Alligator Hunting Baits

[Ross1147]

@ScottP76 what do y'all do with your gators? A 12' one sounds like zero fun.lol. I'm no pro, only 5th season hunting right now. I process my own and make my own leather, even 10 footers are too much work! My target length is 6-8'. Easy leather to work with, don't have to shave it down as much, and taste better to me. I told my neighbor there was a strict size limit and we both got caught up in the moment.lol. We're 10 hours into it between skinning, processing and fleshing and I haven't even started tanning process!

Ryan

 

[Lee7588]

@ScottP76 what do y'all do with your gators? A 12' one sounds like zero fun.lol. I'm no pro, only 5th season hunting right now. I process my own and make my own leather, even 10 footers are too much work! My target length is 6-8'. Easy leather to work with, don't have to shave it down as much, and taste better to me. I told my neighbor there was a strict size limit and we both got caught up in the moment.lol. We're 10 hours into it between skinning, processing and fleshing and I haven't even started tanning process!

Ryan

Skinning can be easy, use a ball inflator needle get a hole and air the bad boy up. Small one taste much better than the bigger ones and they have prettier marking on the hides. A little advise if you dress your own. Scrub the thing down with some bleach before making a cut. There is some nasty bacteria that can be found on them.

 

[Ross1147]

Yeah that's always the first thing. Bucket of bleach and a scrub brush. Haven't used the air method yet, but I guess I'll have too. Just don't see how it'll separate the meat from the skin on the tail and back?

 

[Lee7588]

Yeah that's always the first thing. Bucket of bleach and a scrub brush. Haven't used the air method yet, but I guess I'll have too. Just don't see how it'll separate the meat from the skin on the tail and back?

Down the spine it didn't separate or down the top of the tail. But the rest separated nicely. I think I made a few needle insertions down the body. I'm now wondering if it would work when skinning deer . Between the needle and air compressor and a razor knife I could do a gator in decent time from what I can remember. While taking the tail, ribs, legs, and jowl meat

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

Down the spine it didn't separate or down the top of the tail. But the rest separated nicely. I think I made a few needle insertions down the body. I'm now wondering if it would work when skinning deer . Between the needle and air compressor and a razor knife I could do a gator in decent time from what I can remember. While taking the tail, ribs, legs, and jowl meat

I skinned a deer hit by a vehicle last year where the hide was completely free from the flank meat. The only part that was still attached was the legs, neck & butt. Not sure how much force was used to get him that way. But it was a first of many road kills that I saw this way. The meat was not all that banged up. I may have to try the air method also. Would be great if it worked .Especially once the deer starts getting cold.

 

[dan1953]

Here are the results of the season on the saint johns, one from Poinsett and the other from Washington.

They were both a little over 9'.

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

Here are the results of the season on the saint johns, one from Poinsett and the other from Washington.View attachment 615837View attachment 615838
They were both a little over 9'.

Now that's a set of choppers. OUCH !

 

[Old Hickory 45]

Down the spine it didn't separate or down the top of the tail. But the rest separated nicely. I think I made a few needle insertions down the body. I'm now wondering if it would work when skinning deer . Between the needle and air compressor and a razor knife I could do a gator in decent time from what I can remember. While taking the tail, ribs, legs, and jowl meat

Yes, the air deal works on deer and most other warm blooded critters. I don't know if the air process would work for beavers, considering how hard they are to skin.

 

[Jerry M]

No bait, I went with a guide on Private land March 2023. 11 feet, 2 inches.

 

[Old Hickory 45]

No bait, I went with a guide on Private land March 2023. 11 feet, 2 inches.

That's a big one!