# Gators



## obadiah (Nov 6, 2017)

The topic came up in one of the other threads and got me curious about others' experiences.  

I have done a fair amount of hunting in water with high gator numbers.  During teal season, I have had 4-5 footers start making their way toward the dead birds, but they would turn around as soon as we started toward them.

During regular season, even on warmer days, the same gators seemed to be content just laying there watching and never made any attempt to move toward our ducks.

How many of you have lost birds, feet, or anything else to gators during regular duck season?


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## Nicodemus (Nov 6, 2017)

Gators won`t feed when the water gets below 60 degrees. They will be out though.


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## Duckbuster82 (Nov 6, 2017)

Otters and turtles are a bigger problem then gators.


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## g0nef1sshn (Nov 6, 2017)

Florida where they arnt hunted will eat everyone that splashes water and taste decoys if they learn over years of hunting the same hole. We had one named joe. He was missing an eye. Our spot light was his dinner bell. If they dropped dead and the ripples in the water faded fast enough hed lose interest. But when they flopped around forget it.

Not sure how he lost that eye though?


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## DRBugman85 (Nov 6, 2017)

g0nef1sshn said:


> Florida where they arnt hunted will eat everyone that splashes water and taste decoys if they learn over years of hunting the same hole. We had one named joe. He was missing an eye. Our spot light was his dinner bell. If they dropped dead and the ripples in the water faded fast enough hed lose interest. But when they flopped around forget it.
> 
> Not sure how he lost that eye though?


A load of #2 steel would be my guess


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## Nicodemus (Nov 7, 2017)

DRBugman85 said:


> A Gator may not feed when water temperature is below 60 but they will hit  a dog swimming and can kill your dog.I suggest lead poisoning for every  Gator .I all ways carry buckshot in my top pocket and kill them on the spot.Way to many in South Georgia and the lottery don't take near enough. They  are prehistoric animals that will eat anything including humans.



I agree. It was about 45 degrees that morning when I took this picture.


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## humdandy (Nov 7, 2017)

They most certainly are out......buddy stepped on an 8 footer Jan. 1 a few years ago.  It was 32 out that morning.......it did warm up to about 40 when he stepped on him........gator was in a hole and had his head exposed.......the gator spun around and tried to bite him.......

He dropped on top of him and grabbed his jaws.......this was all in a few inches of water.......

Fun times!  I've had gators bump into my leg while duck hunting.......


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## b rad (Nov 7, 2017)

DRBugman85 said:


> A Gator may not feed when water temperature is below 60 but they will hit  a dog swimming and can kill your dog.I suggest lead poisoning for every  Gator .I all ways carry buckshot in my top pocket and kill them on the spot.Way to many in South Georgia and the lottery don't take near enough. They  are prehistoric animals that will eat anything including humans.



so u just openly admitted poaching gators on a open forum lol be funny if u get a visit from gw


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## DRBugman85 (Nov 7, 2017)

Brianduffey said:


> so u just openly admitted poaching gators on a open forum lol be funny if u get a visit from gw


 It's not poaching if my Lab is in harms way,If a GW wants to come by so be it.


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## b rad (Nov 7, 2017)

don't get why u duck hunters send ur bird dogs into Gator infested waters that irresponsible on ur part


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## humdandy (Nov 7, 2017)

DRBugman85 said:


> It's not poaching if my Lab is in harms way,If a GW wants to come by so be it.



Or a human.


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## b rad (Nov 7, 2017)

I get it if their after ur dog but u said u pop everyone u see on the spot so that would suggest u kill them just by seeing them


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## Mexican Squealer (Nov 7, 2017)

Brianduffey said:


> don't get why u duck hunters send ur bird dogs into Gator infested waters that irresponsible on ur part



Right, you don't get it. That's clear. Probably not a sport for you.


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## b rad (Nov 7, 2017)

people caught killing an alligator that was killed illegally face a misdemeanor charge and penalties as stiff as a $1,000 fine and 12 months in jail, or as light as a $50 fine; this just depends on the severity of the violation.if you feel that your life is threatened,  you have the right to protect your life. Keep in mind that the DNR also has the right to investigate the incident, and if found guilty of poaching, you will be charged with a misdemeanor.


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## b rad (Nov 7, 2017)

I don't duck hunt and even if I did I wouldn't send my pets into get them I do however hunt alligators and hate seeing them killed for non sense


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## DRBugman85 (Nov 7, 2017)

Brianduffey said:


> I don't duck hunt and even if I did I wouldn't send my pets into get them I do however hunt alligators and hate seeing them killed for non sense


I to hunt alligators also,and my hunting dog cost a lot more than  $1000.00.I hate folks that  kill alligators and let them rot,I love fryed Gator and Gator burgers with frys.Been duck hunting a long time and I will shoot a swamp lizard that can kill my dog If feel my dog is threatened.


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## obadiah (Nov 7, 2017)

When it is cold out (let’s say water colder than 60 like Nic said earlier), do gators actively pursue dogs (or feet dangling from tubes)or do they just react to them if they get startled?


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## little rascal (Nov 7, 2017)

*Dogs/Gators/current/Ice etc.,*

I don't duck hunt where there are Gators. I don't duck hunt with dogs. I do have dogs and know one rule for sure, don't ever send dogs where you can't go or won't go or can't get to your dog if need be!


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## DRBugman85 (Nov 7, 2017)

obadiah said:


> When it is cold out (let’s say water colder than 60 like Nic said earlier), do gators actively pursue dogs (or feet dangling from tubes)or do they just react to them if they get startled?


A Gator is a opportunist they hit on instinct.


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## Duckbuster82 (Nov 8, 2017)

If your afraid of gators don't hunt where they are. They are afraid of you and will keep their distance. Any animal is not going to attack anything else that could possibly injure it unless it has to. If it's cold out they do not need to feed and won't. I have shot ducks that landed next to gators and walked over and grabbed them, gator never made a move for it. I have also hunted dogs in areas that gators are prone to be, but only on cold days. If there is a chance for them to be active the dog does not go. I don't care how much you enjoy hunting with a dog, if it puts them in jeopardy why take them. Would you send your kid out to pick up a bird with the chance of a gator getting him. Talking about shooting gators, why put yourself in that position.


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## MudDucker (Nov 8, 2017)

I've hunted gator infested waters and seen gators take downed birds.  At one place I hunt in Florida, if you shine a light you will be stunned by the numbers.  At this same place, folks regularly take their dogs and a manager told me that they had never lost a dog.  Not me, I've seen gators get after dogs.  Fortunately never seen one catch a dog.


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## king killer delete (Nov 8, 2017)

I duck hunt gator and shark infested waters. Oyster beds are hard on dogs to. I carry a dip net not a dog. But i have hunted in waters with gators with my dogs in the distant past. never had a problem.


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## humdandy (Nov 8, 2017)

Duckbuster82 said:


> If your afraid of gators don't hunt where they are. They are afraid of you and will keep their distance. Any animal is not going to attack anything else that could possibly injure it unless it has to. If it's cold out they do not need to feed and won't. I have shot ducks that landed next to gators and walked over and grabbed them, gator never made a move for it. I have also hunted dogs in areas that gators are prone to be, but only on cold days. If there is a chance for them to be active the dog does not go. I don't care how much you enjoy hunting with a dog, if it puts them in jeopardy why take them. Would you send your kid out to pick up a bird with the chance of a gator getting him. Talking about shooting gators, why put yourself in that position.



If you step on their head they most certainly try to bite you.  Speaking from experience!


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## Duckbuster82 (Nov 8, 2017)

humdandy said:


> If you step on their head they most certainly try to bite you.  Speaking from experience!



And that goes back to they only bite when they have to.


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## GLS (Nov 8, 2017)

I've heard of two eyewitness accounts of gators taking dogs.  Don't recall the temps but one was a Lab at a boat ramp upper Savannah River below Augusta.  The duck hunter was putting his boat in while his dog waded.  He saw the gator swimming off with his dog.  The other was on private property in the SC lowcountry.  A man's Britt was taken down by a big gator in front of him.  He lost another Britt and suspects gators but didn't see it happen.  Reptiles and hogs give me the willies when I'm woodcock hunting around here.  I try to limit the days I hunt to cold mornings.


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## duck-dawg (Nov 9, 2017)

It all depends on the body of water in question. Seminole=never for me. Once we've had about a week of low temps (highs below 60), I'll start entertaining the idea of taking my dogs in the morning. If I go a few hunts without seeing eyes while running in the dark, that's usually the green light for me--that being said, while an eye-scan provides some reassurance, there's never any guarantee. If we've had temps below freezing, I'll take them in the afternoons as well. The problem in this part of the country is our temps may start low, but climb by 30 degrees or more in the afternoon. I've personally witnessed 3 ducks get eaten by large gators on afternoon hunts in late December/January. Temps were in the 40's in the morning, but climbed up into the 70's or even 80's by afternoon. EVEN if temps have been low, and EVEN if there's been no signs of active gators around, you still need to be smart about when/where you send your dog. Case in point: on one of the coldest mornings I've ever hunted in N FL...20mph winds, sleet, ice forming on the lake, I had a 9'er come out of nowhere and climb up on the shaft of my longtail. Poor guy was probably just as miserable as we were, but the point remains. 

Bottom line...the moment you send your dog, the only thing on his mind is going to be finding and retrieving the bird. It's your job to account for his/her safety. If, under the circumstances, you can't maintain a visual on the dog from start to finish, and you can't get to him within seconds if something were to go wrong, you have no business sending your dog.


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## Nicodemus (Nov 9, 2017)

This was on Seminole right down from my cabin. It was in February and early that morning it was around 26 degrees. I had gone out trying to find some specks and it had warmed up to maybe 50 degrees. He was moving slow, but he was out. This is one of the three biggest gators I`ve ever seen. And I`ve seen a lot of em.


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## The Fever (Nov 16, 2017)

g0nef1sshn said:


> Florida where they arnt hunted will eat everyone that splashes water and taste decoys if they learn over years of hunting the same hole. We had one named joe. He was missing an eye. Our spot light was his dinner bell. If they dropped dead and the ripples in the water faded fast enough hed lose interest. But when they flopped around forget it.
> 
> Not sure how he lost that eye though?



I've never lost a duck to a gator yet here in Florida. I did lose one to a big ole catfish once tho!  They aren't hunted on the areas I hunt for ducks and they seem content keeping their distance.


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## The Fever (Nov 16, 2017)

DRBugman85 said:


> A Gator may not feed when water temperature is below 60 but they will hit  a dog swimming and can kill your dog.I suggest lead poisoning for every  Gator .I all ways carry buckshot in my top pocket and kill them on the spot.Way to many in South Georgia and the lottery don't take near enough. They  are prehistoric animals that will eat anything including humans.



"I suggest lead poisoning for every gator. I always carry buckshot in my top pocket and kill them on the spot."

Is not the same, related, synonymous, interconnected, affiliated, analogous, or even close to...

"I hunt gators and love eating gator. If my dog was attacked or if I was attacked I would defend myself."

In fact, you are admitting to possessing lead shot while hunting a federally protected migratory bird, and poaching a species without a permit and out of season. Those are several illegal practices and multiple wildlife violations.


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## The Fever (Nov 16, 2017)

Nicodemus said:


> This was on Seminole right down from my cabin. It was in February and early that morning it was around 26 degrees. I had gone out trying to find some specks and it had warmed up to maybe 50 degrees. He was moving slow, but he was out. This is one of the three biggest gators I`ve ever seen. And I`ve seen a lot of em.



They are such a cool animal. Stealthy as can be.


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## MudDucker (Nov 16, 2017)

Carrying buckshot while duck hunting can get you a ticket.  A pistol or rifle fine, but no lead shot can be in your possession while hunting.  Just a word to the wise.


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## mlandrum (Nov 16, 2017)

Saw TWO today while fishing in the Altamaha


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## The Fever (Nov 16, 2017)

DRBugman85 said:


> Yes sir I carry BUCKSHOT and a 45 automatic and I could care less its my right to protect my dog,decoys and life if I fill threaten or my dog is threatened buy prehistoric animal that will eat me or my dog I will kill it dead 24/7 get over it. I have a GOD GIVEN RIGHT to protect my self and animals.Gators I will not tolerate around my dog's All My Children.



All that is well and fine, but your a wildgame violator if that is true, and you advocated poaching. The rationalization behind it doesn't matter at all.


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## The Fever (Nov 16, 2017)

DRBugman85 said:


> Yes I am a outlaw the DNR help me become one, The Game and Fish law enforcement in Georgia is a joke.I have had LE lying in court under oath and caught on it and still had to pay court cost.Got a ticket for shooting ducks after legal sunset and I was sitting in my truck when they drove up but I still got a ticket,never fired a shot.



So because you got the raw end of a deal you can now break the law?

Well hot dang!!! I got screwed on a traffic ticket so I can now rob a bank by your logic! Personal accountability has been completely absolved!


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## The Fever (Nov 16, 2017)

DRBugman85 said:


> Yes I am a outlaw the DNR help me become one, The Game and Fish law enforcement in Georgia is a joke.I have had LE lying in court under oath and caught on it and still had to pay court cost.Got a ticket for shooting ducks after legal sunset and I was sitting in my truck when they drove up but I still got a ticket,never fired a shot.




Also, since your freely admitting to being a multiple violation poacher, I'm calling hog wash that your story has any merit. A man of moral fortitude does not shift his morality based on the immorality of his peers. Since you freely rationalized your illegal activities, I'm saying you got busted and it burns your hindside and this is a way to stick it to the GW.


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## The Fever (Nov 16, 2017)

DRBugman85 said:


> You sir hunt your way I hunt mine.Never had a ticket I paid for all tossed  out of court for lack of evidence plus lying in court by LE is well known in this part of Georgia.



No sir. This isn't a question of which style of hunting. You're a poacher by your own words. That will be called out.


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## The Fever (Nov 16, 2017)

DRBugman85 said:


> You sir hunt your way I hunt mine.Never had a ticket I paid for all tossed  out of court for lack of evidence plus lying in court by LE is well known in this part of Georgia.



Oh. So you're admitting to poaching but you're say That all the tickets you've been written(again suspected of poaching) you've gotten out of. 

You're STILL a poacher. 

To be clear, you've never gotten into any serious trouble at a hunting impoundment? Once upon a time folks used to harass hunters and fines and bans were put in place. 

I'm glad your post is being allowed to remain so that folks see you for who you are.


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## The Fever (Nov 16, 2017)

DRBugman85 said:


> And I could not care less of what you think I never said I was as perfect as some think they are.So have fun hunt what you want eat what you can and enjoy your day.And get over yourself.



Bye.


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## Barebowyer (Nov 16, 2017)

Well, that was an interesting read...


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## steelshotslayer (Nov 16, 2017)

I've done my part to help out the population.


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## chase870 (Nov 17, 2017)

Brianduffey said:


> people caught killing an alligator that was killed illegally face a misdemeanor charge and penalties as stiff as a $1,000 fine and 12 months in jail, or as light as a $50 fine; this just depends on the severity of the violation.if you feel that your life is threatened,  you have the right to protect your life. Keep in mind that the DNR also has the right to investigate the incident, and if found guilty of poaching, you will be charged with a misdemeanor.



1k to protect my dog is a deal I spend that in vet bills and food plus some every year. If you bother my dog or look like you will its on regardless of who or what you are. Had a dog catcher fired for bothering my Fat Girl Friend. Dog catcher is lucky I was 3 hours away when it happened or I might be typing this from the prison libary


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## DRBugman85 (Nov 18, 2017)

TurkeyH90 said:


> I believe YOU exposed yourself for what you are. Next time take a deep breath before you type. And remember steal shot bounces of gators....or so I've been told.


Yes sir made a fool out of myself,Never shot a Gator unless my dog was in harms way.I do carry buckshot for that reason and haven't had to use it in a long time  (don't hunt ducks in Georgia anymore)And yes the experience with the DNR was a very long time ago.If I offended and one I apologize.I enjoy hunting with the young people and try to show the right way to do that.Again apologies for my post.


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