Hunting trip swap...

Joined
Mar 31, 2019
Messages
1,119
Location
NW Florida
Good afternoon, folks. I was just wondering if any of you would be interested in exchanging a NW Florida alligator hunt for helping put me on an elk (or perhaps some other western big game hunt). Please feel free to shoot me a message if this might interest you and I'll fill you in on the details of the hunt, but here are the basics... I have a house on a river system that offers hundreds of miles of great territory, and if the weather cooperates, I can pretty much guarantee 1-2 alligators up to about 8 feet. 9-10 footers are most definitely possible on any hunt. I've never killed one over 11 (they are pretty smart by that size), but they're out there and I've certainly put many a stalk on them only to prove unsuccessful. Anyway, I've got the perfect boat for it, and all of the necessary gear and most years I have plenty of tags. I also have a cooler for immediate storage, and would be happy to drop off at processor at the end of a hunt. Once processed I'd also be happy to handle the brining and eventual salting and shipment of hides to a tannery of your choice. There is also a local taxidermy guy who does great euro mounts of the skulls. No alligator is the same in terms of how to best harvest. As such, on board will be all of the gear necessary to implement a combination of crossbow, harpoon, bait and snatch rods. Hunts begin at last light and I typically hunt all night and into the morning (one of the best times) prior to going back to the house for some sleep. I typically hunt two nights in a row, and expect to harvest 1-2 alligators per night. It's really a neat and different experience, but believe me when I say that is a HUNT. Nothing is guaranteed and it's a lot of work. Sometimes the cooperate, but it's not uncommon to spend 1-2 hours on a particular alligator trying to get a line on him... if it's a big one and a trophy is the goal, I may spend 2-3 hours trying different things. There are some private land hunts where they can be shot with a rifle, and/or hunts conducted on foot... this is not one of those hunts. Way more work than that. I'm on a 16' aluminum boat with a 40hp tiller steer, and we're hunting a combination of lake, swift open river, brackish open water, and still sloughs and swamps.

I'm an experienced hunter with a clean record. Each year I probably spend 20 days or so in the field... the bulk of which is private and public land in NW Florida, but I've also hunted western KS, TX, IL, KY, AL, GA but that has been just for whitetail, of which I've harvested 81. I am proficient with my old Matthews bow, an Excalibur crossbow, a Traditions .50 ML, an A-bolt in 270WSM and a Bergara in 300WM.

In terms of boating, well... I owned a boat before I had a bicycle as a kid. I'm 39 years old, and I'm going to guess that I have close to 7,000 hours of experience operating a boat with probably another 1,500 as a passenger. I maintain my own stuff and on only one occasion did I not make it home under my own power.

Anyway, it was just a thought I had earlier today. I absolutely love it, and it's also fun to share the experience with folks who have never done it.
 

h2so4

WKR
Joined
Oct 10, 2019
Messages
630
Location
Colorado
I’d be no help getting you on elk, still working on that myself. But you’ve got me convinced to come hunt gators with you. Good luck!!
 

Rich M

WKR
Joined
Jun 14, 2017
Messages
5,107
Location
Orlando
I've been trying to do this for a few years - no-one has even tried to discuss it.

Maybe you can let them know all they need is a $50 helper tag...

FWIW - For those who don't know Panhandler - he's got a great reputation on the other forum I know him from.
 
Joined
May 7, 2018
Messages
18
I wish I lived somewhere you can hunt big bulls over the counter. It’s spike or cow only here. That gator hunt sounds like it would be a blast tho
 
Joined
Mar 4, 2014
Messages
2,032
I have always wanted to shoot a gator. What you are offering sounds fairly certain of success. There is no way I can offer success on elk.
 
OP
P
Joined
Mar 31, 2019
Messages
1,119
Location
NW Florida
It’s been a while, but I’m back in the game. The last river boat was falling apart, I was renting the river camp to a guy, was saving money for a Alaska hunt last fall, was rebuilding a 20-year-old 42 foot offshore single screw fishing boat, changing jobs, and trying to stay married with a young kid.

The new river boat is slick. Any bigger and it would be too big. A touch smaller and it would not accommodate what I want. Alligator killing machine.
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OP
P
Joined
Mar 31, 2019
Messages
1,119
Location
NW Florida
Late Aug through late September if anybody’s interested. Quite honestly I’ll take the right 1 or 2 folks with no hunting swap. It’s hard hunting and most of my people don’t like it but every so often. I love it and this boat is gonna be bad ass.
 
Joined
Mar 4, 2014
Messages
2,032
Holy crap! I may take you up on this offer. I’m out of work due to injury right now and need to wait and see if I can go back to work before I commit to anything.
 

TreeWalking

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 22, 2014
Messages
266
I drew two permits for Florida in 2014 or so. Was for public land near Orlando. Was a blast as dodged lightning from evening squalls. There will be bugs and the smells can rival a baby's diaper after they have eaten green beans.

I got two with a cross bow riding in the guide's boat. He would go a way's on the "lakes" that were reclaimed dairy farms with just a few feet of water and thousands of alligators staring at you when the guide turning on the spotlights. Not an exaggeration...so many orange eyes from a few feet away to as far as the light cast.

Mine were not giants but I get a lot of comments from guests that see the skulls. These are dinosaurs from the past with just enough brain to kill and survive as other creatures went extinct. I got the hides tanned and they are stored away. I need to get something made from one of the skins and mount the other on a flat board to put on the wall of the man cave. I got one belly cut and the other back cut.

I tried uploading a photo of the skulls but apparently this forum is not a size queen since said was too large. Oh well. I can use crayons to draw a rendition is a few days.
 

Legend

WKR
Joined
Jun 13, 2017
Messages
774
Late Aug through late September if anybody’s interested. Quite honestly I’ll take the right 1 or 2 folks with no hunting swap. It’s hard hunting and most of my people don’t like it but every so often. I love it and this boat is gonna be bad ass.
I can help you out on MT elk. Not sure I would ever make it to Florida but it sounds fun. DM me if you are interested in MT.
 

summs

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 29, 2021
Messages
128
Location
Nj
Post some alligator pics!!! As a guy from NJ with family in flawda, we have been loosely trying to plan a trip for this. Although we did just have gator nuggets over the weekend, along with some yabbies. Fired gator taste like fried food, and Im not sure how well it freezes.
 
OP
P
Joined
Mar 31, 2019
Messages
1,119
Location
NW Florida
Post some alligator pics!!! As a guy from NJ with family in flawda, we have been loosely trying to plan a trip for this. Although we did just have gator nuggets over the weekend, along with some yabbies. Fired gator taste like fried food, and Im not sure how well it freezes.
It freezes just fine. I don’t eat leg meat, though. I can try to find some pics. It’s been so long since I went, but I can probably dig some up.
 

thedutchtouch

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 2, 2021
Messages
185
This is an awesome offer. I'm from Maryland so can't help you out with the elk, but would love to catch and eat an alligator and I'm a fan of earning it. I "know" @camelcluch from a different forum, perhaps we could join forces? I'm headed to Alaska in September, so August would be better for me. Long shot but heck, worth a try!
 

summs

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 29, 2021
Messages
128
Location
Nj
Sweet pics, thanks for sharing. Hopefully some out west messages you.
 

Crusader

WKR
Joined
Sep 16, 2016
Messages
489
Location
St. Louis
May be a dumb question but I know nothing about gator hunting.....why in so many of the pics are the jaws taped shut, if it's a dead gator?
 

thedutchtouch

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 2, 2021
Messages
185
May be a dumb question but I know nothing about gator hunting.....why in so many of the pics are the jaws taped shut, if it's a dead gator?
I'll let OP confirm but I watched a too much swamp people back in the day, and apparently the kill spot on the back of the head is pretty small, so if you miss it's possible to stun them and have em wake up later in the boat. Extra insurance that ya don't get chomped in that case I believe. Hopefully OP will correct me if that was just drama for TV.
 

summs

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 29, 2021
Messages
128
Location
Nj
May be a dumb question but I know nothing about gator hunting.....why in so many of the pics are the jaws taped shut, if it's a dead gator?
Most animals still have reflexes even after death. It's pretty crazy, just like a snake can still inject venom, gator still bite, etc...
 
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