Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-01-07
ABOUT ALLIGATORS.
Their Habits and How They Are
Hunted in Swamps.


hunting of these animals forms quite a
profitable industry. Men band them
selves together in couples and in com.
panies OF half dozon, provision their
boats for weeks or months trip
and seek tho wilder and more secluded
streams and bayous
So thorough are such hunts and so
crafty and cunning arc the hunters
that locality that previously con.
tanned from ten to fifty gators will at
the close of n hunt be either totally de-
populated, or at best, possess but one
or two cautious, wary old fellows that
are next TO impossible to get a viNw of,
to say nothing of near enough APP
proach for shot
This mode OF systematic hunting has
had tendency to make the alligator
extremely rare in many sections Of the
country, and to forever drive them away
from some. They are queer, uncanny
brutes, and IA 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 as ex-
1ggerations. / doubt II such a one
exists: twelve feet is a tremendous size;
and rarely, very rarely, they run to
twelve and half.
have measured alligators innumer.
able, and fully ninety eight per cent.
run from nine TO eleven and halt
feet So scarce is one attaining the
mythical fourteen feet that reward
OF five hundred dollars for one of th.s
size has been unclaimed Tor the last
twenty years.
The part Of the skin used for com.
mercial purposes is cut from n line
along the side, just where the heavy
scales begin, and includes the sides
and belly, the back being SO tough as
10 be utterly worthless and almost im.
pervious TO a rife ball
In fact tho two vulnerable points are
the eyes and just behind the fore leg.
while ball striking his coat of arni,..
In any but direct line will glance oil
as II from a 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-
ing from the bank or log, they seel,
dry quarters beneath the surface. On
warm, sunny days they bask on the
banks for yours, but even when cloudy
II Is unusual to see ono.
As rule they confine themselves To
what nature has provided for food, oc.
casionally varying their diet wi.h
stray deer or calf but at times they
become man-eatcrs, and are then
terrors TO all. Like the tiger, huyin,
once tasted human flesh, they prefer It
to everything else, and with watchiu
eye envy all who como within reach.
At times the community Organize
and Institutes regular siege, whlc.
sooner or later ends in capture.
ltwas my pleasure in the winter OF
's7-ss, together with friend, to 10
more or less intimately associated with
party Of alligator hunters on the up.
per St Johns river in Florida, am
upon one or two occasions to partici.
pate in some remarkable hunts.
We were encamped on u sluggish
little creek beneath group of pal.
mettos mile or more from the river,
and for some weeks past had been in.
vestgating the bird life of the sur.
rounding region, Alligators were par.
tlcularly numerous, and their roarngs
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 u bright light came
suddenly around the bend and boat
with three men, armed and eauipped
Tor gator shootin'," pulled up TO our
camp. They proved to be just out
from Voluria, and, an accident having
happened to their coffee can, they had
come up to borrow of us.
They Informed us 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
bunting, FIRST and best OF all, Is fire.
lighting or pe'jackingi SECOND. by
floating in the daytime. For the first
strong reflector light is placed in tue
bow OF the boat and provided with
dark slide or door; the man who is To
shoot for the evening sits directly be.
hind 1t, while his companions propej
the boat
The light, flashing Full in 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.
Nearer and nearer the boat Greens
until the distance is minimum, when
the riaeman, taking u careful aim,
pours 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 dav.
time are usually skinned on the spot.
The second method of floating con-
sists Of stealing softly within range of
4sleeping gator by day, II is diff
cult thing to no, and, on the whole,
unremunerative. II is usually prac.
tced by local hunters, and very rarely
by professionals
Our party tried the first method.
Stepping into the boat the light was
trimmed, the riAeman took his acous-
toned position in the bow and the
rarity started A mile from camp the
stream widened out into a fat marshy
s-air's fll-A s;'itk anal GLANDS and
guap'ities of dEiftwood.
Turning the light full ahead an i'm.
mense fellow was seen lying on a pile
Of drift and intently watching the
Steering apparatus. With gentle pad
aia& TIM bat aIfof1arhEi Gl0AeEf