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Gator concerns?
- Thread starter ucfireman
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flatsmaster
Senior Member
Alligators are a big concern ... I live in central Florida and mine only hunts here on a couple of small private ponds early season and when it’s cold if we’re lucky enough for it to get cold enough and in Mississippi in late Dec and Jan ... if we draw a hunt in a impoundment that’s sheet water where she can run thru to retrieve I’d consider but deep water swimming it’s not gonna happen ...
mattuga
Banned
Not really. Gators won't eat below 60 degrees because they can't digest and would rot from the inside. I did some research on it and came to that end.
That said, if an area is covered in Gators the temp wouldn't matter as much, I'd leave the dog behind. A reactive gator bite will kill a dog even if the gator doesn't plan to eat. I took my dog to Butler once and probably wouldn't do that again unless it was downright cold for S GA like sub 40s.
That said, if an area is covered in Gators the temp wouldn't matter as much, I'd leave the dog behind. A reactive gator bite will kill a dog even if the gator doesn't plan to eat. I took my dog to Butler once and probably wouldn't do that again unless it was downright cold for S GA like sub 40s.
twoheartedale
Banned
You are correct about biting and I can assure you sir they will attempt to bite you if you step on one..........regardless of the temperature! Several years ago on Jan. 1 the temp was 32 and we were walking out a few hours later and it was 39. A gator had just his head poking out of a hole. My buddy stepped right on his head and the gator was not happy. The gator jumped up with jaws wide open and while trying to bite him. He was very lucky and I was there to help out and witness the entire incident.
They will in fact try and bite you when it is cold out! This is in SEGA. The gator was relocated.
On another note I've been duck hunting and had them bumped my leg why they swam by. This was late November.
I don't know if I would be comfortable taking a dog much below Macon, I would be too scared he would get got.
I do not have a dog at this time but am looking and will probably have one before too long. It just dawned on me the other day while watching a video about the "unknown dangers" a dog (or hunter for that matter) could face.
I do not have a dog at this time but am looking and will probably have one before too long. It just dawned on me the other day while watching a video about the "unknown dangers" a dog (or hunter for that matter) could face.
chrisn1818
Senior Member
I saw a dog bit in half on the Pearl River in early teal season. Wasn’t my dog. I wasn’t even hunting. I was fishing. It was horrible!! This was on Ross Barnett Reservoir just North of Jackson MS. The guy started hollering I motored over but the dog was gone.
flatsmaster
Senior Member
Everybody is different in there decision on what’s safe for there dog ... my dog will always go if I send her so it’s on me to control my ego if the situation tells me her life could be in danger weather it’s gators or hypothermia ... that said there’s nothing like watching your dog dig out a tough retrieve !!!
I know that gators won`t eat when the water temps are below 60 degrees, but I wouldn`t tempt fate. In the first pic it was 45 degrees. Second pic it was about 27 degrees that morning and had warmed up to about 50 when this old bull came up to sun. He`s an honest 14 footer. I still see him on occasion.
I know what it feels like to lose a dog to natural death or have to put one down. I could not imagine losing a young dog (or mature) with lots of life doing what it loves to something like that.
I know what you mean flat about your dog doing what you ask. Its the unknown. A pond or creek you never hunted and didn't think a gator would be that far north. Heck there was a big one a few years ago in Peachtree city, just south of Atlanta.
I'm sure anyone that has had that happen must feel terrible.
I appreciate everyone's input, as said above will probably just stay"north" of gators to be safe.
I know what you mean flat about your dog doing what you ask. Its the unknown. A pond or creek you never hunted and didn't think a gator would be that far north. Heck there was a big one a few years ago in Peachtree city, just south of Atlanta.
I'm sure anyone that has had that happen must feel terrible.
I appreciate everyone's input, as said above will probably just stay"north" of gators to be safe.
GLS
Classic Southern Gentleman
Years ago a friend's cousin was duck hunting the Savannah River below Augusta and let his dog out while putting his boat in the river. He couldn't find his dog and shined his Q-Beam in the water and saw a gator moving away with his dog between his jaws.
I second what is said about the behavior of gators. I wouldn't want my dog and I to appear in Ripley's Believe it or Not about losing a dog to a wintertime gator. Gil
I second what is said about the behavior of gators. I wouldn't want my dog and I to appear in Ripley's Believe it or Not about losing a dog to a wintertime gator. Gil
king killer delete
Moderator
I don’t hunt with a dog for this reason. When I’m in salt water it’s sharks and oyster beds.
Juan De
Senior Member
I don’t use one, 2 afraid of what could happen.
cracker4112
Senior Member
I will give a different viewpoint. I hunt ducks in central and south Florida. I have always had a retriever. It really depends on the situation. Most of the places I hunt the gators are real skittish since they are hunted for a couple months before duck season but I will not take my dog if it is deep, and I mean over knee deep or so. Gators big and brave enough to take a dog almost always have deep water nearby, and I won't hunt a dog in that situation, any temperature. Areas with large expanses of shallow water are best, and the dog must mind and be able to be called back at any time. IMO
king killer delete
Moderator
Up here near Hilton Head gator took a woman walking her dog a couple of years ago.
devolve
Senior Member
Shirt pocket full of steel 2 3/4” #7s keeps them at bay.
king killer delete
Moderator
Here in Savannah we had an 80 year old woman killed while walking her dog several years ago. Even Disney World had a gator attack on a young child that resulted in the child’s death. I’m not afraid of gators but my dog doesn’t understand the threat , I do.
king killer delete
Moderator
The 80 year old was on a street in a residential neighborhood.
king killer delete
Moderator
Gil you and I hunted allot of the same areas in the past you and I know it gets worse every year.
devolve
Senior Member
I hunted the central FL section of the St Johns River for 2 decades. I know all about that. I stopped hunting a dog on that water loooong before I moved out of there. Scary how quick they come out of nowhere. I’ve stepped on them wading in twice in that time. The #7’s will keep them from your dead ducks before you get to them. ??
