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Thread: Bow Hunting Gator

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Florence
    Posts
    128

    Default Bow Hunting Gator

    I got a bow last year with the intentions of using it for gator hunting. Anyone tried this? Good or bad? That's my plan anyway. We should end up with 3 tags this year.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    South Florida
    Posts
    2,423

    Default

    No one has tried this. Better stop applying for tags.
    "Hunt today to kill tomorrow." - Ron Jolly

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Posts
    57

    Default

    wait... Are you serious, Clark? by gator do you mean Alligator mississippiensis? and by hunting do you mean on public water or land not enrolled in the Private Lands Alligator Program? ... yes and yes? Might need to read up on the rules and regs...

    They'll put out a new guide for 2019 but here is last year's... read up... http://www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/allig...gatorguide.pdf

    If answers to questions above include a "no" then disregard...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
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    Certified Piedmonster
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    8,859

    Default

    bow hunting gator? Is that like a coon hunting monkey?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Florence
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    128

    Default



    All perfectly legal in SC.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Ballard's Landing
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    15,424

    Default

    At multiple points during your gator hunt, while tied to him with your bow, you’ll think to yourself “this was stupid” and wish you had a big spinning rod with power pro 80 and a big treble.

    You heard it hear first.
    Be proactive about improving public waterfowl habitat in South Carolina. It's not going to happen by itself, and our help is needed. We have the potential to winter thousands of waterfowl on public grounds if we fight for it.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Florence
    Posts
    128

    Default

    Bow will not be tied to gator. Why wouldn't we also have a spinning rod? Why would I tie my bow to the gator? That's not even legal. Arrow has to be attached to a bouy.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    Sullivan\'s Island
    Posts
    12,865

    Default

    I used a crab pot float that slipped over a dowel that screwed into my stabilizer mounting hole. I attached the arrow with very heavy braid and wrapped the line around the float so the float acted like a bow reel. I little piece of tape kept the line in place until we shot.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    York Co
    Posts
    4,825

    Default

    you won't get close enough to a decent gator for a bow shot.. not without much effort anyways. spin rod and treble hook, then you can use your bow to attach a 2nd line. I used the AMS reel combo for my bow and landed a 7fter with ease. But bigger gators you need a detachable buoy like PB is talking about. Harpoon setup, using a 8-10ft wooden dowel rod is good too.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    South Florida
    Posts
    2,423

    Default

    I've shot an 11'+ with a bow. You will need a big buoy and (I can not stress this next part enough) 600# gorilla wire braided line and a sharp arrow.
    "Hunt today to kill tomorrow." - Ron Jolly

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Charleston
    Posts
    2,397

    Default

    I vote for heavy spinning gear w weighted treble. Foul hook it. Use hand lines (or your bow I guess....) with heavy weighted trebles for snare lines to place additional foul hooks. Keep your lines straight, untangled, and dont get caught up in them. 5 gallon buckets seem to work for me as far as keeping line straight.
    For my hand lines I use paracord with large weighted treble hooks. I have a bang stick, and have never used it on a gator. .22 rifle is easier to control and you don’t actually have to hit/touch the gator with it. Hard skull/slick skin can allow bang stick to slip or deflect. Hog tie back legs, snare/wrap jaws tape mouth after dispatch. Sometimes you can snare jaws prior to dispatch. Have fun.....

    You will probably do this one time and decide it sucks. I have zero interest in doing this anymore for recreation, but am not opposed to helping legally remove nuisance gators.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Florence
    Posts
    128

    Default

    You're not supposed to use a rifle.
    Yeah, I'll probably get one and be done with it. Maybe?

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