by a lottery and given out just one per winner. Those lucky applicants that got their one tag then had to take a special course on hunting alligator and the proper dispatching of the animal. The hunting season for the delta has two sessions which only lasts for three nights each. The first session is over for the year and only three nights are left for this year. By the way, there are no tags issued to out of state hunters for the southwest hunt where the delta is.

[bayouwoof]

Down in Alabammie, they use a very large hook tied to a ski rope and use small children for bait.

They drag 'em down the bayou very slowly until the gator grabs the bait.

Works best during daylight hours.

[jay]

bayouwoof - do you think dawgz could be used instead of children?

[bayouwoof]

Jay -

Dawgz ARE children; fuzzy-faced angels.

Ah just repeated something thet evvabuddy there nose.

It is mebbe the oldest joke in Sowfalabammie.

Ah deleted some definition from it so as to not incur the wrath of certain self-appointed leaders.

It wuz intended, as usual, to see who wood come out from beneath the porch.

If Ah lived there, Ah wood nevva go duck hunting or bass fishing again.

Ah went froggin(not friggin)one night at mah Bass fishin hole and saw no less than 30 gatorz lining the creek banks like logz.

Ah used to always see one or two big uns while fishin, butt...

[bayouwoof]

The Gypsy, rest her soul, had some major scarring on her hindquarterz.

She used to sneak up on mah farm pond to git a drink.

If she thought she saw movement in the water, she wuz instantly GONE.

If there is water on yore property in Florida, you've got gatorz.

They don't have them or water mexicanz here.

Thanx for askin...

[Gary Devine]

What do you do with the gator's skin?
Do you sell it like they do on TV or do you make something with it?

Hunting gators at night with a bow and arrow sounds neat.
The blood sucking mosquitoes must eat you guys alive and they could drive you insane.