Florida "Drive-By" - Florida
Open Wide!
Gary and his Gator.
Hunter: Gary Smoot
Cameraman: Zendal Carroll
Growing up bowfishing carp in the creek just down from my dad's small farm in Northwest Illinois I could have never dreamed I would be in this position. Yet, there I was sitting in the front of an airboat flying down a swampy canal in Florida with a Hoyt Musky bowfishing rig in my hand. I saw the occasional gar hovering towards the top of the water as we passed by but we were after something a whole lot bigger! I watched a large "V" wave in the water up in front of the boat get closer and closer and then watched the shape of a 9-10 foot alligator pass under the boat.
In the drivers seat was Osceola Outfitters, Hoppy Kempfer, Ralph and Zendal were also along for the ride, running the cameras and looking for gators. The plan was to go down the canal and find a spot to drop me off and then get Justin (who was waiting back at the truck) and position him several yards down from me and then get between us and start calling, hoping to bring a gator by either Justin or myself.
Well the plan changed quickly as one of the guys spotted a good gator lying on the bank of the canal. Passing far enough down so to not spook the gator: Hoppe slowed and turned the boat around as I stood up and prepared myself for a possible shot.
This all happened so fast that the only way we could describe it is as a Florida "drive-by". When we reached the point that we could see the gator we were already within shooting distance. He was broadside with his head to my left. The boat was still floating to the right as I drew back and let the arrow fly. It hit him right where it Hoyt's! With the arrow penetrating behind his front leg, he bolted and slid into the canal and sat still with only his head showing and the bubbles floating up from his side from an evident lung shot.
We unwound the line from the bowfishing reel and set it up with a float. The gator went under and swam across to the other side of the canal and resurfaced in the brush along shore. In lieu of a bang stick we had a TC .203, which put him out for good once we positioned ourselves for the shot. After the celebration we loaded the 6'7" gator into the boat and headed back to switch out and give Justin a chance at his own Florida "drive-by." All in all this was one of the quickest yet most exciting hunts I've ever had the opportunity to be a part of.
Happy Hunting!
Gary