RE: Gator Hunt summary w/pictures: 9/01-02 04. Orange Lake, FL
The processor finished dressing the gators and the 10 footer yielded 50 lbs of meat while the 9 footer yielded 40 lbs. We haven’t picked up the meat yet as I didn’t want to lose it as I was concerned our power might go out during Hurricane Francis. We did lose power for 10 hours, so I’m glad I left it at the processor. I can only hope they still have power as I’ve been unable to contact them and I believe their phones are out. The processor lives in the boonies.
A bang stick is the same tool as SCUBA divers use for shark protection and is also referred to as a powerhead in the SCUBA world. The head is approximately 4 inches long of thick steel that’s hollow and mounted on a long pole. The head is screwed onto the pole and when you pull out the thick metal cylinder you insert a round (just like a rifle chamber) and re-insert the cylinder into the housing. You also have a metal removable pin that forms a barrier to prevent the round from accidentally discharging. Prior to loading a round you insert the pin through the entire metal mass, which prevents the primer from being engaged on the pin. When ready to use it you pull the pin and hit the object with the end of the cylinder. You must make sure you do this underwater as you would be spayed with flesh and bone as the round goes off. Even though it’s under water it’s quite loud and you get blasted with water. There is an “X” on the back of a gators head and that’s where you place the shot, angling forward so as to hit the peasized brain. We also used to cut the spinal cord as a precaution prior to bringing aboard the boat, but have since stopped doing that as it lessens the quality rating of the hides.
My friends are getting them mounted and I got an extra head from the processor to leave outside and hopefully, end up with a white sun bleached head.
Brian