Alligators

[gtv]

Used to see a lot of gators in Louisiana when I would go fishing, but never had one even come close to the boat I was in. I think the biggest problem you would have is that the gator you need to worry about is the one you don't see.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[atctimmy]

If it came down to absolutely being necessary, I'd suggest you carry different ammo than you normally would for self-defense. If you insist on 9mm, maybe some +P FMJ?

+1. I think an fmj would be just fine.

[crankinNM]

OK.....I can't believe nobody has shot a gator............... Maybe a google search....."I shot a gator"

[frankmako]

many mango season ago i saw one shot with a 45acp. did not slow him down. but he could not out run the air boat.

[StcLurker]

RPG ftw

I'm glad there aren't any gators in MN. they stay in the south and I stay in the north; its an understanding we've had for a while now

[TedBeau]

You could always post a sign, but since the gators can't read, it might not work. I do not think that a 9mm would have that much stopping power, unless you had a very well placed head shot. Even then, on a moving (towards you) target, that might be difficult.

That's my Yankee opinion, since we don't get too many of those up here.

Well apparently crazed shooters and bad guys can't read either because the "No Guns" signs do not seem to work!

Not sure about the 9mm. I did just see a recent episode of Axe man on cable. The guys were river loggers but had run into a 10 foot gator. They hired a gator hunter and he used a bang stick loaded with 45 caliber to kill the gator with one shot. Pushed the bang stick into the head and the surprisingly the gator stopped moving almost instantly. Given the level of evolution involved in a gator, I would have expected it to continue thrashing for at least a little while.
Also the hunter actually took two attempts to kill it. The first round failed to fire. Not sure why, but since the hunters assitance was keeping the gator at the boat using a hand line, I would think they need a more reliable delivery method. Just dumb luck kept the gator from launching himself into the boat.

[ezenbrowntow]

Alligator Hunting Adventures-South Florida Wild Alligator Hunts


"Once located, the alligator must be tagged by harpoon with a line attached with a float or shot with a bow equipped with a fishing rig. Once the alligator is tagged with the line, he must be harvested with a bang stick. We use a 357 magnum for the smaller gators and a 44 magnum for the larger ones. This is the most exciting method for harvesting a trophy alligator. "



Saw that online......

[pgrass101]

are you suggesting he go fishing with a small dog?

Bait's, bait right, wether its worms, crickets, toy poodles.......

[Jmac00]

A friend of mine caught a Gar (it's a cross between a 'gator and a Pike) last year, that's as close to a 'gator as I want to get.

I think a bazooka would work, maybe a Grenade

[Spec]

All about shot placement. I've been present when a .22 magnum was used to kill an 8ft gator from 60 yards away. To the brain, a 9mm will kill a gator no questions asked. The issue is, you're probably not going to be able to make a brain shot in a self defense situation. However, I would think 10 9mm shots to the body would make the gator think twice about the "easy" meal.

Unlike humans Gators, Brown Bears, wild life in general don't know that bullets cause pain like us humans know. That being said. You shooting all your bullets at it MAY not "make the gator think twice about the 'easy' meal".... My suggestion is a bigger caliber. If it was me it would be a Mossberg 12 gauge with slugs or 00Buck Shot. If that is out then a .44mag at the minimum.

[Tom G]

I've had gaters take a Pop R while fishing. In Florida they are protected and the state has a drawing for a permit to harvest them. If I remember right you can not use a gun to take them.