Does this bother anuone else?
 

I just got done watching an episode of American Archer on the Out Door Channel. It was about Gator hunting with a bow. They go out and spot light these guys at night and arrow them. THE arrow has a heavy duty lishing line attached with a big float. So then they fight this gator til its to tired to fight back or it dies in the water. Maybe I just dont see the point in arrowing a gator and especially at night with a spotligt. Kind of turned me off. I would really like someone elses opinion or an explanation as to why this is Sport.

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

Dont know if you know this but gator tastes awesome. They do it for the meat, it is not like they go out shoot them and leave them to die. I have a friend who lives in Louisiana and he does this quite often. The gators get to be a nuisance (not sure on spelling) in some small ponds and rivers so the issue tags to go out and do this. I hope this helps clear it up for you.

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

Flintflinger, why dont you re-read your post. It sounds like something I found on the PETA website.

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

i agree with Highrack.

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

From what I understand the gator hunting is for population nuisance control, and that's about the only way they can get enough of them to keep the numbers down. Just cause spotlighting deer is a bad thing doesn't mean it holds true for gators.

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

Flintfinger ,no it didn't bother me at all.One thing that they didn't show or you may not have seen is they use a bang stick most of the time when they get the gator to the boat.Also if you watched from the beginning of the program you would have heard that some of these critters that are hunted, are the ones that are nuisance.I have bowhunted wild hogs in the area that the show was taped and waded in waist high water with reeds over my 6'5" head,let me tell ya it was good to see one less gator.Also in the program they had mentioned that gator populations are on the increase.BTW do you have a better way of harvesting gator?It is some excellent meat.

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

Dont need to re-read my post. I know exactly what I posted. Why dont you try tp clear it up for me instead of spouting PETA nonsense. I dont live anywhere near gators, so I dont see the point. I dont support PETA nor will I ever. Thank you very much.

My original post was my opinion and my feeling on gator hunting. We are all entitled to an opinion.

I know they dont leave them to die. They had it in their boat all nicely bundled up as if it were alive. Mouth taped shut, legs tied to the body. I can understand if they are a nuisance. Just like yotes. I dont get hunting them either, but we dont have alot of them, at least not that I have seen.
If I lived where there were gators maybe my opinion would be different.

I'm not trying to poke the bear to get anyone riled up. I just wanted some clarification or some one elses view and deerhunter 18 did that where as txhighrack did nothing .

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

There is no difrance from this to shooting fish.As in all population control you have to find a way to keep it down.This being a very big PREDITOR that can eat your kids if they move to the right spot I think there should be some kind of population reduction.

Deer kill people by car wrecks gattors just eat people :}

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

Man, this is a tough crowd. Just because it is related to bow hunting doesnt mean I have to agree with it. I was just asking a question. I dont find it unethical or inhumane. I just do see the point as stated earlier. BUT i dont live in an area with gators. If I did, my opinion might be different.

I dont have a better way to harvest gators, personally I dont think I would want to shoot one. Again if I lived there it might be different. I dint see the whole program, I only saw the last 15 minutes. But I dont think my opinion would be any different. I will look for the episode to run again and I will watch it and I will see if I change my way of thinking.

Persoanlly I dont appreciate being bashed for asking a question. I was told no question was a stupid one by several members on this board. I guess it is only a stupid one when I dont fall in line with everyone else's way of thinking. Just

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

it is not a stupid question, you just wernt sure of how or why they would kill these. I just tried clearing it up for you. I hope i didn't sound like and a$$ i really was just trying to help. I'm very sorry if i came off the wrong way

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

Most states that have large populations of gators need to control just like all the rest of the animals. Even predators numbers need controling just like deer.

The reason that most states make hunting them with rifles illegal and bow and arrow mandatory is because they are often times on open water and they do not want people out there with high power rifles shooting at two red glowing eyes on top of the water from a hundred yards off. Bullets will almost always roccochet off the waters surface and this could be a very bad thing to near by homes and fishermen, etc...

As far as spotlights at night go. It is incredibly difficult to sneak up on a gator in the day time. Especially in a boat. 99% of the time they will spot you long before you get remotely close. They are also incredibly difficult to spot with out seeing the two red glowing eyes. They are masters of camouflage and often times all that is visible is their eyes and nostrals. Spotlighting them at night allows you to first find them and also blinds them so you are able to get close enough to put an arrow into one.

They have to harvest a certain ammount of gators each year and this is the safest way to do it. Rifles would just be too dangerous on the water and doing it in the day would proove to be a loosing battle.

They are very good to eat. If you get the chance to try some you should definetly give it a try. After you taste gator you may just want to go hunt one some day.;) There's a huge ammount of meat on a gator tail.


I hope this is what you are looking for and helps you understand the gator hunting a little better.

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

Flintfinger I hope I didn't come off as being crass either.It wasn't a dumb question at all.Alot of folks think that animals go to waste, the ones that are hunted for trophy reasons.Matter of fact I am a meat hunter, trophys are a bonus or secondary.Read the posts on the site and look at all the emphasis that is put on trophys,I see a lot of "Monster buck" this and "bruiser buck" that talk,and at times it kinda irks me.I do at times wonder what happens to all the meat from dahl sheep,girraf,lions and such.I wouldn't doubt that it is left behind to feed other critters and predators,which is could be considered part of the circle of life.I know that alot of African game does feed many of the local tribes as well as hunters,it's good to see this.Like big bulls said gator is excellent.

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

Hey, when someone answers you with a negative post don,t worry about it. Your question was a valid one. Some of these guys got nothing better to do than be negative and choke their chicken. It,s just a different type of hunting. Probably seems barbarick to you because you see the animal struggle so long.

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

I have to agree that gator is awesome. I have a buddy from florida and he said that if is gets bad enough the game wardens have to go out at night and just start slimming down the population if you know what I mean. I think hunting them for the meat is much better. I saw that show as well and therefore think that you question was a great one. I first saw it and had to think about it for a while. Also wasn't there a guy there wearing some gator control shirt or something like that. Looked professional but not sure. Just me 2 cents worth.

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

Sorry FLINTFLINGER

The way you wroat it it dose not seem like a question more as a statment to close gator hunting.I think a lot of people including my self thought this way.Sorry I mad my post sound bad but to the point.

I live in montana no gators here but I have seen many problems that are cosed by people making laws to stop populaction reducution.

you can allways ask a question. Just a note maby use this? then people will not think bad right off get go.

sorry for missunderstanding
charles

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

This is a give and take board. You give your position and defend it. Others will defend their position. You win some and loose some. Sometimes you may come in as a draw. Bottomline your still here.

With that said, I'll put money on my mom, who is 70 years old, to out shoot you in frogs at night time with a light. That was how it was done to shoot the frogs with a 22. Dinner was good the next day. Last time I checked there are still forgs out on every pond.

Good luck

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

Bigbulls, Thank you. That was an informative reply. Not to say the others werent. I should have thought about it more or maybe they said so in a piece I didnt see, that spotlighting gators was the only way to get close. I knew that. My 4 year old is an Animal Planet Junkie. He wants to be like Steve.

Anyway, I take no offense to any post, other than the PETA thing. Just like me, you guys were expressing an opinion and some valid points of view. Dont get me wrong, Im not some one that cant take some criticism.

I thought I posted it as a question and I thought I selected the ? in the beginning, but I see it is this one [:'(] instead. That might count for some of the confusion.

Anyway, this is a great sight and with this thread I have come from fawn to spike. Yahoo! hehe

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

Flintflinger too bad no expert gator hunters replied. I have no experience with gators either however, I cannot imagine how to hunt gators that are up to what 12 feet long ? during the daytime or night either one without some sort of system to either kill immediately or to retrieve ? Think about it, they most likely sink when dead, and probably do not die really quickly either. I suspect they're pretty tough animals ? It may not sound as sporting as other hunting, but I don't see see spot and stalk and 1 shot kills/recoveries during daytime hours as being an option you know ?

BTW I've always had a dream to huntand kill a big gator. The leather, skull and meat would be very cool.

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

If any of you are interested ,try this link http://www.osceolaoutfitters.com/ Hoppy is a good guy,and some of you may have even seen him on the outdoor channel a couple of times.Gator hunts aren't cheap.His hog hunts are awsome and extremely exiting,and verry affordable.

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

Hey flint your question is valid. Don't worry about some, their heads are so far up their own butts they can't see the light of day!:D Don't worry ask any question you like, that's what this board is for, a learning experience. I wish I could help ya out! Good luck!

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

I understand the nature of your question, Flintflinger. There are several types of hunting and several types of fishing that I don't understand or find appealing.

...And just like you if I lived near those areas that these things are done I might see it differently.

RE: Does this bother anuone else?
 

Flint-
Regarding your original post, seems to me you were trying to say that you didn't see how this represented hunting. By hunting I mean the challenge of the hunt, the sport of hunting itself. And I agree with your point - there isn't much "sport" in this type of bowhunting. I get the impression that this type of animal harvest was done for nuisance control and not so much for sport(sort of like cities hiring night time snipers for deer control in parks). However when others read your post, I guess that they interpret your meaining differently. Specifically, some seem to react defensively as if you are saying taking an animal by bow is somehow cruel. At any rate, this is an interesting post. I have never heard of taking a gator by bow regardless of whether the intent is animal control.