Florida Gator Hunts Gets Rave Review

Subscriber Craig Purse says he booked an alligator hunt in Florida with an outfitter mentioned in Mike Bodenchuk's overview report on alligator hunting in our January 2012 issue (see Article 2783). He hunted with Bart Carter of Gator Hunts (352-258-5858) and killed a nine-foot gator. He says the hunt was simply "excellent" and the experience "awesome." He on goes on to describe the hunt this way: "Bart has a fair chase hunting style that makes his hunts incredibly challenging and fun. You start by glassing to identify the gator you want and then running on him' with Bart's airboat. When close, the boat is shut down, and you look for subtle signs to see where the submerged gator might be. Casting snagging hooks with musky poles' requires a steady hand, but the fun really starts when you hook up' a gator. I fly fish for tarpon and billfish, and believe me, their initial runs are comparable to that of my gator. After a long battle, my gator was brought near the boat for the coupe de grace. The close-in battle was one of the highlights of my hunting career - definitely not for the faint of heart.

"Bart does an excellent job of trophy processing, getting you pumped up and prepared for the hunt and is a fun guy to hang out with. He did a wonderful job of tailoring the experience for my wife and daughter, who accompanied me on the hunt. Accommodations are in local hotels. I highly recommend this hunt and will be going back next year."

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