The Florida alligator public hunts operate on a lottery tag system. The application period is usually in may. If you are awarded a permit, you are given two (2) tags. The non resident cost to purchase your tags is right around $1000 dollars. If you draw your own tags and book us, we will take you out to fill your 2 tags for $800. If you book us to use one (1) of our tags, the cost of the hunt is $1250. So, if you are coming with a buddy to kill 2 gators your cost of the tags and the hunt would be $1800 if you draw your own tags, or $2500 if using two of our tags.
In addition to this, you need to purchase a $52 alligator agent license and a non resident hunting license, based on how long you plan to stay.
This price does NOT include lodging. There are several nearby hotels with restaurants within walking distance. We provide transportation to and from the hunts each day, and obviously you are welcome to hang around with us while we prep gear, tell stories around the house, etc... if you so choose.
Most areas that we draw permits for are only accessible on airboat. So that will be the primary vessel the hunt will take place on.
The legal hunting hours begin at 5 pm each day and end at 10 am the following morning. Therefore, the normal plan of attack goes like this: we depart the ramp at 4:30 pm and locate a gator we want to hunt first. At 5 pm we begin an approach on the gator, when within casting distance, the client attempts to throw a large treble hook over the gators back to hook him. The battle then begins. When the gator is brought boat side, I will hold the treble hook
Rod while the client drives a harpoon with detachable tip into the gator. This tip is attached to a buoy which is tossed into the water. This gets a more secure attachment and also a constant visual on the gators location. Then, when the gator begins to tire, I will ease the gator boat side while the client stands ready with a bangstick. As the gators head approaches the surface, the client dispatches the gator with the bangstick. The gator is then boated and immediately tagged.
I work for the main processor in our area during season, so proper handling and transportation of your gator to the processor will be handled by me at no cost. Processing generally runs around $20/ft. for hide and meat together. If you only want one or the other, the processor will do an even trade for no cost at all.
Another unique perk we offer is that I am one of only 3 licenses nuisance alligator trappers for Indian River county. I work nuisance alligator permits weekly and I allow any client to come along with me while they are in town and we are in between hours of public hunts. This means you could kill several nuisance alligators at no cost, but, I keep these gators. This all depends on what current nuisance permits I hold while you are here. Just for reference, I killed 11 nuisance gators this week.
