Methods For Harvesting An Alligator - FWC

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- Recreational
  - Fishing & Hunting
    - How to Order
    - Do I Need a License?
    - Limited Entry/Quota Hunts
  - Public Land Use
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- Commercial
  - Commercial Licenses
    - Commercial Saltwater
    - Commercial Freshwater
    - CLS Online Login
  - Charter Licenses
  - Vessel Pier Licenses
- Wildlife
  - Wildlife Permits
  - Nuisance Wildlife Permits
  - Captive Wildlife Permits
- More ...
  - Application Forms
  - Boating & Navigation
Resolve a Wildlife Conflict
- Wildlife Alert
  - Report a Violation
  - Know the Rules
    - Captive Wildlife
    - Saltwater Recreational Regulations
    - Freshwater Recreational Regulations
    - Hunting Regulations
    - Boating Regulations
    - See All
- Resolve Wildlife Conflict
  - Learn to Unhook Seabirds
  - Living with Wildlife
    - Bear
    - Bats
    - Coyote
    - Alligators and Crocodiles
    - Shorebirds/Seabirds
    - Snakes
    - See All
- Report Issues
  - Report fish kills, wildlife emergencies, sightings, etc.
    - Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program
    - Report Fish Kills
    - Red Tide Status
    - Report Sightings of Nonnative Species
    - Report injured, orphaned or dead manatees
    - See All
Engaging in Conservation
- Conservation
  - Value of Conservation
  - Living with Wildlife
  - Freshwater Programs
  - Saltwater Programs
  - Terrestrial Programs
  - Stash the trash
  - Special Initiatives
    - Coastal Wildlife
    - State Wildlife Action Plan
    - See All
- Wildlife and Habitats
  - Wildlife Conservation
  - Nonnative Species
  - Species Profiles
    - Alligator
    - Bald Eagle
    - Bear
    - Gopher Tortoise
    - Manatee
    - Panther
    - Sea Turtle
    - See All
- How You Can Conserve
  - Install Wildlife Lighting
  - Exotic Pet Amnesty
  - Habitat Management
    - Working with Private Landowners
    - Invasive Plants
    - Prescribed Fire
    - Management Plans
    - Aquatic Habitat Conservation
    - See All
  - Education
    - Educators
    - Outdoor Skills
    - Learn about Wildlife
    - See All
- Research
  - Freshwater
  - GIS and Mapping
  - Habitat
  - Manatee
  - Red Tide
  - Saltwater
  - Wildlife
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  - Freshwater Fishing
    - Recreational Regulations
    - Commercial Regulations
    - Fish Identification
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    - Fish Identification
    - Saltwater Fishing Clinics
    - Provide Comments
    - See All
- Hunting
  - Regulations
    - WMA Brochures
    - Season Dates
    - Hunter Safety
    - Limited Entry Hunts
  - New Hunter
  - Public Shooting Ranges
  - Alligator
  - Deer
  - Dove
  - Turkey
  - Quail
  - Waterfowl
  - Wild Hog
- Wildlife Recreation
  - Wildlife Viewing
    - Where to View Wildlife
    - How to View Wildlife
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    - Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail
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  - Wildlife Alert
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    - Area Opened/Closed Status
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    - See All
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    - Hunting
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    - Wildlife Viewing
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- Public Shooting Ranges
  - Range Safety Rules
  - Safety & Education
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- Go Outdoors Florida!
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Home
Wildlife & Habitats
Wildlife Conservation
Alligator Management Program
Statewide Alligator Harvest Program
Guide to Alligator Hunting in Florida
Methods for Harvesting an Alligator

Methods for Harvesting an Alligator Diagram shows a detachable-head harpoon.

The legal methods of take for alligators include:

Fishing rods using a weighted treble hook
Fishing rods using artificial lures
Baited wooded pegs (must be less than 2 inches long) using a fishing rod or hand-held line
Hand-line snatch hooks
Hand-held catch poles or similar devices
Bang sticks (the only firearm you’re allowed to use for alligator hunting)

Legal methods of take for participating in Florida’s statewide alligator harvest program include:

Bows
Crossbows
Pre-charged pneumatic airbows
Gigs
Harpoons
Spears
Spearguns

It is important to note that all points used in any of these methods of take must be attached to a restraining line.

Fishing rods using weighted treble hooks or artificial lures are also legal, as well as hand-line snatch hooks and handheld devices with an adjustable catch loop such as catch poles. Baited hooks are not allowed.

Catch-and-release is only allowed when using snatch hooks and handheld devices with an adjustable catch loop such as catch poles. Therefore, if you are using any other method of take, make sure to only attempt to capture an alligator that you want to keep.

All points used in the above methods of take must be attached to a restraining line and should be capable of fully penetrating an alligator’s thick hide and won’t come out when you pull back against the alligator. Explosive or drug-injecting tips are not allowed.

For more information about methods of take, see the Alligator Harvest Training and Orientation video.

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand All | Collapse All In Florida, can we use rifles or handguns to take alligators or use large, baited hooks tied to trees? Expand/Collapse In Florida, can we use rifles or handguns to take alligators or use large, baited hooks tied to trees?

Those are commercial alligator trapping methods, and you may not use them during Florida’s recreational alligator hunt. The only firearm you are allowed to use in Florida to take an alligator is a bang stick, and it can only be used when an alligator is attached to a restraining line. If you want to use raw meat as bait, you must wrap it around a wooden peg that is less than 2 inches long. In addition, you cannot use a hook when you are using bait, and you must remain in contact with the bait by holding onto the other end of the line at all times.

How can a wooden peg catch an alligator? Expand/Collapse How can a wooden peg catch an alligator? Image shows a wooden peg

Many hunters catch alligators using wooden pegs wrapped with stinky baits that float. Alligators have a palatal valve at the back of their mouth that closes when they go underwater to prevent water from getting into their stomach and lungs. When an alligator swallows the bait and wooden peg, the wooden peg gets trapped behind this valve, allowing you to maintain contact with the alligator and pull it closer to your boat.

Beef lung is often used for bait. This method requires attaching the bait to a wooden peg that is less than 2 inches long using string. A heavy duty braided restraining line is attached to the wooden peg by threading it through a hole in the center of the peg. A fishing rod can be used, or the line can be hand-held or tied to your boat.

To avoid pulling the peg through the alligator’s valve, don’t pull back too hard on the line. Plus, it’s a good idea to get a more secure method of take on the alligator. This will help tire it out and get it alongside your boat so you can catch it with a catch pole or similar device and/or use a bang stick.

Where should I concentrate shot placement on an alligator if I am using a harpoon dart, bowfishing/speargun/gig point or a hook? Expand/Collapse Where should I concentrate shot placement on an alligator if I am using a harpoon dart, bowfishing/speargun/gig point or a hook?

An alligator’s head is made mostly of hard bone, and its entire back is protected with bony scutes, so any shots taken on those areas will likely bounce off. Instead, aim for the side of its body, its legs or jowls. The hide in those areas is softer and can be penetrated by darts, points and hooks. However, if you’re using a hook, be aware the point or barb might catch hold but it’s unlikely to penetrate an alligator’s thick hide. To prevent a hook from coming out, don’t allow any slack in the line. Maintain constant pressure by pulling back against the alligator at all times.

Am I allowed to release an alligator I catch back into the water? Expand/Collapse Am I allowed to release an alligator I catch back into the water?

Catch-and-release is only allowed when using snatch hooks, handheld devices with an adjustable catch loop such as a catch pole. Therefore, if you are using any other method of take, make sure capture attempts are limited to only those alligators you want to keep.

How do I humanely kill an alligator? Expand/Collapse How do I humanely kill an alligator? Diagram shows how to deliver a quick, humane kill that results in immediate loss of consciousness and destruction of the brain. With the top of the alligator’s head facing up, use a sharp knife to sever the spinal cord by cutting across the body between the back of the head and first vertebra.

Diagram shows how to deliver a quick, humane kill that results in immediate loss of consciousness and destruction of the brain. With the top of the alligator’s head facing up, use a sharp knife to sever the spinal cord by cutting across the body between the back of the head and first vertebra.

Once you have an alligator on the line and alongside your boat, it’s recommended you use a bang stick to dispatch it quickly and humanely. Aim for the center of the spine directly behind the skull plate, where the back of the alligator’s head almost meets its neck.

The next step is to slip an adjustable catch loop over the alligator’s snout and pull it tight so the mouth cannot open. Use a catch pole or similar device to pull the alligator’s head over the side of the boat. Then take a stick-like object and push down on the alligator’s snout to further prevent its mouth from being able to open. Carefully and quickly grab the side of the jaw and apply enough pressure to keep its mouth completely shut. Then wrap the snout tightly and securely with electrical or duct tape.

With the top of the alligator’s head facing up, use a sharp knife to sever the spinal cord by cutting across the body between the back of the head and first vertebra. To ensure the alligator is dead, insert a metal shaft into the brain cavity to pith and destroy the brain. Only after these steps is it safe to pull the alligator into your boat.

Delivering a quick, humane kill that results in immediate loss of consciousness and destruction of the brain is part of an alligator hunter’s ethical obligation.

What are the regulations related to hunting with a felony conviction? Expand/Collapse What are the regulations related to hunting with a felony conviction?

Find regulations information regarding hunting with a felony conviction.

Guide to Alligator Hunting in Florida

Where and When to Hunt
Licenses and Permits
Preparing for the Hunt
Safe, Responsible Hunting
Hunting Tips
Methods for Harvesting an Alligator
After the Harvest
Processing, Preserving and Cooking
Regulations

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