1. ‘Gator Squad’ nab massive alligator on Texas golf course

Flint’s Ron Lott paid his money and took his chances. His result was a successful alligator bow hunt.

Lott had been entered the statewide drawing unsuccessfully for 14 years. A year ago, however, Lott entered the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Texas Big Time Hunt alligator drawing and won. Since the drawing was held after the 2014 alligator season the hunt was put on hold until this September when Lott and a college friend, Brian Cope, traveled to the J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area near Port Arthur.

Lott is not a newcomer to alligator hunting, but as the drawing winner he got extra service as he prepared for the hunt this summer.

“Andrew Peters, a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologist, called me every few weeks, starting the middle of August, just to stay in touch, and answer any of the questions I had for him. He was very helpful in what to bring, and what to expect. Andrew asked if I had a bow, and encouraged me to carry it, so we would have more options on my hunt,” Lott explained.

Lott had experience bow hunting, but not for alligators. He started by getting a Muzzy Gator Getter arrow, an arrow designed specifically for bow fishing. He attached 400-pound test line to the arrow along with a state mandated 6X6X8 inch float.

Much of September is alligator season in the 22 so-called core counties where alligators have traditionally existed. That includes Jefferson County where the Murphree is located. Throughout the season the area is open to hunters who have drawn a permit, but during the Big Time Hunt, the entire 25,000-acre WMA was closed to the public with the exception of Lott, Cope and the department staff that assisted them.

Immediately after getting unpacked, Peters told the hunters he had scouted some alligators he wanted them to see.

 “When we got to the area where Andrew had seen the alligators, we spotted what we thought to be around a 9-foot gator. He went down and would not come up. I stayed in that area waiting for him to surface, while the guides and Brian continued to look for gators,” Lott said.

In the meantime, a smaller 7-foot alligator surfaced. Cope made a decision to go after it with Lott’s bow, even though by waiting he might have found a bigger one.

“He hadn’t shot a bow in 25 years. The whole trip down he said he was not going to kill one with a bow. Then he said, ‘Give me that bow, I am going to shoot that one,'” Lott said.

Lott told him to use the bottom pin because the gator was floating a good ways out. Cope did and connected.

While the effort was underway to recover the first alligator, another one came up in front of Lott.

“He came up two minutes of Brian shooting the other gator,” Lott said.

Lott made the quick decision to take a shot. Peters had schooled him to target the neck just behind the skull. Lott made the shot.

“Once I got the barb in him we start pulling on him. I don’t want to pull too hard and break the line,” Lott said.

The tug-of-war took about 15 minutes before they were able to pull the big alligator to shore and finish it with a .22 caliber rifle shot.

Measuring right at 10-foot, the alligator weighed 214 pounds. Lott said the TPWD biologists explained that a 10-footer should weigh about 200 pounds, but will add an additional 200 pounds for every foot of growth after that.

Having taken an 8-foot, 2-inch alligator with bait on a hook on his own farm in East Texas, Lott went into this hunt a little reluctant. Hunting with a bow, airboat rides through the marsh and a bonus teal hunt changed all of that.

“This was one of the most fun hunts I have ever been on. I will definitely enter again next year,” Lott said.