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Best set up for Gator Hunting??

dk9904

dk9904

Well-known member
I know many of you are experienced hunters, what set up do you prefer when gator hunting? Deck over?, Rake, no Rake? 12foot, 16foot? I am going to buy a new airboat for this purpose and have only gator hunted from flats boats. I have a 12' aluminum hull 220gpu now and it does not seem like it has enough room to move around the deck much less with a 12' gator on board. Any advice would be greatly appreciated
 
first of all, always go with a rake. you never know where you may have to run. pull your gators over from the side. here's a trick, cut a piece of 3" PVC pipe about 2 feet long. cut them lengthwise and put them over the sides of your boat. makes it a lot easier to pull gators in when you're by yourself. i personally wouldn't go with a deckover because gators tend to come back to life when you get on the gas. would suck to have to tie each one up before you go to the next line. i wouldn't get jump seats, unless you get bolted on ones that can be taken out. i really don't think the length of the boat matters as long as its at least 13 ft long. i've loaded 7or 8 gators in a 13 X 7 and they averaged 8 ft long. you can just about tie them into a knot in order to cram them in there. anyways, you don't want to keep the gators in the sun too long, so by the time you catch 7 or 8 its time to take them to a wet shaded spot so that really dismisses the NEED for a 16 ft boat. its not like you're gonna drive around all day with a dozen gators in your boat. always keep a wet sheet over your gators to keep the hide from slipping, but you probably already know that. thats just my opinion
 
My opinion is go with a wide boat. Either a 13x8 or 14x8 dependent on your power plant. My current boat is a 13x8 Apache and it does real well. Gatorstick, Capt. Jeff, BigDaddy may chime in with there boats. I think gator chasor hunts from his airboat as well. I definetly agree with putting a rake on the boat. With that said keep this in mind. When your gator hunting and you put that 12 ft gator in your boat you just added 400-600 lbs more than you normally run with. Things like putting the gator opposite torque side and placement become important, especially in deep water. That's my .02 hope it helps and good luck.
 
Good advice by all.

First off, a (12) twelve footer isn't the norm.

Plan on alot of (8) eight footers instead :wink:

I hunt out of a 14x8 Hamant with a (2) two foot grass rake.

I can't tell you how many times the rake has gotten us a chance @ the big ones.

That couple of extra feet pushing over a willow head makes a big difference.

BTW, for the last (5) five years & up until last month I ran a 220 gpu.

During September hunts it wasn't unusual to have (36) thirty-six gallons of fuel, (2) two hunters (plus me) & (4) four gators in the boat.

Good Luck & get your capt's license!!!
 
Capt. Jeff - I was sort of wondering about that concern of carrying 12 footers. I know Florida seems to have more big boy gators but I was figuring that the concern should be about how many 8/9 footers you could store. Those true 12 footers seem to be getting hard to find around here in Texas IMO - Maybe DuckLuv would disagree.

But I have seen a fellow from Cameron, LA with a 12'2" in a 18x36 jonboat with a tunnel. Now that was way over the USCG capacity plate rating.
 
i agree pat. honestly, if you catch a 12 footer, you're doing good. 11's are one thing but there seems to be a huge gap between 11's and 12's. i would say you have a 1% chance of catching a twelve footer on land that is hunted regularly. however; those little out-of-the-way potholes on a little 2 acre tract nobody has hunted in 50 years is a good way to increase your probability of catching Moofasa. i really don't think gator hunting requires any special modifications to your boat. you just have to hunt according to your boat. if the ol' cajuns could do it in a pirogue, surely anybody could do it in a decent sized airboat...........
 
Please don't get me wrong I am not saying there is an abundance of 12 ft'ers. In my opinion they are getting extremly hard to find. But the average person trying to fill there tags wants to kill something big in my opinion. I speak to alot of people at the T and O's and everyone talks up how big there gators are. Now we all know how that goes. I guess what I am saying is you need to pay attention to the weight you put in your boat when you are gator hunting and where you put it. The wider and lighter your boat is the better off you are. Again that is just my opinion.
 
Thanks for the info guys!! I was not saying I caught a 12' before It is just wishfull thinking. I think a14x8 aluminum hull sounds the best to me, what kind of seat set up do you like? I like two singles side by side rear steer.
 
My $.002. I run a 13' x 7'6" Dback Ultralight - ac powered for my gator hunts. It is enough boat for two passengers and a few lizzards. I had an 8'4", 7'7" and a 10'6" stubby once this past season. It was a load with two hunters, but we got-r-done and back on the trailer safely. I believe in grass rakes - a couple of times we could have had a somewhat emotionally disturbed reptile among us, had the rake not been there. Most inpotent thing is to have a quiet boat.
 
Lots of good info there for sure. I think there ought to be a gator cook off during the season. That would make for a great get together . Ya might want to keep some good zip ties with you for those quick securements of their legs behind the back. Make sure to post pics of your new setup when you get it. Good luck. Later
 
Good idea cajun good food always bring folks together!
Thanks again cfth for the post reminding us the day permits went on sale last year!
I have a 14' x 7 1/2' diamondback, with a 2' rake .I had 3 adults and 1 teenager, 30 gallons of gas 2, 10 footers and a cooler boat worked fine but I was runnin a little heavier than I like to run in deep water
I definitely put gators on right to help balance torque roll
 
We hunt just about all our Gators from a 17 foot flats boat using my Airboat every now and then. Of course the wider and longer the boat the better off you will be. One thing is for sure we do not bring any live Gators in the boat and we a Nuisance trappers have the luxury of being able to keep Gators alive for 24 hours. You put 2 good 44 mag shots in the skull, he might move a liittle but the parties over. With the rules changing this year for the public hunt, extending from 5 weeks to 10 weeks, you will be able to start hunting in Aug instead of Sept 1st. Plus you will be able to get additional tags for only $30.00 dollars. You guys can have a great time and make some pretty good money. Good Luck!

http://www.gatorchasers.com/
 
DK,

One thing to think about. I don't know how you hunt but I like to harpoon as I run the boat. With a side steer side by side this becomes hard to do. I personally like the single front double/tripple back with a jump seat up front if needed. I set my clients in front of me on the foot stand and then I can "back them up" if needed with a harpoon. Again just my .02. One thing great about the site you get lots of free advice.
 
Anyone neck pop them in Florida. A .22 stinger in the vertebrate works awesome. Then the skull is perfect shape. Just takes patience to get them in position.
 
The ole timers in La. ( Not Me :lol: I'm not that old ) use to just sever the spine behind the skull and run a stiff vine or clothes hanger up the spine to stop all the movement. Yep dem good ole days, running trot lines and roasting leg quarters over some hot coals, or having a big ole pot of chicken pilaf cooking slow. Yep, good ole days, everyone will miss osme soon or later if they live long enough. Later
 
Cajun - That is where I learned about neck shots from - olde timers.
Directly at the base of the skull, one pop. You know instantly if you hit it correctly, a small spurt of blood will come out of the artery just above the spinal cord. Makes a small geyser of blood about 1/2 inch tall. They seem to twitch alot less when popped there than when in the skull. Have not seen the hanger trick, but heard alot about it.

And how about the old pole hunters getting them from the dens. Yikes they had balls the size of coconuts.
 
Yep, forgot about that. Now I gotta go to the shop and turn some gator points for a fellow in Titusville. Talk to ya'll tomorrow or laterrrrrrrr tonight. Seeeeeeee Yaaaaaaaaa
 
i've seen guys shooting 44's and 357's, all of which will do the job. my preference is a 22 Mag hollow point right behind the skull plate. 6 footer or 11 footer.......its over. ever see people try to shoot between the eyes, sometimes it works but when it doesn't......whew, that'll be one pissed off lizard.
 
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