River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-01-14
Naturally TimId. Sometimes They Be
come Ferocious Man Eaters-One
Nights Work I'm which
Five Were Killed.


extremely rare in many sections of the
country, and to forever drive them away
from some. They are queer, uncanny
brutes, and few facts in regard to
them may prove interesting.
To begin with, stories of alligators
measuring fourteen and sixteen feet in
length may safely be put down rs ex-
aggerations. | doubt if such one
exists: twelve feet is a tremendous size;
and rarely, very rarely, they run to
twelve and a half.
have measured alligators innumer.
able, and fully ninety-eight per cent.
run from nine to eleven and a half
feet SO scarce is one attaining the
mythical fourteen feet that reward
of five hundred dollars for one of this
size has been unclaimed for the last
twenty years.
The part of the skin used for COM
mercial purposes is cut from a line
along the side, just where the heavy
scales begin. and includes the sides
and belly, the back being so tough as
TO be utterly worthless and almost inn
pervious TO rifle ball
In fact the two vulnerable points are
the eyes and just behind the fore leg,
while ball striking his coat of armor
in any but direct line will glance off
as if from n metal plate.
Although denizens of the water, they
have the most abject horror of rain,
and no sooner does the first faint
sprinkling manifest itself than. plung-
i'm from the bank or log, they seek
dry quarters beneath the surface. On
warm, sunny days they bask on the
banks for yours, but even when cloudy
it is unusual to see one.
AS a rule they confine themselves to
what nature has provided for food. oc-
casionally varying their diet with n
stray deer or calf, but at times they
become mau-eaters, and are then
terrors to all. Like the tiger, having
once tasted human aesh, they prefer it
to everything else, and with watchful
eye envy all who come within reach.
At times the community organizes
and institutes regular siege, which
sooner or later ends in capture.
1t was my pleasure in the winter of
's1-sS, together with a friend, to be
more or less intimately associated with
a party of alligator hunters ON the up
per ST. Johns river in Florida, and
upon one or two occasions to partici-
pate in some remarkable hunts.
We were encamped on n sluggish
little creek beneath group of pal
mettos a mile or more from the river,
and for some weeks past had been in
vestigating the bird life of the sur
rounding region. Alligators were par
ticularly numerous. and their roarings
and bellowings could be heard on still
nights from creeks and sloughs five
miles distant.
One dark night just as we were
about to turn in a bright light came
suddenly around the bend and boat
with three men. armed and equipped
for gator shootin'," pulled up to our
camp They proved to be just ont
from Noluria. and, an accident having
happened to their coffee can, they had
come up to borrow of us.
They informed rs of their intention
of remaining in the neighborhood for
some time and extended a cordial invi-
tation to join them in the chase.
There are two modes of alligator
hunting. First, and best of all, is fire.
| lighting or fire lacking; second. by
floating in the daytime. For the first
a strong reflector light is placed in the
bow of the boat and provided with a
dark slide or door; the man who is to
shoot for the evening sits directly be-
hind it. while his companions propel
| the boat
The light, flashing full i'm the ami
mails face. appears to blind him and
make him insensible to all danger, but
the slightest soond proceeding from
the boat is sufficient to arouse him.
4 Nearer and nearer the boat creeps
until the distance is minimum, when
/ the ritieman, taking a careful aim,
/ pours a murderous discharge into the
most available part of his body.
/ Those killed at night are pulled out
/ on the beach and skinned the follow
/ ing day. while those killed in the day
4 time are usually skinned on the spot.
/ The second method of floating con-
, sists of stealing softly within range of
sleeping gator by day. 1t is a diff
/ cult thing to no, and, on the whole,
unremunerative. 1t is usually prac-
ticed by local hunters, and very rarely
! by professionals.
Our party tried the first method.
I Stepping into the boat the light was
trimmed, the riileman took his accus-
toned position in the bow and the
party started mile from camp the
stream widened out into fat marshy
prairie. filled with small islands and
/ quantities of driftwood.
Turning the light full ahead an inn
mense fellow was seen lying on pile
Of drift and intently watching the
steering apparatus. With gentle pad
ding the boat approached closer.
twenty feet. fifteen, ten-would the
man never shoot?
A fash, a roar and the great beast
dropped suddenly into the water, shot
through the heart. Instantly some
part of the body is grappled with the
boat hook to prevent its sinking for
ever, and with pulling and hauling it is
got ashore.
The next one shot was swimming at
a little distance. only his eyes and
snout being above water, but an ex-
plosive bullet sent with unerring aim
crushed into his brain, and after a few
minutes work he, too was lying on
( The bank.
( Occasionally the animal sinks to the
bottom and is lost, oftener he is only
wounded and crawls away to die by
i inches, while occasionally sharp fight
ensues between hunter and hunted,
and pair of jaws crunching the gun
wales of the boat is no laughing mat
ter.
Proceeding up the creek about a
/ mile we came to place where two
streams met and on point of land lay
three, varying in size from seven to
ten feet Approaching in the same
manner as before. two shots were
fred, apparently killing one and
wounding a second.
The wounded one slid into the water
and swan softly by the boat; as it
passed blew the top of his head of,
! but before could grab him he sunk