Could anyone please show me their alligator set-ups?Tips,or which products they have used with/without success.Which arrows what poundage line,how long should the line be.I might get selected for an alligator hunt this sept.I started research last year,but didn't get selected.I am going to set up my 60lb XI dual cam bow just for alligators.Any and all help is greatly appreciated.Shoot alligator stories would be nice too!How long do you wait when you first hit him?How long should the first string with the float be?Should I aim for his neck or ribs?Thanks!
I haven't run into any gators up here in IL, but...
I made a call to somebody I know that's done it before.
Hopefully they'll find their way over here to lend you a hand.
Ido know youneed to take some pretty serious precautions before boating them, like severing their spinal cord, and making scrabled eggs of their brains, just to make sure you're able to go fishing again with all of your limbs intact.
__________________ http://www.illinoisbowfishers.com
The truest measure of a man's ethics is what he does when no one is watching. -God
An unarmed man can only flee from Evil, and Evil is not overcome by fleeing from it.
- Colonel Jeff Cooper
oh man, i tried but the guy i talked too was just a rambling, i got lost.....lol...you have more control around the head.... shoot it right behind the head or anywhere(you can bring him up and do the twisty thing in the head to kill him, the scrambler, lol)......immediately after the shot, put another arrow in him or 2 bouy's in him before you pull him in...1 is for a backup ...30 yds. of string was recommended......as for a set up.all i was told was to make sure you have aircraft cable 6-8'' nearest to the broadhead......other than that i don't know a thing about set ups, lol..............hopefullywe can all find out the answers.....
__________________
Don't go leaving your ethics in the truck
A good friend of mine went about 20 years ago but I still remember the conversation. He used a bowfin broad head basically a barbed broad head.
His guide instructed him to hit the gator in the eye. His second comment was don't miss. like telling you would help you to avoid that. The gators natural instinct is to roll wich he said they did quite feverently. at that point their nearly dead and much easier to land.
hope you get drawn and good luck.
__________________
Support our youth they are the future of the sport.
Muzzy is selling a Gator Getter package you could check out. The arrow is an aluminum shaft and filled with fiberglass I think.
It will take some thump to get it into a gator, and don't aim for the eye. Don't even aim for the head unless you want to piss him off.
If you can get him close you can shoot him any where neck down. We call them in and they'll run right into the side of the boat if that is close enough for you. Be prepared for anything at that point. ANYTHING!
Lots of guys harpoon them as the boat goes running by, others call them in and harpoon them. I'd suggest don't shoot over 10 yards at them due to the heavy line you'd be using which will effect arrow flight. As you can imagine you might want to practice shooting with a gator rig a few times before you go chasing one in the dark.
Thanks to all of you!I'm gonna check that link out RobinAim Low,Hopefully I'll be able to learn something,and help with advice next year.I have been checking out that muzzy gator kit,and have decided if I go with that I will get the break-away arrow,where the line is attached directly to the point,throw a bouy out like ma said,and hopefully pull him up for another shot.Get him close pop him with my .38 and then sever the spinal cord like bulzeye said.Sounds good anyways huh?[8D]
If something happens I'll come back and tell you about it.Thanks again for all the advice,and if anyone would like to add to this,please do.All help is greatly appreciated!
Muzzy's setup is by far the best I've seen. Two guys who hunted with us last year took good gators with this rig, both with one shot. You shoot the gator in the back behind the head with him facing awayor quartering away to penetrate the tough hide. The gator is then played out by holding on tothe 600lb. spectra line that is attached to the arrow. When brought to boatside the gator is bangsticked at the base of the skull, his spine severed, mouth taped shut and then brought aboard. If you'd like to try one of these hunts I still have a couple of tags available for fall '06. See my hunt in the huntswap posting. Capt. Ray
We call them in one of two ways---you do a deep grunt, almost croaking, hard ulppp, ulppp, ulppp sound that mimics a bull gator. The real gator will not forgive tresspassors on his turf. He will come out to fight. If it is pitch black and you have him blinded by the light, he will come to the boat and run into it and possibly jump in it, bite it or anything can happen-----so don't let him get quite that close. What I mean is either shoot him with your bow or harpoon them before they run into your boat.
The other call I have used is a baby gator call. Big gators eat little gators. Actually they eat whatever doesn't eat them first---cows, deer, turtles, ducks, chickens, beef lungs on a treble hook-- you get the picture.
I'm no scientist, but gator vocalization is quite active. You can google gator sounds and hear what I'm talking about.
Alligator hunting,and set-ups..
like telling you would help you to avoid that. The gators natural instinct is to roll wich he said they did quite feverently. at that point their nearly dead and much easier to land. 
