We dove to Arcadia and ate a huge breakfast. This was our last day alligator hunting and we might have to be out all night. Today in the gator canals was all mine, both Fred and Chef had their gators.
If the levees could have spoken they would have said, “Do we have a hunt for you today.”
David Mills drove to one of the big irrigation ponds and we hid in the weeds and water plants.
Seconds after David began a calling sequence I noticed an alligator on the bank on the far side of the pond. It came down the bank, splashed into the water and vigorously swam in our direction. Quickly we moved along behind the reeds to a place where the vegatation was not as tall and got set up.
David called again and before long we quickly had gators on our radar. The one from the far side and one we hadn’t seen from the left.
The one from the bank swam up close. But I let both of them go.
Coming up on the right was a dandy.
David gave it some urps and it turned toward us and checked things out.
The gator stood still, looking right at us. It looked like it didn’t intend to come any closer. I eased my bow back and put the pin above its nose but lower than between its eyes. When I released the arrow the gator swirled and disappeared in a big splash, un hit and unharmed. I pulled the line and arrow back in and wound the slack back into the reel.
We moved on. The channels produced some sightings but not any shooting opportunities.
Just before dusk we drove past a pond where a huge gator was sighted, last week, killing a 200 pound wild hog. This pond was 70 yards wide by 200 yards long, it had a lot of cover on one side and not much on the other. We were cruising along the other. There was a wide gator slide on the side with cover and we always watched it with special interest. Hoping to see the hog killer.
“There’s a gator on the slide,” Fred said. I took a quick picture.”
Things were gonna get real interesting, quick.
- We are bowhunting Florida Alligators at Williams Wildlife Preserve. For information contact David Mills at 863-303-4726. Visit David on the web at www.teamsrr.com.
- This alligator bowhunt is sponsored by MUZZY Bowfishing Equipment. We received Muzzy Gator Getter Kits with gator arrows, bowfishing reels and line, floats and other necessities. Visit them on the web at www.muzzy.com.
