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Biggest Rack I've Ever Seen......On a Gator

Posted: October 2nd, 2011, 8:14 pm
by reelhandy
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Took this photo at the refuge last week near the lighthouse. Two good sized gators were fighting for possession. This guy was the bigger of the two and ended up with the prize. I'm not expert on deer racks, but seeing as that gator was at least 9' - 10' I'm thinking that rack had to have been from a pretty big buck. The battle over what was left of that buck was one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

Re: Biggest Rack I've Ever Seen......On a Gator

Posted: October 2nd, 2011, 8:44 pm
by Redbelly
Just....WOW!

Re: Biggest Rack I've Ever Seen......On a Gator

Posted: October 2nd, 2011, 9:45 pm
by Flint River Pirate
Redbelly wrote:Just....WOW!
X 2

Re: Biggest Rack I've Ever Seen......On a Gator

Posted: October 2nd, 2011, 10:57 pm
by reelhandy
Here are a couple more pics that show the 2 gators going at it.
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Re: Biggest Rack I've Ever Seen......On a Gator

Posted: October 3rd, 2011, 12:50 am
by fishinfool
Great shots. Thanks for sharing them.
I love seeing stuff I have never seen before. That is one of the things that keeps me getting out on the water.

Re: Biggest Rack I've Ever Seen......On a Gator

Posted: October 3rd, 2011, 9:40 am
by qoutrage
Cool! :lick: :thumbup:

Re: Biggest Rack I've Ever Seen......On a Gator

Posted: October 3rd, 2011, 10:08 am
by Rhettley
Good pictures. I bet that was interesting to watch. Makes you wonder how the deer ended up in there.

I've never seen gators fight in the wild but did see two very large ones tie up at the Jacksonville Zoo this summer. They were up on the bank and one attacked the other, biting it on the tail and just in front of the hind leg. The sound of the jaws snapping down and the bony scales on it's back cracking were amazing to hear and see.

Re: Biggest Rack I've Ever Seen......On a Gator

Posted: October 3rd, 2011, 10:25 am
by smeseroll
Awesome pictures.

@Rhettley - I came across this video the other day of two gators fighting on a golf course in Orlando. Crazy stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzeifCQLRj4[/video]

Re: Biggest Rack I've Ever Seen......On a Gator

Posted: October 3rd, 2011, 11:10 am
by arichardh09
that video is actually in tampa at a golf course called the nine eagles i fish in there all the time there are some big gators in there.....they captured a 14 footer two summers ago

Re: Biggest Rack I've Ever Seen......On a Gator

Posted: October 3rd, 2011, 12:22 pm
by Jumptrout51
Guess he didn't want him playing through.

Re: Biggest Rack I've Ever Seen......On a Gator

Posted: October 3rd, 2011, 2:20 pm
by wevans
Dude must not know that gators can run over 30mph and couldda caught his butt in a few seconds!! :smt011

Re: Biggest Rack I've Ever Seen......On a Gator

Posted: October 3rd, 2011, 2:49 pm
by GaryDroze
Was that Stoney Bayou Pond #2? Vegetation looks similar. It's getting tougher to wade there lately, cuz the water has dropped lots and the gators are getting tired of being cooped up in close proximity. Topwater fishing now is hopeless...gators there hone in on chug bugs like zombies drawn to fresh brains.

Re: Biggest Rack I've Ever Seen......On a Gator

Posted: October 3rd, 2011, 6:02 pm
by Jumptrout51
zombies drawn to fresh brains.

Re: Biggest Rack I've Ever Seen......On a Gator

Posted: October 3rd, 2011, 6:59 pm
by reelhandy
GaryDroze wrote:Was that Stoney Bayou Pond #2? Vegetation looks similar. It's getting tougher to wade there lately, cuz the water has dropped lots and the gators are getting tired of being cooped up in close proximity. Topwater fishing now is hopeless...gators there hone in on chug bugs like zombies drawn to fresh brains.
I'm pretty sure it's called the Headquarters Pond. We were up on a platform looking out over it. It didn't seem to have a lot of water, and I wouldn't think anyone in their right mind would want to wade it. It was pretty much all vegetation, in fact the only bit of open water in the pond was covered with duck weed. Once the ruckus over the deer started other gators started moving around slowly making their way towards the action. There were more then a few big ones in there, and they all looked hungry to me.

Re: Biggest Rack I've Ever Seen......On a Gator

Posted: October 6th, 2011, 9:39 am
by GaryDroze
Ah yes. Some biggies in there. Used to be okay for bass, but the duckweed has indeed taken over. Only place on the Refuge I've seen larger gators is the northern border levee of Stoney Bayou Pond #2, about 2mi east of Lighthouse Rd. Wadefishing before dawn/after dusk there = death wish.