John's Journal...
Entry 165,
Day 4
Hunting Alligators
Catching Live Alligators
EDITOR'S
NOTE: Bo Hamilton, the manager of the Lodge of Louisiana in Barataria,
Louisiana, is a well-known Gulf Coast angler and bowhunter. Today we'll
talk with Hamilton to learn more about alligator hunting at the lodge.
Question: How did catching live alligators come about?
Hamilton: Catching live alligators started with people who didn't have
enough sense not to grab live gators. Once we took guests out on the airboats
at night and rode around the swamp to see gators. Then one night one of
our guides named Mike climbed down and said, "Look, I can catch one for
you," and grabbed one. Since people have become fascinated with catching
live alligators, now we've made that one of our tours here at the lodge.
The guests really love it.
Question: How big of a gator are the guides grabbing
for the guests?
Hamilton: The guests will hold 3- to 4-foot-long gators. The guide usually
holds any larger gators.
Question:
Does the tourist catch the gators?
Hamilton: We try not to let the guests catch the gators, but we will catch
them up and then hand them to the guests.
Question: What's the biggest gator either you or one
of your guides ever has caught live?
Hamilton: Mike pulled up a six footer, and Morgan knows how to do that.
I never have.
Question: What's the secret to catching a live alligator?
Hamilton: On the mud boat, we have two spotlights. You pull up behind
the gator and shine the spotlights in his eyes to blind him. Generally
he'll be headed away from the boat. Then you have to get close enough
to reach down and grab the gator around its neck. The gator will thrash
around, waving its tail. You just have to hold on, and after awhile the
gator will calm down.
Question:
What keeps a gator from biting you?
Hamilton: Well, you hold the gator's head away from you. You've got the
gator by the neck, which keeps the gator from turning around and biting
you. But basically you don't want to get that gator any closer to your
body parts.
Question: After you catch the live gator, then what do
you do?
Hamilton: We allow the guests to hold the gators and have their pictures
made. We also show the guests the alligator's musk glands, tails and underbelly.
Basically, we explain alligators to them. If a family wants to catch gators
together, we try to let every member of the family hold the gator until
everyone has their own gator to hold, and we can make a picture of the
entire family.
Question:
How many gators do you generally catch in a night?
Hamilton: We usually take between four and six people out and try to ensure
that each and every one has a gator in his or her hands before we take
pictures. I'd say four to eight gators at a time.
For more information about hunting alligators, fishing
and/or duck hunting at the Lodge of Louisiana, you can visit the Web site
at www.lodgeoflouisiana.com
or e-mail the lodge info@lodgeoflouisiana.com.
TOMORROW: FIND OUT WHAT ELSE THE LODGE OF LOUISIANA HAS
TO OFFER
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