DennisS wrote:
Forgive my being so naive but am I to assume from the narrative that you actually, like fish for these things? Or are they captured in a snare of some sort. I can't imagine myself on the other end of a rope snagged onto one of these big critters!
That's the usual way. Big hook and stout line, usually using a whole thawed out chicken for bait. Once you get him close to the boat, usually use a grappling hook or lasso them. The big ones like this are very strong, and will take you and your boat where ever they want to go. So you just kinda hang on until it gets tired. Then a .22 shot to the brain when they're alongside (which is about the size of a walnut) just above the eyes. Fun's over. Now you get to haul the critter back to the dock where they'll pick him up with a crane and put him on your trailer or pickup truck after he's weighed and measured.
It's about the closest you'll get to dinosaur hunting.
The season here is only 10 days on public land and only about 900 tags are given in a drawing, and none to out of state hunters who can only hunt them on private land - which get's
real expensive. Changes every year depending on the Fish and Game Dept.
In case you're interested, here's the MDWFP site.
MS Alligator Program:
https://www.mdwfp.com/wildlife-hunting/ ... ogram.aspx