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GON Gator Gallery 2017
GON Staff | October 1, 2017
Just a simple observation; the number of successful gator pictures GON has received for the 2017 season seems to be off. With the season not ending until Oct. 2, it’s still too early to know if we’re looking at a slower year or not. Those numbers will likely be published this fall at http://georgiawildlife.com.
Turning the clock back, the 2016 gator season, with a 25 percent hunter-success rate, was the poorest season Georgia hunters have seen since the season started in 2003. Theories are hunters are waiting on a giant gator or gators are getting more aware that they’ve become targets. The average hunter-success rate from 2003-2016 is 30 percent, still a great chance at a special hunt.
If you’ve been successful, send us your pictures and captions to [email protected].
![](https://cdn.gon.com/media/2020/08/17183005/kelly-bagwell-gator-featured.jpg)
It took Kelly Bagwell, of Carrollton, five years to get drawn for an alligator hunt on Lake Seminole, but it was worth it. She took this 8-9 gator with her crossbow on opening night.
![](https://cdn.gon.com/media/2020/08/17182938/savannah-river-gator.jpg)
Here’s a 10 1/2-footer from the Savannah River taken by (from left) Sawyer Stevens, of Senoia, guide Del Baxter, of McDonough, Bubba Stevens, of Senoia, and Jeff Farrow, of Sharpsburg.
![](https://cdn.gon.com/media/2020/08/17182942/champney-river-gator.jpg)
This Zone 7 gator was taken near the Champney River on Sept. 2. The hunters were (from left) Kenny McCleskey, of White, Kenny Morgan, of Hickory Flat, and Kevin Jones, of Brunswick. The beast was 12-3 and weighed 460 pounds.
![](https://cdn.gon.com/media/2020/08/17182946/chris-fox-gator.jpg)
Chris Fox, of Ideal, was the tag holder for this 12-3 gator taken in the Ocmulgee River in Twiggs County. The other hunters were John Floyd and Darrell Canon.
![](https://cdn.gon.com/media/2020/08/17182950/thomason-gator.jpg)
Gator hunters (from left) Seth Thomason and Karl Thomason, of Brooks, and Ken Thomason of Senoia, took this 10-8 gator on Seminole on Aug. 22.
![](https://cdn.gon.com/media/2020/08/17182954/seminole-11-foot-gator.jpg)
This crew killed two gators on Lake Seminole, with this 11-7 being the longest. The hunters were (from left) guide Jeff Keahey, Nicholas Hopper, of Silver Creek, and Corey Gochee, of Cartersville.
![](https://cdn.gon.com/media/2020/08/17182958/chad-dale-gator.jpg)
It took Chad Dale, of Gainesville, five years to get a gator tag. He arrowed this nice 9-3 gator in Glynn County on Sept. 14.
![](https://cdn.gon.com/media/2020/08/17183001/clint-hunter-gator.jpg)
It took Klint Hunter (left), of White, six years to get his gator tag for Zone 7 on the Altamaha River. He and his brother Luke helped kill this 11-plus footer on Aug. 26. Not pictured is Ed Stelle, who assisted with the 412-lb. gator.
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