My Florida Alligator - Florida
Zendal, Hoppy and the Gator!
Hunter: Zendal Carroll
Cameraman: Joe Rush
I had never even actually thought of how an Alligator hunt took place. The hunt’s I had seen previously on Archers Choice had been bow hunts from a boat at night, bringing the huge reptiles into the boat, after a wild fight, really had me excited.
When Hoppy and Ralph asked if I was ready to try for a gator in the middle of the afternoon, I was wondering why we were leaving so early. No darkness, no boat, and not even a bow had me wondering just how this was going to work out. I would be hunting with a TC Pro Hunter 223.
Let me paint a picture for you if I can. Hoppy and I were standing on the bank of a pit pond, with the TC resting on shooting sticks. Joe was running the camera for the hunt, and Ralph was to be our live bait, sort-of, he would be causing a commotion at the edge of the water to distract the attention from the others. We also had a caller with a CD of baby alligator sounds to try to entice the adults.
With Ralph splashing in the cattails at the edge of the water, and the caller teasing the Gators in the pit, we started. Instantly we could see Gators swimming from every corner of the pond. Their heads were all that showed as they closed in to investigate the splashing sounds. At one time we could see 8-10 of their heads as they swam toward us.
Hoppy was at my side, watching and sizing the Gators as they came in. We had to let them come within 20 yards of the bank to be able to use the grapple hook to fish the dead reptile out after the shot. As a really good Gator that Hoppy thought would be a 10-footer swam close enough, I tried my first shot at a reptile. At the shot, water exploded within a few inches in front of the Gators eyes. I had shot just below the head, hitting only water. The Gator swirled and reappeared a few yards further away. No hit at all.
The shot had not really spooked any of the other Gators, and soon several others were coming in. Within a few minutes I had another opportunity with exactly the same results, no Gator! I was shooting too low, hitting the water just in front of the Gator. Hoppy said I had to hit just higher than I was hitting. The head and eyes of a swimming Gator is a very small target, no excuses, but it’s a very small target. I had to get the bullet to the head, and it had to be dry when it gets there.
Luckily, my second shot barely slowed the other oncoming Gators and I was soon offered a third opportunity, honest, I can shoot a rifle; it’s the hitting I have trouble with. Hoppy sized up the closest Gator, thinking it was at least a 7-footer, and I got ready to try it again. As I watched the Gators head in the water, I aimed a little higher on his head, and shot. At the report of the rifle, I saw a fountain of water, red with blood erupt from where the head had been. I had finally hit an Alligator.
Hoppy slapped me on the back, saying “You stoned him”. I wasn’t sure; I had never done anything like it in my life. High Fives and laughter filled the next few minutes as we waited to begin grappling for the Gator on the bottom of the pond. Within a few minutes we were pulling a seven and a half foot Gator up and I realized exactly what we had done. The little TC had opened the top of the Gators head completely, killing him instantly.
The hunt—with the call blasting, Ralph splashing, Hoppy guiding, and Joe on the camera, was an awesome experience to share with close friends. Many thanks to Hoppy and Osceola Outfitters for an experience of a lifetime.