Well the girlfriend drew gator tags for the kissimmee river this year. We decided to hire a guide and take her daughter out gator hunting.
So the night stated normal like any hunt. We got to the boat launch on the kissimmee river at about 4pm. We started getting everything read as our guide set up. Him and his wife got everything ready for the 3 of us to hunt. Before we got on the water a few people showed up to launch a boat. Two women came up the ramp and told us how the ones husband sunk his airboat. Our guide offered to take them out there to try to help. We headed out to a canal where we found the airboat half sunk on a bank.
The guy told us if he could get it moving he could bail water and keep it floating. They had 3 other friends in a Jon boat trying to help. Well we towed the boat and got it floating but the owner fell off and the boat sunk again. At one point we tried to tow it around a turn but our guides boat wouldn't make the turn. The water there was about 10 feet deep. The airboat went completely under. After about 6 tries and 1 1/2 hours and it sinking every time we had to give up. They had another friend with a come along on the way. Well then the hunt began.
We headed to the south end of that part of the river. We dropped a chicken on a line in the water and headed across the river. About 5 minutes after we stopped a 9' gator headed for the chicken. It swam right past. A few minutes later a gator came out of a canal next to us. It was about 20 feet from the boat when the guide hooked it. After 10 minutes it was along side the boat. Her 11 year old daughter, with the help of the guide, got to use the bang stick to dispatch it. a 357 to the head ended the fight on a 7'10" gator.
After that and some pictures we went looking for the 9 footer. It headed into the locks. We couldn't get it so we headed back up stream. We hooked into 2 5 footers and another 7 footer we let go. They were so much fun to fight.
We kept heading up the river looking for a bigger gator. It got to about 10pm when we spotted a nice gator. We got hooked into it and the fight was on. I fought him for over 40 minutes before we could get a second and third line on him. At this point I was exhausted. That thing would take every inch of line I got back and then some. Once we got 2 more lines in him he was tired. Another 357 to the head got us a gator reaching almost 10'. He was amazing.
After this we were all tired from the fight and headed back to the launch. On the way we spotted the airboat being towed in. They finally got it out.
We sent the 10 footer with the guide to be skinned and butchered properly. I spent 3 hours skinning and butchering the small one. I got about 25 pounds of meat from the small one and should have about 35 pounds from the big one. It was one amazing trip for us all. I can't wait to try it again.
So the night stated normal like any hunt. We got to the boat launch on the kissimmee river at about 4pm. We started getting everything read as our guide set up. Him and his wife got everything ready for the 3 of us to hunt. Before we got on the water a few people showed up to launch a boat. Two women came up the ramp and told us how the ones husband sunk his airboat. Our guide offered to take them out there to try to help. We headed out to a canal where we found the airboat half sunk on a bank.
The guy told us if he could get it moving he could bail water and keep it floating. They had 3 other friends in a Jon boat trying to help. Well we towed the boat and got it floating but the owner fell off and the boat sunk again. At one point we tried to tow it around a turn but our guides boat wouldn't make the turn. The water there was about 10 feet deep. The airboat went completely under. After about 6 tries and 1 1/2 hours and it sinking every time we had to give up. They had another friend with a come along on the way. Well then the hunt began.
We headed to the south end of that part of the river. We dropped a chicken on a line in the water and headed across the river. About 5 minutes after we stopped a 9' gator headed for the chicken. It swam right past. A few minutes later a gator came out of a canal next to us. It was about 20 feet from the boat when the guide hooked it. After 10 minutes it was along side the boat. Her 11 year old daughter, with the help of the guide, got to use the bang stick to dispatch it. a 357 to the head ended the fight on a 7'10" gator.
After that and some pictures we went looking for the 9 footer. It headed into the locks. We couldn't get it so we headed back up stream. We hooked into 2 5 footers and another 7 footer we let go. They were so much fun to fight.
We kept heading up the river looking for a bigger gator. It got to about 10pm when we spotted a nice gator. We got hooked into it and the fight was on. I fought him for over 40 minutes before we could get a second and third line on him. At this point I was exhausted. That thing would take every inch of line I got back and then some. Once we got 2 more lines in him he was tired. Another 357 to the head got us a gator reaching almost 10'. He was amazing.
After this we were all tired from the fight and headed back to the launch. On the way we spotted the airboat being towed in. They finally got it out.
We sent the 10 footer with the guide to be skinned and butchered properly. I spent 3 hours skinning and butchering the small one. I got about 25 pounds of meat from the small one and should have about 35 pounds from the big one. It was one amazing trip for us all. I can't wait to try it again.
