Bowsite.com

FL gator draw

Anyone ever find draw odds? What percentage of tags go to NR's?

Don't see anything about a 'draw' - no idea if they ever meet their 'quota'.

I never saw anything either.

I have a friend that took his sons to Florida and they all got gators with bow and arrow.. They brought me some meat. That was a few years ago. They did it at night and used fishing arrows to stick the gators and followed the jug and finished them off with broadheads.

Not sure what you meant about a 'draw' there is a draw I apply every year and have drawn a few times. I am going to take some residents hunting - and I am trying to "guesstimate" draw odds. There are better units, with success rates over 75% and the average gator killed is 10 feet. I have seen a couple legit 13 footers. They are massive!

Don,

I know your experienced with Fl gators. I did find on FW a list that showed units and average lengths etc. But nothing with draw odds. I did see a few 13 footers listed.

I would love to see one that big, mine was 12 foot (private land) I can only imagine what 13 a d bigger look like.

If you get a chance look up video footage of the gators in Lake Apoka just north of Orlando. Don't think you can hunt it, but my god are there the gators in there.

I don't think that info is complied anywhere.You could probably call and talk to the biologist that run the program.It seems to me its first come first serve as long as there are tags available.Each area has a number of tags available.If there are 20 or 150 available the first 20 or 150 applications get the tags.If you apply in high app. areas especially with easy access you have a tough draw.Obviously harder to get to and less known areas are sometimes easier.Just like out west "outfitters"have got involved and throw a lot of apps. in the pot. Also the biologist running the show used to want the paper work required after the hunts back terribly.You were told,reminded and called etc..When I used to do these hunts since the beginning back in the 90's we did the paperwork religiously.It was a lottery also then but those that did the paperwork seemed to get tags every year.I drew every year for decades.I knew there was some hands on conducting the lottery back then.A few years back 8 or so I applied again and got drawn and again several years in a row.I'm not so sure about the hands on stuff now as the biologist/staff have changed and I don't think they need or want the paperwork as much. I believe the last time I saw it was somewhere around 7000 tags given out.Other than allowing county wide tags not much has really changed in 30 years.The gators in the hunting areas have got real smart and obviously not as many big boys around. Good Luck It's very dry here right now and water levels are low.Coastal rain has no effect in the interior of Florida.So look at water levels before you apply and take that into consideration.

Thanks! I never found odds but it has been a few years so I figured I would check. We drew the best unit a few years ago, we were not experienced enough to get big ones but we saw them. It was also hell with mosquitoes, snakes, and fire ants! Good times!

Don,

You said the one word that scares me the most snakes. Lol

I've heard of a few people getting bit by gators over the years but never bit by a snake.I've only really run across one that I remember while gator hunting.The client was more scared than the snake.

I don't know what it is snakes just snakes just scare the hell outta me.

Funny part is I have seen more snakes on hotels at Disney or in the parks themselves then I have ever hunting in Fl lol

Don,

What makes certain units better? Is it an access thing or quantity of gators?

Register here to reply to this topic