4 of us traveled down for opening day of gator season. We launched the boat at noon on the Combahee River in search of an 8 foot gator or better. We covered several miles of water that afternoon and only spotted 2 smaller gators until about 5:30. We saw one about 10 feet sitting in the edge of the water and began to close the distance. As soon as we were in range, we shot the crossbow at it and missed low. 2 of us then simultaneously tossed hooks and made perfect casts. I set the hook and caught something else (not the gator). Our 2nd hook connected and the gator ran off the bank. We lost him after 10 seconds. That gator was begging us to take him and somehow we failed. We had another opportunity at about 8:30. I snagged one about 10 feet with the rod and reel. He sat on the bottom so we tossed a big treble where he was sitting and set the hook. The gator bolted and went under the boat - somehow this one slipped away as well as both hooks pulled out after a short time. We spent the night searching for another alligator. We were determined, but (some of us) were beginning to drift to sleep. Finally around 5:30 Sunday morning we close in on a decent looking gator. So I tossed a hook and made a connection. He sat on the bottom and we had a 2nd person toss a hook on rod and reel and got connected. With 2 hooks in, we tossed the big treble on a hand rope and made a good snag. We were able to pull him up to the surface and hit him with the cross bow. We now had 4 lines in him and had him worn down. We pulled him up again beside the boat and made a shot. Unfortunately, the shot was not perfect and he took a bite out of my new boat. We get another shot or two and he's ours. We taped him up and pulled him onto the boat. He turned out to be a fine alligator at 10 FT 8 IN.
We've got one more tag to fill, and we're going back down this weekend. Thanks to everyone for sharing their own stories and pictures. Hope to share another soon.
We've got one more tag to fill, and we're going back down this weekend. Thanks to everyone for sharing their own stories and pictures. Hope to share another soon.
Good luck filling that other tag, hope to read another successful hunt story 
