# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Hunting & Trapping >  2013 SC Gator

## COWBOYSURVIVAL

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## Ken

Great!  You got one!   :clap:

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## woodsman86

Very nice! How did you train him to jump up in the tree?

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## Ken

*Patty's Famous Alligator Recipes
*
http://www.gatorama.com/showpage.asp?page=recipes

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## crashdive123

Well done.  Looks like quite a few meals, knife handles and sheaths.

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## hunter63

Wow, Way Cool.......Congrats man!
Catch him on the treble hook and then one in the head?

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## Rick

Note to self.....start list with Carolina tree climbing gators....

Congrats. I know you were anxious to get one and I'm glad you were successful.

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## welderguy

Nice!!!!! CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!

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## zeroed4x

MMMmmm Gator Loin.... pan seared and then backed or broiled with a scampi sauce....

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

Thanks for the kind replies. Here is how he was subdued.

We stalked up on him on the bank in a boat. He made us and sliped in the water. We chased him for about an hour casting on him with 12/O treble hooks.

 We snagged him first with one rod and then snagged him with a second rod. The first hook came loose and tangled around the rod. A third rod was used and again a second hook was attached to the gator. 

Then the third rod gave up (the reel handle broke off). With one rod and reel working, but 2 still attached a harpoon with a toggle dart was used, but after three tries it would not penetrate the scoots due to the angle. 

So, a smaller harpoon with a muzzy gator getter was deployed in the tail. 

Finally the gator was giving up with his tail sticking straight up as all the lines were in the back half of the beast. He gave us a death roll. 

A hand line with a treble hook was used which hooked into the upper jaw perfectly. We brought him along beside the boat and a .45 ACP was inserted about 1/2" of the spine. He went limp. 

We caught our breath and he came back to life opening his eyes and his mouth. A .44 magnum was then placed directly on the spine and severed the spine. 

Interesting enough neither bullet exited the beast. One was recovered so far. The taxidermist will look for the other. I am getting a full mount. 

Note also that it was just me and my Brother all the way from NM, in a 14ft. Jon boat.

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## Ken

I watched Jaws.  I would have used a bigger boat.

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

> I watched Jaws.  I would have used a bigger boat.


I decided on a bigger pistol instead!

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## Ranger F

Very cool!  Congrats!

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

> Very cool!  Congrats!


Thanks! The head is at the taxidermist and I am working on the hide at home.

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## Ken

> Thanks! The head is at the taxidermist and I am working on the hide at home.


Have the taxidermist install a spring hinge in his jaw.  Those teeth would make an awesome meat tenderizer or paper hole punch.   :Innocent:

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## Ken

Hey,  :Cowboy: ?  Have you given him a name yet?   :Confused1: 

*List of Fictional Crocodiles and Alligators*

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...and_alligators


(Am I the ONLY ONE here that's noticed that Cowboy is the only member of the Forums with his own personal smiley?   :Sneaky2: )

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

Yup! We named him "Lucky" prior to the hunt! :Cowboy:

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## Batch

Muzzy's are bad to the bone! 

Congrats on the nice gator! What did he measure out to?

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

> Muzzy's are bad to the bone! 
> 
> Congrats on the nice gator! What did he measure out to?


9'6" male with 6" of tail missing...10' lizard!

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## oldtrap59

We have seen a couple along the Sabine this summer with the extreme low water but nothing of that size. Thank the almighty. :Smile:  Looks to be alot of good eats there. Good job man.

OT

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

> We have seen a couple along the Sabine this summer with the extreme low water but nothing of that size. Thank the almighty. Looks to be alot of good eats there. Good job man.
> 
> OT


Thanks OT! I am now looking forward to going back to work and spending a day without an alligator. Yesterday I finally got the fingers boned out. This is by far the most difficult hide I have ever done.

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

Hey Ya'll! Been awhile, life got busy! But, thought I'd stop by and say....Wish me luck on Alligator 2.0! I got drawn again! Got my cousin from Mississippi coming for the hunt this year!

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## randyt

Good Luck, post pictures and all that

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

> Good Luck, post pictures and all that


Thanks man, re-rigging the boat today. I had it setup for WOT with a cleaver prop, gotta turn it back into a huntin' boat.

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## randyt

Have you ever used a long tailed mud motor

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

> Have you ever used a long tailed mud motor


No, I haven't, there are lots of them used here. Lol! I am still running a 1987 2cylinder Mariner 40 hp. It is a work horse, wouldn't trade it for a brand new one. Here is a video with the cleaver prop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09-k-M-wzRE

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## Rick

Hey! Where on earth have you been? Good to see you back.

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

> Hey! Where on earth have you been? Good to see you back.


My friend, life got real busy. I accomplished a lot at work! Maybe, too much, 'cause they are wanting me to do it again. Raisin' an Angel I am very proud of, she went duck huntin' last year. Here is a video from last duck season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k2j03l4LFM

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## hunter63

Good to see ya back.......been a while.....

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## crashdive123

Good luck with your hunt.  Glad to see you back.

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

Thanks guys, well we let the gator walk this year, just couldn't get on a bigger one and didn't want to take a smaller one. The alligator project here has definitely taken a toll on the big ones. We spent 3, 12 hour days on the water and saw the whole lake. It was a good time with my cousin, we hadn't spent any real time together since we were a lot younger!

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## hunter63

That's what it's all about....the occasion....whether you got anything of not.....family even better.
Thanks for posting.

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## COWBOYSURVIVAL

Yes Sir! Showed my ole' cuz the whole lake! Parts I've never seen!

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## Rick

I shall go gator hunting next spring in Minnesota. Or maybe Quebec. I hope to have the same kind of luck catch wise.

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## hunter63

LOL....Some day I will get a pic of the fake gator head in the runoff pond at the mall Chevy dealer....Supposed to keep the the geese for crapping in the pond....(lots of geese with babies).

Have seen the geese sitting on the plastic head......like an island....and also seen the head sticking out of the ice in early winter...
Thought it make a heck of a photo op.....

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