Swamp People question

[JOERM]

I'm sure most of you have seen Swamp People snaging gators and poppen them off and yanken them in the boat. Strange way to make a good liven but they love it. My simple question is what kind of rope is tied to that hook? Gators have super sharp teeth but yet that rope never gets cut and the gator swims off. Is there a steel cable in the center of that rope or what?

Next question. Are the gators just sold for the hide or do they get money for the meat? How much do they get per pound? I don't see gator meat for sale at any of my local markets.

Joe

 

[Chromedhearts]

Not much goes to waste from a 'Gator. From teeth to toe nails, it pretty much gets used. The meat is sold and you can find it in some restarauns through out the Southern States, epecially around the Gulf Coast.
Fried Gator Tail is a delicacy around here, and it makes a good stew.
'Sorry I can't answer the question about the line, but I have seen some tough line that is braided with steel, and I know there is some made with kevlar.

 

[Stevens]

On a grown alligator the teeth are big and strong but not very sharp. They bite on a piece of meat if they can't swallow it whole they shake it till it rips off, not a clean bite as you would see from a shark.
The folks around here use something like nylon parachute cord.

The meat is sold also and is very good eating. It must be well cleaned and the fat removed or it ill get rancid fast.
One of my friends use to catch them his biggest was 700 lbs he killed it and had to come back in round up a couple of guys to help load it ito the boat
Steve W.

 

[Fishslayer]

Dunno how much the Swamp People get but at the Smokey River Festival they were getting $10 for three little pieces on a stick.

Love that show. Subtitles!

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Hate to tell ya, but gator season only runs for 30 days in September. The rest of the year tese boys are wither working regular jobs in the oil patch or other areas. Very few commercially fish year round.
Tags are given to land owners who in turn sell them to the various trappers. I know lots of guys who schedule their vacations during September to make a little extra on the gators. Me personally, I don't really care for fried gator, it's chewy when fried. I'd rather eat it in a sauce picante.

 

[Stevens]

'Gator is also a great substitue for turtle meat in a a "New Orleans Style" Turtle Soup, don't forget the sherry.
Steve W

 

[diamonback68]

I saw one guy grab a roll of regular nylon parachute cord to make up his lines. Gator teeth are not sharp, plus I don't think they are smart enough to know they have to gnaw on the line to get free.
What amazes me is they can pop those gators with one shot from a .22 rifle and apparently get instant kills.

 

[keith44spl]

My simple question is what kind of rope is tied to that hook? Joe

Looks like ol clothes line to me...But, then again I can't see the tv like I used too could.

As ol Troy wood sey, "Choot 'em Liz...Choot 'em!"



Su Amigo,
Dave

 

[Steve in Vermont]

Just wondering why they don't wear gloves when hauling in a line with hundreds of pounds of thrashing gator on the other end. Probably a good reason but it beats me.

 

[LouisianaJoe]

In the 70's, I had a friend that had the tags for an area a few miles from where I live. I went with him to run the traps and helped him load them in the truck. The area that we trapped was all canals so no power boat was needed. The canals were dug in the 1800's to harvest cypress and the oil companies later used roads next to them to put wells in the marsh. Some times a pirogue was used when the gator was on the side of the canal opposite from the road. My friend had a camp on one of the canals and we would go there at night to drink adult beverages and harvest small gators to eat. We would take an air boat into the marshes and I would drive it slowly in the marsh while he would grab a small gator from the water with one hand and kill it with a knife. We would take the gator back to the camp, skin it and fry the tail. The meat will quiver in the oil when it is that fresh. My friend is now the alligator control officer for the parish.

 

[kennyb]

anyone remember when as a kid you could go the florida...on the side of the road the seminole indians had orange juice stands where for ten cents (i think) all the OJ you could drink...they also sold baby gators for a dollar

 

[windjammer]

On one of the shows it was said they used 1000 lb test line. That was all that was said about it.

 

[Thuer]

I love the show and the people in it. i like the way they are living.
But one thing. Did you see the guns they use? They look really dreathfull.

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

Looks to me like ordinary nylon cord. I concur with a couple who posted saying gators have very tough teeth, but not very sharp. Gator teeth are designed to grip, not slice. Although I'm sure that with enough thrashing and rolling they can work their way through a line.

 

[BIGGUN1]

Marlin can make a mint with a model 60 swamp person model. No blue pre rusted cracked stock beat to h*** LOL .

 

[1 old 0311]

Gator is VERY good eating though I wouldn't want to try to bag one with a .22

 

[therevjay]

I tried some gator meat from "Cajun grocery" over the internet. It really does "taste just like chicken" although its chewier. And costs 5 times as much. (7 or 8 after S&H)

 

[sheriffoconee]

I can assure you no cajun I ever heard of is using some fancy steel twine to catch gators.....my cajun friend tells me that those Swamp People are wastin' bullets, when he was a kid in the bayou they caught 'em on hooks and hit 'em with an axe to kill 'em....

 

[JOERM]

So do they just haul the critters to some butcher shop and they do the skinning or do the trappers/fisherman/hunters what ever they are called, do the skinning and slaughtering then take to who ever? I still would like to know how much they get per pound. Some of them are 700 lbs. Someone replied stating that they don't use gloves, I wondered the same. Rope burns yarding in a 700 lb critter fighting for his life would seem a for sure thing. Guess those cajun boys/men are tough dudes. I used to trap and the best part is setting the traps and checking them. the not so good part is skinning the critters out, fleshing and stretching. A sharp knife is a must. Don't think I would like skinning a gator. A few nights ago they showed that guy with a missing tooth or two, I know, there are several, but this is the guy that has a "very" strong cajun talk. Anyway, he came home and his wife said he stunk like a gator! He then showed him filling the bath tub and he poured in a bunch of bleach! Said it cured cuts and smell. Wow.

When the boat boss cusses the helping hand "shoot! shoot!". as the gator is rolling like a bowling ball. Seems like the gator dies with any kind of bullet hit. And a 22 at that!

 

[DeathGrip]

It's right up there with all of the rest of the so called reality shows.
But I watch and pay my Sat. bill like the good American that I am.
BTW You don't choot wun and THEN try to snag 'em.