# Redneck1 guided us to a 13+ alligator



## groundhawg (Sep 5, 2012)

We just got back from an exciting night of hunting. 

Was on Lake Eufuala at dusk and caught up with a monster alligator just before midnight. My son, John, killed his first alligator last night while guided by Chris.  The huge critter was 13 feet 5 inches long and over 600 pounds, yep more than 1/4 ton of alligator loaded into Chris' truck.

It took the three of us almost 3 and 1/2 hours to get him off the bottom and then could not load it in the boat.  We had to tie it to the side of the boat to get it back to the boat ramp. 

Photos are coming.


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## country boy (Sep 5, 2012)

Congratulations can't wait to see the pics


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## rum3002576 (Sep 5, 2012)

congrats


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## mattech (Sep 5, 2012)

Congrats!


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## USMC0321 (Sep 5, 2012)

Some big ones in that lake


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## TreeFrog (Sep 5, 2012)

Here are some of the first pics:

Redneck1 does a top notch service.  Tremendous knowledge, great commitment to safety, and goes the extra mile to make the trip yours.

Special thanks to my Dad for an experience unlike ANY I have ever had.


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## USMC0321 (Sep 5, 2012)

That is a nice one, you going to get a rug mount?


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## mattech (Sep 5, 2012)

Nice. That thing is huge.


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 5, 2012)

Congrats. Good Lord that is a big lizard.


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## turky93 (Sep 5, 2012)

I'm about tired of all these huge gator pics. 
They put bad thoughts in my mind when I'm coming back across the lake in my 10' kayak.


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## groundhawg (Sep 5, 2012)

turky93 said:


> I'm about tired of all these huge gator pics.
> They put bad thoughts in my mind when I'm coming back across the lake in my 10' kayak.



It would put thoughts in my mind also.  We have seen large (10 foot +) alligators all over Lake Eufuala even off the beach and swiming areas at Lake Point and White Oak.  What really made me think today was that the alligator John got had fresh bite marks on it's back were another gator had (maybe  a larger one) biten it.


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## emusmacker (Sep 5, 2012)

Big ole gator.  Troy Landry would have been proud.


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## dtala (Sep 5, 2012)

Troy woulda measured that one at 16 feet.....


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## groundhawg (Sep 5, 2012)

USMC0321 said:


> That is a nice one, you going to get a rug mount?



Thanks.

Yes sir, sort of. Because of cost we are only having the head mounted and the rest/hide in a "rug" mount.


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## REDNECK1 (Sep 5, 2012)

I am glad you enjoyed your hunt with your son groundhawg. It was a pleasure meeting you both and hope next year we can get your father out there and get him one. Take care and we will see you soon.


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## tkyklr1 (Sep 5, 2012)

Awesome Gator Congrats!


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## groundhawg (Sep 6, 2012)

REDNECK1 said:


> I am glad you enjoyed your hunt with your son groundhawg. It was a pleasure meeting you both and hope next year we can get your father out there and get him one. Take care and we will see you soon.



Thanks for all you did to make our hunt such a memorable experience.  The memories we made will last us a lifetime.  I was showing pictures of our alligator and the Georgia record you guided Craig to last year to my wife and daughter.  Noticed that both alligators were take on September 4th – his 2011 and ours 2012.  Somebody better booked your services for 9/4/2013.


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## Thunder Head (Sep 6, 2012)

What a dinosaur !!!
 Congrats to everyone involved


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## jhp40 (Sep 6, 2012)

What part of the lake was this in


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## REDNECK1 (Sep 6, 2012)

In the water on the georgia side of the lake.


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## jbrooker (Sep 6, 2012)

Well done by both parties and one heck of a gator


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## florida boy (Sep 6, 2012)

dtala said:


> Troy woulda measured that one at 16 feet.....



and called in 2000 lbs while pulling him over the side of the boat one handed.....oh yeah and killed him with one shot with a 22 while the gator was facing him !


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## florida boy (Sep 6, 2012)

btw nice gator guys !


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## shakey gizzard (Sep 6, 2012)

Sweet!


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## jhp40 (Sep 6, 2012)

REDNECK1 said:


> In the water on the georgia side of the lake.



I hunted Alabama side this year. Just curious where you Georgia guys went


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## groundhawg (Sep 6, 2012)

jhp40 said:


> What part of the lake was this in



You know that part where you put the boat in near the old...... come on now that is like asking where is your best deer hunting spot.

Anyway it is not likly we could ever tell anybody.  The thing is that RN1 placed hoods over our heads and took away our GPS before taking us out on the boat so we could never share one of his honey holes 

Sorry I am not really trying to be a smart alex but there are large alligators several places on the lake from Rood Landing all the way south past the dam and along the river.  RN1 has seen several that looked as big as the one we got and while fishing I have seen a couple that were better than 12 feet. 

Even though RN1 knew there gators more than 11 feet long in the area we hunted we were not targeting this one alligator.  We had already missed getting 3 or 4 to the boat and saw several more before hooking up to this one.  It was just good luck for us and bad for the gator that the one we final hooked was as large as it was.  The skill and knowledge that RN1 has gave us a chance at a nice alligator and we were just in the right place at the right time for John to connect.

Twice during the fight with this gator he tore two hooks out and was held by only the small "casting" hook with 100# line.  For the most of the first 2 hours he was under the boat in about 20 feet of water and just walking along the bottom pulling the boat where ever he wanted to go.  We were able to keep him away from the bank, stumps, and trees until he tired and then had a little control.

The gator was so strong that even after we had the three "heavy" lines with a combined breaking strength of 1,000 pounds hooked to him we could not "hoss" him to the surface.  He did pretty much what he wanted to do until almost the 3 hour of fighting.


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## biker13 (Sep 6, 2012)

Congrats to the Groudhawg/Dad crew and you couldn't have picked a better person than Chris to guide you.I got my first last year with him although not 13" it was mine and it ate good.I consider Chris a lifetime friend and a top notch gator hunter.Hope my son gets chosen next year and we will book Sept 4th 2013 for the Biker13/Son crew.God Bless you guys for a safe and great hunt.


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## jhp40 (Sep 6, 2012)

groundhawg said:


> You know that part where you put the boat in near the old...... come on now that is like asking where is your best deer hunting spot.
> 
> Anyway it is not likly we could ever tell anybody.  The thing is that RN1 placed hoods over our heads and took away our GPS before taking us out on the boat so we could never share one of his honey holes
> 
> ...



Sorry for asking. Curiosity got the best of me. Having killed a 13' on the Alabama side and not really knowing the Georgia creeks, I just was interested in where the Georgia guys hunt. Not trying to steal your spot or anything since I cant hunt Georgia and have several picked out in AL if I get drawn again.

Congrats on the trophy. I can speak from experience, it is not easy getting one that big in the boat


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## groundhawg (Sep 6, 2012)

dlsbiker13 said:


> Congrats to the Groudhawg/Dad crew and you couldn't have picked a better person than Chris to guide you.I got my first last year with him although not 13" it was mine and it ate good.I consider Chris a lifetime friend and a top notch gator hunter.Hope my son gets chosen next year and we will book Sept 4th 2013 for the Biker13/Son crew.God Bless you guys for a safe and great hunt.



Glad you had a great time on your hunt and know you will be looking forward to going again and taking your Son.  I know you were proud of the one you got we would have been happy with one much smaller.  It just worked out that we were blessed  to get such a great trouphy safely though my arms were so sore this morning it was hard to shave.


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## Dep6 (Sep 7, 2012)

Great story, nice lizard!!


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## CaptainCraig (Sep 9, 2012)

Nice Gator! That winch looked like it came in handy.


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## GA DAWG (Sep 9, 2012)

Nice un!!!


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## TreeFrog (Sep 9, 2012)

Thanks, without the winch it never would have made it to the back of the truck.


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## frydaddy40 (Sep 10, 2012)

*Way to go*

Nice job guy's , herd all about it from Chris.  He's one of 
  the best guy's out there.   
     Thanks for making the lake a safer place to swim.


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## groundhawg (Sep 10, 2012)

frydaddy40 said:


> Nice job guy's , herd all about it from Chris.  He's one of
> the best guy's out there.
> Thanks for making the lake a safer place to swim.



SAFE TO SWIM!    It has gotten so that now I am afraid to reach over the side of the boat to rinse the fish slime off my hands.

Good job on those coastal gators.

You are right about Chris, more than just our guide he is now our friend.


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## Boar Hog (Sep 10, 2012)

CaptainCraig said:


> Nice Gator! That winch looked like it came in handy.



I don't think it would have worked on yours last year Craig!


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## BlackKnight755 (Sep 12, 2012)

...I can't believe you all couldn't load him in the boat, Troy and 'Lizbeth loaded 'em 600, 700 even 800 pounds!


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## Jasper (Sep 12, 2012)

Good grief what a monster! Congrats!


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## groundhawg (Sep 12, 2012)

BlackKnight755 said:


> ...I can't believe you all couldn't load him in the boat, Troy and 'Lizbeth loaded 'em 600, 700 even 800 pounds!



Yea, I pretty much wimped out on the guys by the time the alligator was dead.  But even when I was helping we never could lift more than a part of the gator in the boat and getting it in the truck was very hard.

Think Boarhog is right the winch would have never gotten that 800# plus monster Craig got last year off the ground.  RN1 has plans for a new boat with a winch that swings which will be attached to the front of his boat.

That way next year we can take my Dad and let him get a REALLY BIG one.


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## BornToHuntAndFish (Sep 13, 2012)

Congrats on ya'lls prehistoric monster success.


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## j_seph (Sep 13, 2012)

Nice!!!!!
But I have to know, I have cleaned snapping turtles and the dadgum things are still moving while your cleaning em. Does a gator do the same?


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## Boar Hog (Sep 13, 2012)

j_seph said:


> Nice!!!!!
> But I have to know, I have cleaned snapping turtles and the dadgum things are still moving while your cleaning em. Does a gator do the same?



When it's fresh the meat practically crawls off the table. We took a 12' gator last year and it was still moving when we got back home 4 hrs. later.


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## groundhawg (Sep 18, 2012)

A very interesting find........


While Treefrog was cleaning the skin and preparing it to be sent to get tanned he found something we thought was very unusual and interesting.  Under the hide and just behind the right front shoulder he found an old musket ball.  It was somewhat flatten and very fragile but will add to the stories we tell about the alligator.


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## Nicodemus (Sep 20, 2012)

groundhawg said:


> A very interesting find........
> 
> 
> While Treefrog was cleaning the skin and preparing it to be sent to get tanned he found something we thought was very unusual and interesting.  Under the hide and just behind the right front shoulder he found an old musket ball.  It was somewhat flatten and very fragile but will add to the stories we tell about the alligator.





Could you tell what caliber it was or was it too flattened? Post a picture of it.


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## groundhawg (Sep 23, 2012)

Nicodemus said:


> Could you tell what caliber it was or was it too flattened? Post a picture of it.



Talked to Treefrog this afternoon and while the ball is somewhat flatten he thought it was either a .32 or .36 caliber as it was about the size of a .00 buckshot shot round which I think is .36 caliber.   He will try and send you a picture in a day or so.


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## groundhawg (Jun 3, 2013)

June is here so time to get your quota hunts requested.  Alligator is first so we will start early getting your blood flowing and stories started with a coulpe from last year.


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## sleepr71 (Jun 23, 2013)

Nicodemus said:


> Could you tell what caliber it was or was it too flattened? Post a picture of it.



Don't worry Nic...we won't tell on ya fer shootin it.


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## groundhawg (Jul 16, 2013)

Got the "tanned" alligator hide back today. With out the head (which is being mounted) the hide from the tail to just in front of the front legs was 10 feet and 6 inches long. Just across the belly hide (half of the whole hide) was 42 inches across. So with 10.5 by 3.5 feet of hide we had tanned the 'gator was 36.75 square feet. Will try and get a picture tomorrow.


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## Boar Hog (Jul 19, 2013)

groundhawg said:


> Got the "tanned" alligator hide back today. With out the head (which is being mounted) the hide from the tail to just in front of the front legs was 10 feet and 6 inches long. Just across the belly hide (half of the whole hide) was 42 inches across. So with 10.5 by 3.5 feet of hide we had tanned the 'gator was 36.75 square feet. Will try and get a picture tomorrow.



Hey GH who tanned your hide for you? What are your plans for it?


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## NCHillbilly (Jul 19, 2013)

Nicodemus said:


> Could you tell what caliber it was or was it too flattened? Post a picture of it.



Lose a musket ball, Nic?


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## Nicodemus (Jul 19, 2013)

NCHillbilly said:


> Lose a musket ball, Nic?





Nah, I use a hawk.


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## NCHillbilly (Jul 19, 2013)

Nicodemus said:


> Nah, I use a hawk.



Gettin' too old to 'rassle 'em down with your bare hands?


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## Nicodemus (Jul 19, 2013)

NCHillbilly said:


> Gettin' too old to 'rassle 'em down with your bare hands?





Arthritis has done wore me out.   

I can still grin em down though.


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## golffreak (Jul 19, 2013)

Yep, Eufaula and the Chattahoochee south to Gordon, AL are full of very large gators. Not uncommon at all to see dozens per day on the river during the summer.


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## groundhawg (Jul 20, 2013)

Boar Hog said:


> Hey GH who tanned your hide for you? What are your plans for it?



BH, we had the hide tanned by American Tanning and Leather in Griffin, Georgia.  They did a great job on the hide (color, smooth, well done) and turn around time was as good as anybody. They received the hide late last September and shipped it to us on July 12th.

Only thing we were unhappy about was they quoted one price when we dropped it off and charged us $250.00 more then the quoted price before shipping.

Can share more about that in PM if you want.

As to what we will do with it..... well right now just show it off as a whole rug.  Later as time and money are aval. we might have a few "keepsakes" made out out of it.  Just taking the legs off would not reduce the "rug" much and could be made into knife sheaths or pistol holsters, key cases or wallets.  The back legs along are large enough that they might be able to make a pair of boots from them.


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