Sako’s & Game Fall 2023

[Spaher]

Last post for 2023 as one of the alligators that evaded us last season was finally removed yesterday. One of our hunters lucked out in a 15 minute hunt with this big 11’ 2” male as he was catching sun midday on the edge of a slough using a .308 with shot 4” behind the head to immobilize him.
That was sheer luck but it took 2 hours to get him to the cooler.
Optimism for 2024 as Spring rains have been generous….
Cheers.

 

[Bucktote]

Every thing is big, in Texas!

 

[icebear]

That is one big gator!

Do alligators attack adult deer, or just fawns and smaller prey (in addition to whatever they find in the water)? Having seen lots of videos of African crocs killing wildebeest, I would expect that a gator that size could grab an unwary deer that went down to the river for a drink.

 

[paulsonconstruction]

That is one big gator!

Do alligators attack adult deer, or just fawns and smaller prey (in addition to whatever they find in the water)? Having seen lots of videos of African crocs killing wildebeest, I would expect that a gator that size could grab an unwary deer that went down to the river for a drink.

I'm thinkin' a gator that big eats whatever it wants to!!

 

[Spaher]

Gators grab anything near bank or drinking water including javalinas, deer, dogs & people if they are not careful. I don’t like them as I’ve lost a couple of dogs that I assume fell to coyotes or gators in ponds as dogs get in to cool off.
Eye opener is when gators travel cross country across thick brush in heavy cactus in front of you,leaving big drag marks. When we see them crossing a sendero/road the chase is on in season. Their tracks moving to water holes is one way we locate them and their crawling under or through barb wire fencing.
We could do without them …

 

[gowyo]

Gecko!!

 

[bigcountry4me]

Gators grab anything near bank or drinking water including javalinas, deer, dogs & people if they are not careful. I don’t like them as I’ve lost a couple of dogs that I assume fell to coyotes or gators in ponds as dogs get in to cool off.
Eye opener is when gators travel cross country across thick brush in heavy cactus in front of you,leaving big drag marks. When we see them crossing a sendero/road the chase is on in season. Their tracks moving to water holes is one way we locate them and their crawling under or through barb wire fencing.
We could do without them …

Was wondering if your land holdings are outside the typical maps which show alligator populations in portions of south and east Texas. It’s my understanding alligators are being located/viewed in several untypical areas more recently. For instance, my daughter lives in Tennessee, she has indicated many newer sightings where once alligators were not present.

 

[Spaher]

Bigcountry, my understanding is that they have always been present in the few rivers that are in South Texas including the Rio Grande. There used to be caiman sightings but rare now, however we do have Alligator Gar that can grow pretty sizable. The Native Indian tribes in the area used to make breastplates out of large Alligator Gar scales that could probably turn an arrow and also used their scales as arrow heads which have been found in archeological digs. Trivia note, gar scales are made of enamel similar to our teeth, very hard bone.