Buddies and I have been putting in for alligator tags for years (7 group loyalty points, individuals ranging from 6 to 11 points) - we finally got drawn on the second drawing this year.

We're scrounging up the old john boat from the buddy we sold it to a few years back. Other than that, any tips and tricks for a successful hunt?

We'll have 4 tags to try to fill in what looks like 24 or so hours, should be interesting.

Choot Em!

Best advice is to check your sets multiple times before you leave them. We got skunked when we did it. My set didn't release and the other got wrapped into a submerged tree and gator got free.

If we ever do it again, I think I'd take a bow with me for the check day in case you don't fill any tags. Get you some chicken thighs and let them sit outside in a ziplock for a day or two before you go. You'll want to be sure you've got bone in there to help the chicken stay on the hook better.

Would the bow be for gators as well or something else?

Yes, you can hunt with baited lines, throw and retrieve lines, or archery, but only 1 method at a time. That way if you see you didn't catch anything on your set line, you'd have the ride back to potentially get a shot at one.

That was my understanding at least.

Congrats! That reserve is named in honor of my great great uncle.

rather be fishing said:

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Best advice is to check your sets multiple times before you leave them. We got skunked when we did it. My set didn't release and the other got wrapped into a submerged tree and gator got free.

If we ever do it again, I think I'd take a bow with me for the check day in case you don't fill any tags. Get you some chicken thighs and let them sit outside in a ziplock for a day or two before you go. You'll want to be sure you've got bone in there to help the chicken stay on the hook better.

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I second this. I did the management hunt at B.A. Steinhagen last year. We had good success using a harpoon for the smaller gators. I have been applying for the regular hunt and have imagined that if the hook and line method were not working I'd definitely like to give the harpoon/bow method a shot on the bigger gators.

You could be more selective on what alligator you want to take, and it seems like it is a lot more fun than yanking one in that caught himself on a piece of chicken the night before.

I get the seasoned hill country fare chicken quarters and a cheap bottle of fish sauce from the asian food aisle, I then split it among 2 or 3 gallon ziplocks and let it sit for 2 days (typically do this on wednesday evenings when i plant to set lines over the weekend). Important advice: be sure to put gloves on when baiting the hook, you dont want that smell lingering on your hands or salmonella

My Cousin was the state wildlife biologist at JDM for a few years. I went out with him once and there are a few monster gators to be had it you get in the right spot

Find the biggest slide in your section and bait there.

I also put in for this hunt. No luck! Hopefully next year.

Here's a young ATX_AG with a Murphree gator.

Congrats. It's a blast.

What days were you drawn for?

My group drew 15th -16th

I've been one time before and am hoping it turns out as fun as last time.

We'll be there 16-17th

Myself and another poster on here got for drawn for those same dates. In 2015 we pulled a 5' and 6' out and in 2018 we pulled a 6.5', 7.5', and a 10.5' out of there. All I remember was that big 'un was freaking big!

Edit: to change size of the big gator. My buddy text me and apparently I exaggerated a bit. The bigger gator was only 10.5' instead of 12.5'-13' like I was trying to exaggerate it as.


Picture is from 2018 with my 7.5' gator.

My daughter's friend got a 13'1" gator last year. Wish I had the picture. That thing was a literal monster.

ATX - what year was that?

I may have been working that hunt, because I remember our Alligator Program staff having shirts like that made up for the youth hunt. We saved the Round Lake area just for youth, to be as close to a guaranteed catch as possible.

Get em. One less I've gotta worry about being eaten by while duck hunting.

99-00 maybe? I can find out.

I was there for hunts from 97-99, and left the Coastal program in early 2000. There are a lot of Aggies who have hunted down at JD, which is cool.

Hey guys Im one of the hunters from the op. Appreciate yalls input! For those that have done this, Is night hunting allowed for this hunt? I havent found anything that specifically says one way or the other. And I love seeing all the gator pics, keep em coming if you have more!

You should call the current alligator program leader at the JDMWMA (I think it is now Jonathan Warner), or one of the other biologists or techs that run the hunts to ask if the have specific hunt times.

If I recall, we asked our hunters to be back at the WMA check station by 30 after sunset and not go back out until 30 mins before. The reason was the WMA staff collect data for each gator and associated tag number, safety, and the basic fact that they need to sleep a little too! If you have hunters not familiar with the bayou or marsh units, getting lost out over the large WMA it can make for long nights of recovering hunters and broken down boats.

Of course, that was over 20 years ago, so a lot may have changed.

Pro Tip - If you show up decked out with head to toe camo, eye black, and a big bowie knife on your belt, the TPWD will know you're really serious.....or you're from a Dallas suburb.

Advice I remember:
- let your bait get sour. Nastier the better.
- scout for a big slide or big gator. When you find a good area turn the boat off and wait 20-30 mins to see what pops up.
- the higher you hang the bait, the bigger the gator has to be to jump up and get it.

I have a semi-confession to make. There's a list of rules for this hunt obviously. Roadkill is not an allowed bait. I may or may not know someone who went on this hunt many years ago and smuggled in a big dead dog they picked up. They hung it really high with no hook to see if something would get it. Next morning they pull up and the rope is swimming around and they pull in a 12.5' gator with the dog stuck in its gullet.

Most everyone does hook and line that I've seen. Which means you wouldn't want to be around at night.

Running into a new problem - we've got 4 guys and a 16ft Jon boat. You start adding gators, and this could get hairy. Any suggestions on finding another boat to rent?

We're throwing around the idea of buying and flipping something cheap if we can't find anything, but that has its own risks.

Was so much easier when we started putting in for this and still owned an Air Ranger.

I sent ya an email Jake02

Just saw it - thanks!

I fish down in that area often. I love to just go cruise the back waters of the marsh in my mudboat. I have seen some monster gators out there, and well as high numbers in general. Good luck!

Don't piss off the locals at any of the weighins. They'll get your but thrown in jail. They don't like out of towners coming in and taking their trophies. I speak from experience.

Shoefly! said:

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Don't piss off the locals at any of the weighins. They'll get your but thrown in jail. They don't like out of towners coming in and taking their trophies. I speak from experience.

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Storytime

Watched swamp people, read all the rules baited a heavy line ..caught 6/12 first day tagged per TPW . Not that difficult.

Shoefly! said:

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Don't piss off the locals at any of the weighins. They'll get your but thrown in jail. They don't like out of towners coming in and taking their trophies. I speak from experience.

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I need more details about this....

It was a nightmare, I've thought about writing it all down. That's all I'm going to say.

Today's the day! Just pulled up and of course, it's pouring down rain

Anybody going to Gatorfest in Anahuac this weekend?