What gun for a gator?

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Nazirite

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"SANIBEL, Fla. — A 74-year-old woman survived an attack by a nearly 10-foot-long alligator (search) that bit her on the leg and arm and dragged her into a lake.

Jane C. Keefer was stable and in good condition at HealthPark Medical Center (search) early Thursday, hospital officials said.

Police said Keefer was attacked at about 8 p.m. Wednesday as she was gardening near the bank behind her home.

Bitten first on the leg, Keefer was able to fight the alligator off, Sanibel Police Chief Bill Tomlinson said.

The reptile lunged at her a second time, biting her arm and dragging her into the water, before her husband, William, was able to help her get away, said Lar Gregory, an investigator with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (search).

Authorities captured the alligator at 10:45 p.m. behind Keefer's home. It will be destroyed.

"This is the kind of gator that will kill you," said trapper John
French.# :what:
 
Sometimes I am glad I live in the frigid north. I would rather deal with bears then gators any day they tend to be more predictible.
 
i heard about that last night. sanibel island is about 20 minutes from me. the college down the street from me, which ill be attending next year, has gator signs all over the place because they built it in the middle of a forrest/swamp thing. also, theres this one dirt road about an hour away thats about 25 miles long. for fun i drove about 2 miles down it and saw maybe 20 gators sunning on the side of the road.

so id like to know what would be good for gators too because i should be purchasing my first gun by the summer hopefully.
 
I would think 12ga slug or a high powered rifle. The boney plate armor they have is very thick. I had a great uncle shoot a 6 footer in the head with a 38. Then he threw it in the back of his truck and took it to my grandfather's to show it off, we don't see many alligators in Dallas, too cold I guess. I was visiting with my Dad (I was 7) when he popped the tailgate down and it was very much still alive to all of our surprise. It was hissing and very pissed. I think he took it back to his farm and finaly shot it with a 30-30.

So use enough gun.
 
The hunters use 12 gauge shotguns. As to a concealed carry piece that might work...well, the bigger the better IMNSHO. I would want at least a .45 and even then you will probalby have to shoot it at extreme close range (ie after it has bitten you).
 
30-06 will take care of the problem so would a 12 or 10 gauge shotgun. However if the little bugger hopped in the boat to play footsie with you:what: I thing a 44mag with a 4" barrel would be kinda nice to have.
 
.22 hornet fmj works well, as will any rifle of larger caliber. I am to understand that some poachers use .22 lr with pretty good success.

It is not about power, it's about knowing where to strike. Strike the neck behind the eyes (not in or between) if at all possible. The brain is a very small target, so try to sever the spine.
 
Browning .22 lever action loaded with SGB behind and lower than the eyes.
 
Is there a kind that won't?
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Although I pick up on your apparent humor, I believe the quoted invididual referred to the gator's tempermant as being in opposition to most of its breed that tend to shy away from humans when unprovoked.
 
The Australian crocodile hunters in the Northern Territory used to use .22 and .303 rifles. They would hunt them at night using spotlights from small boats which they paddled quietly about. The .22 was for shooting the small ones, the .303 was for the big guys. All shots were aimed at the eyes glowing red in the spotlight.

Apparently the trick was to get close, shot them in the eye (or thereabouts) and grab them before they sunk. Very effective and minimal skin damage.

Too much like excitement for this kid!! I don't have that many thrill issues.

Spinner
 
Is there a kind that won't?
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Wally Gator...:D

gator.gif
 
Saw pics a couple years ago where some animal control/gator hunters killed a big gator with a Ghurka House Khukuri (big honkin knife from malaysia for those that haven't heard of them). Smacked him a good one across the back of the head and severed the spinal cord :uhoh: I think I'd save that for plan Z myself, with a rifle as plan A and .....
 
A khukuri is the jungle knife of Nepal not Malaysia. If one grabs you and gives you the high speed spin it's a little more difficult and you might be shooting from the inside.A 4" 44mag would be a good choice .
 
Gator hunting is something I would love to do. I have it on my list. It would be so neat to have a big ol 12 footer in the entry way.

I have heard bows are the prefered method shoot them pull them into the boat and stab them. I read this on an outfitters page i was looking at.
 
If one does not go in the water, it's going to be rather hard for Brer Gator to spin you, no?

I'd take on a Gator with any of my kuks long before I'd take on a bear...and I think I'd stand a pretty good chance against a black bear. No particular comment on me, but don't underestimate the power of a good kukuri.

From what I've seen, animals with hard external armor tend to receive disproportionate damage when hit by high-speed projectiles.

I remember reading an article a few years ago about a man who was buying the ideal gator rifle for his son. It was a .22 mag.

John
 
I guess you never heard that 'gaters go on land too ! and they're not slow. Having used kukris for many years I know exactly what they can do but I'd rather reach out and touch one from a distance.
 
I guess you never heard that 'gaters go on land too ! and they're not slow.
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Never seen a gator do it, but I've seen video of an Australian 'freshie' (and I assume the mechanics are the same) pick up and gallup over land. A totally different gait between that and their normal crawl speed. They can move fast - nearly as fast as a dog running.
 
I transferred to the University of Florida in the fall of 1959. After doing the paperwork, I wandered around campus and came across the mascot's pen. Albert the Alligator was in the 8' to 9' range. I'd guess some 300 pounds? 200+, anyway.

Anyhow, some little kid wandered up and stared for a bit. He asked if I wanted to see Ol' Albert move. "Sure," sez I.

He got a stick and poked that apparently-asleep gator in the flank, just in front of the hip. Albert swapped ends so fast I darned near didn't see it! That tail is a serious club, if you're standing in the wrong spot during the "messing" with a gator...

:), Art
 
.22 Long Rifle in a Ruger Mk II sounds about right. Just don't bring your dog along or the gator will try to jump in the boat with you. :uhoh:
 
I once met a guy who lived in the swamps of Louisana and he said he shot over 100 of them. He told me that he ONLY used a bolt .303 British gun.
 
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