The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1892-01-14
ABOUT ALLIGATORS.
Their Habits and How They Are
Hunted in Swa1nps.
Naturally Timid. Sometimes They BE
come Ferocious Man Eaters-One
Nights Work in Which
Five Were Killed.

panieS of half a dozen, provision their
BOATS for weeks or months trip
and seek the wilder and more secluded
streams and bayouS
SO thorough are such hunts and so
crafty and cunning are the hunters
that locality that previously con-
aimed from ten to fifty gators will at
he close of a 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 view of,
20 say nothing of near enough APP
proach for a shot.
This mode of systematic hunting has
nad 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 a 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 eN-
aggerations doubt if 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 half
feet 50 scarce is one attaining the
mythical fourteen feet that a reward
Of five hundred dollars for one of this
size has been unclaimed Tor the last
twenty years.
The part OF the skin used for com
mercial purposes is cut from line
along the side, just where the heavy
scales begin, and includes the sides
and belly the back being SO tough as
to he utterly worthless and almost i'm
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
10 any but a direct line will glance off
as if from metal plate.
Although denizens Of the water, they
have the most abject horror of rain,
and 40 sooner does the first faint
sprinkling manifest itself than, plung-
ing 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 contine themselves to
what nature has provided for food, oc-
casiOnally varying their diet with a
stray deer or calf, but at times they
become man-eaters, and are then
terrOrs to all. Like the tiger, having
once tasted human flesh, they prefer it
!, oil f,,l
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
S7-SS together with Il friend, to be
more or less intimately associated with
ii 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 sluggish
little creek beneath a group of pal.
mcttos mile or more from the river,
and for some weeks past had been in
vestlgating the bird life of the sur
rounding region. Alligators were par
ticularly numerous, and their roarings
and beliowings could be heard on still
nights from creeks and sloughs five
miles distant.
One dark night just as we We're
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 out
from Noluria, 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 neigh borhood for
some time and extended 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 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 creeps
until the distance is minimum, when
the riheman, taking 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.
time are usually skinned on the spot.
The second method of floating con-
sists of stealing softly within range OF
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.
Stepping into the boat the light was
trimmed, the rif1eman took his accus.
toned position in the bow and the
party started. A mile from camp the
stream widened out into fiat marshy
prairie, filled with small islands and
quantities of driftwood.
Turning the light full ahead an i'm
mense fellow was seen lying on a pile
of drift and iptently watching the
steering apparatus. With gentle pad
ding the boat approached closer,
twenty feet, fifteen, ten-would the
man never shoot?
flash, 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 fe w
minutes work he, too, was lying on
the bank.
Occasionally the animal sinks to the
bottom and is lost, oftener he is only
woun aed and crawls away to die by