John's Journal...
Entry 165,
Day 2
Hunting Alligators
A Typical Hunt for an Alligator
EDITOR'S
NOTE: Morgan Perrin of Lafitte, Louisiana, has hunted alligators since
1979. Perrin comes from a family of alligator hunters as far back as 1930
and guides hunters to alligators for the Lodge of Louisiana in Barataria,
Louisiana.
Question: Tell me about a typical bow gator hunt.
Perrin: You call and make arrangements at the Lodge of Louisiana. Someone
at the lodge can pick you up or you can drive in, and then you'll eat
dinner at the lodge. The next morning, after breakfast, the guide will
take you out to begin your hunt/stalk for gators. The morning hours are
mostly spent scouting for the gators. The gators come out to feed in the
afternoon, which is when we like to hunt for them. When we know where
a big gator is, we keep checking that general region. We ride slow in
the area, easing around the points and staying close to the bank. We try
to stay out of the gator's sight. Once we spot a gator, we either stop
the engine and flow with the movement of the water or creep really slow
to try to get within 20 yards or less for the hunter to get a shot with
his bow. Most of the time we're able to get closer than 20 yards, depending
on how wild the gator is.
Squared-off
right behind an alligator's eyes is a hard bony spot. Right behind this
bony spot is a small soft spot containing his brain, which is referred
to as the "kill spot." The bow hunter attaches an arrow to a line with
a buoy. Once you shoot the gator, you throw the buoy over the side of
the boat and let the gator go. If the gator is shot directly in the kill
spot, he's already dead. If he isn't hit directly in the kill spot, he'll
drag the buoy around with him. We follow the buoy and the gator, letting
the gator wear down. We'll continue to check on the alligator. Once he's
worn down enough, we'll pull the gator into the boat.
Question: What kind of arrow do you use?
Perrin: We use fiberglass fish arrows because they are heavier than regular
arrows. Of course you have to get a closer shot with a fish arrow than
you do with a conventional arrow. But you're more likely to have an instant
kill when you hit a gator with the heavier arrow. We don't use broadheads
on these arrows, because the broadheads are more likely to pull out than
the fish arrows are.
Question:
What's the biggest alligator you've ever seen a bow hunter take?
Perrin: This year, a hunter took a 10-foot gator weighing 450 pounds.
Question: What happens to the gator after you shoot him
with a bow?
Perrin: Well, what happens next depends on the hunter and what he wants.
The gator won't go to waste. The hide, the meat, the claws -- every part
of the gator gets used for something. And prices vary, depending on the
size of the gator, based on fair-market value.
Question: Do you have to have a license to hunt alligators?
Perrin: Alligator season starts the last couple of days in August and
runs through the end of September. You have to be a landowner to get licensed.
You're allowed one tag for every 75 acres of freshwater marsh that you
own. I'm allowed to take 47 gators a year.
For
more information about hunting alligators, fishing and/or duck hunting
at the Lodge of Louisiana, you can visit the Web site at www.lodgeoflouisiana.com
or e-mail the lodge info@lodgeoflouisiana.com.
TOMORROW: WHAT YOU NEED TO HUNT ALLIGATORS
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