Drew SC alligator tag!
Contributors to this thread:Bowfishing
From: SaltyB
13-Jul-19
After 6 years of applying , I finally drew a South Carolina alligator tag. I got the middle coastal zone so should be plenty of gators. Never done this before, my brother in law got me to start applying after he came up here for some whitetail hunts. Super excited, but it opens the same day as our bow season. I've never missed an opener since I was 14! Well, good reason to break the streak.
Let me know if any other bowsitters are in on the hunt. I'd love to compare notes and meet up for a beverage while I'm down there.
From: DonVathome
14-Jul-19
Congrat's. I drew Florida so I got another point in SC. Are you hiring a guide? If yes send me a PM. I will be following your hunt if you post it!
From: Candor
14-Jul-19
Please kill 9 or 10 while you're here. It is difficult to imagine taking this many years to draw a tag. Putting it on par with some moderately difficult elk tags.
Best of luck.
From: SaltyB
14-Jul-19
Thanks guys! I'll be doing a semi-live update on the trip. I'll be hunting with friends of my brother in laws. Hopefully trading hunts with them as we have some big deer here in WI compared to SC.
From: DL
14-Jul-19
A guy I met got one 12 feet long there. Could not believe the picture of it. It looked like a dinosaur.
From: SaltyB
14-Aug-19
Ok. One month out and I got bad news. They guys I'm supposed to go with are all active duty military. They all have drill the 1st week of the season. It's looking like I'm on my own with this. I'd consider hiring a guide but I'm assuming they'd be booked by now. Plus, it's really not in the budget for me to pull the funds out of our home finances. Usually I save up for an out of state hunt and because this one was a "trade a trip", I didn't save for it. Long story short I'm looking for someone who's done this and knows the area, and who's without a tag. I know the odds are slim but if anyplace can come through, I figure Bowsite was it. Let me know if you know someone........
From: Shawn
14-Aug-19
PM me if your tag is good for Myrtle Beach area. I van turn you on to a few spots. I have seen a bunch of 10 footers and 1 giant that was all of 12ft. Shawn
From: W
15-Aug-19
Here in Mississippi, it’s no problem to find folks to hunt with if you have the tag. Call the gator program coordinator in SC. I bet he knows some boys who like to gator hunt.
From: elkstabber
15-Aug-19
Since your "trade a hunt" guys are gone for the first week then why not reschedule your travel for when they'll be back? Military guys are used to constantly changing plans so you might want to roll with it. The bigger gators are decades old already so I don't see how an extra week or two will make a difference. Of course I'm assuming that the gator season is long enough that your active duty friends will be back for part of the season.
From: SaltyB
15-Aug-19
Work commitments dictate I go the 1st week of the season. I drew the Middle Coastal zone so I'm further south than Myrtle beach. I've heard good things about the area so I'm hopeful but right now flying solo on the hunt. Not sure that's a hunt I want to do by myself with no experience.
From: elkstabber
15-Aug-19
Okay, SaltyB, I understand better now. I've never hunted alligators but I've been around them a lot. I would guess that a boat is required, so maybe you can't do it solo. Can you turn the tag in and get the points back (most Western states do this)? Maybe then it would like up with your friends' schedules better next year.
From: Southern draw
16-Aug-19
pm sent
From: Boatman71
16-Aug-19
We killed two gators about 8 years ago on Lake Marion, I went with a buddy that lived right on the lake. It is exciting to say the least!
From: BTP
17-Aug-19
i know a guy who killed a 13'6". He has an area here in Charleston. But he's not a bowhunter. He does have harpoons.
If it works out I'll happily come to the cheese state and sit in your tree. Let me know if you want me to reach out to him.
From: r-man
17-Aug-19
good luck
From: SaltyB
17-Aug-19
Thanks guys. Lots of PMs and I appreciate all the help.
From: Whip
18-Aug-19
I drew also and will be hunting the southern coast zone with a friend that lives down there. But we're waiting until the 22nd to start based on tide charts for where he wants to take me. I don't know if he'd be able to help you in your zone during that 1st week because he's already scheduled vacation while I will be there. But maybe he'd know someone else that would help. Let me know if you want me to check with him.
