Ever been alligator hunting in Louisiana? Well, come on!

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:04]over.

[00:00:11]Right now, there are more alligators living in Louisiana than at any point in modern history. Over 3 million wild gators spread across the marshes, swamps, bayus, rivers, canals, and all the flooded backwaters of the state.

[00:00:24]Down here in southwest Louisiana, you feel it. You see the tracks on banks, eyes glowing at night, slides cut into the mud, big wakes pushing through the grass. And this ain't a zoo. This is real predator country.

[00:00:38]>> 50 years ago, these animals were nearly gone. Today, Louisiana manages one of the most successful wildlife recovery programs in the world. Not because politicians fixed it, not because activists complained online, because hunters, trappers, land owners, and wildlife biologists actually managed the resource properly. And now the population has exploded so much that new recreational opportunities have actually just opened up to help keep the numbers under control. Because when gator populations get too high, problems follow. Big dominant males push younger gators out of the marsh and into neighborhoods, canals, boat launches, golf courses, drainage systems, anywhere essentially they can find water and food. Nuisance calls rise, pets disappear, livestock losses increase, and dangerous encounters become much more common. That's the reality of managing apex predators like an alligator. This isn't random killing.

[00:01:26]It's population control. It's conservation and it's habitat management. And in Louisiana, nobody understands that balance better than the people who actually live in the marshes.

[00:01:36]For this hunt, we teamed up with Marino Outfitters and our incredible guys, Ryan and Nick. Two guys who know these waters like the back of their hand and are awesome guys. When you hunt alligators long enough, you learn fast that you're not just hunting the animal, you're hunting conditions. Water temperature controls everything. Alligators are ectotherms. Their body temperature depends entirely on the environment around them. When that water gets up into the 80s during the summer, their metabolism goes into overdrive. That's when they feed aggressively. That's when they patrol and that's when your lines start getting hit. But one good cold front can shut the entire marsh down overnight. Once water temperatures start dropping below 70°, their feeding slows dramatically. hit the mid-50s and they'll retreat into gator holes and barely move at all. That's why timing matters so much during the season.

[00:02:23]That's also why your guides are so important. Most experienced gator hunters love those humid overcast mornings for gator hunting. Sticky air, low light, calm water, that's when big gators move. Bright bluebird days after a cold front, different story altogether. A lot of times they'll stay laid up trying to warm themselves instead of feeding at all. Down here in Louisiana, one of the most traditional ways to harvest alligators is the hook and line method. And there's a real art to setting lines correctly. Most serious hunters down here will use old nasty rotten chicken. Yeah, it is nasty. It stinks, but it works. Especially in the marshes around Kaku and Cameron Parish because it stays on the hook better than softer baits. Now, because turtles, garfish, and many trash fish can strip these hooks clean pretty fast. One of the most important details is bait height. You want that bait hanging above the water, not dangling down in it. too high and the gator may ignore it and too low everything else in the swamp gets to it before the gators do. This seemingly simple but very important step is where experienced guides like Nick and Ryan make a big difference. These guys weren't just dropping chicken in the water. They were reading conditions, movement, vegetation, weather changes, watching where fresh slides and movement are showing up. That local knowledge of the area matters more than anything else. That's why you just don't randomly go out and start alligator hunting. You need to pick the right guides like these guys at Marino Outfitters. In a hunting area this big, like in southwest Louisiana, where we have marshes and rivers all intertwining, knowing where not to waste time is just as important as knowing where to hunt. And checking these lines is where things get really fun and really interesting. Sometimes you roll up and the line's gone completely still. Sometimes the pole's bent over hard. Sometimes the water explodes before you even get close. And when you hook into a big mature gator in tight marsh water, it can turn into chaos really fast. There's going to be mud flying, water boiling, boat spinning sideways. That's when the experience matters and that's when the fun happens.

[00:04:12]Remember, Louisiana law requires the alligator to already be secured on the line before it's dispatched. Once you get him boatside, you're aiming for the quote kill button, soft spot directly behind the skull plate.

[00:04:24]>> So, if you look at the top of his head, we call it the crescent. You see it right there?

[00:04:28]>> That's where the hard plate of his skull meets his soft skin and his spine. I try to touch the suppressor. I'm sure you're shooting suppressed right against behind that hard plate and basically we're shooting his spine out. Now, many times you can just pop in with a 22 rimfire, but today we're using our CMMG 9 mm descent in a very compact fashion.

[00:04:48]Quick, clean, humane, and that's really what matters here. Ethical hunting is part of respecting the resource, and it always has been, especially down here in South Louisiana. Now, the deeper you get into gator hunting, the more respect you gain for just how tough these animals really are. These reptiles are built for survival. They live in hot, stagnant water filled with bacteria. They fight constantly. They suffer massive injuries, missing limbs, deep punctures, huge scars. You can actually see some of the scars on some of these gators that we pulled in. Somehow they keep going.

[00:05:18]And in many cases, that's why scientists have become fascinated with alligator blood. That's right. Yeah. Scientists love alligator blood. Researchers studying alligator serum discovered it contains extremely powerful antimicrobial peptides, natural infection fighters. Basically, these animals have an immune system built like tanks. Studies involving researchers here in Louisiana, have shown alligator blood can destroy dangerous bacteria strains, including MRSA, one of the most antibiotic resistant superbugs hospitals struggle with every single day. Notice in some of these videos how fast the alligator blood is coagulating in the bottom of the boat. Because of this, researchers are studying how quickly alligators stop bleeding after severe injuries. This has a huge impact on battlefield medicine, emergency trauma care, and surgical technology. So, when hunters talk about respecting the resources is part of the reason why we're not just managing predators, we're preserving one of the most biologically unique animals in North America. The American alligator survived ice ages, floods, hurricanes, millions of years of evolution. Here in Southwest Louisiana, it still rules the marsh. But without proper management, even a successful conservation story can become a problem.

[00:06:28]That's why hunting matters. It's also why the guides are so important. It protects our habitat. It keeps populations balanced. It reduces dangerous human encounters. And it ensures future generations can continue hunting and managing these animals responsibly. Yeah, we don't have emotional slogans down here in Southwest Louisiana, and we don't listen to people that are disconnected from the land.

[00:06:48]Realworld wildlife management is carried out by the people who actually live here, like our friends Ryan and Nick.

[00:06:54]Whether you run a commercial tags or heading out on your very first recreational hunt, success comes down to understanding the marsh, watch the weather, learn the water, respect the animals, know the regulations, of course. Sooner or later, you'll find yourself staring into the eyes of one of the oldest predators on planet Earth.

[00:07:09]Again, big thanks to our friends Marino Outfitters and our guys Ryan and Nick for helping make this hunt happen and for sharing years of experience out here on the marsh. If you enjoyed this video, make sure you are subscribed. We got a lot more coming from the marshes, swamps, and back roads of Louisiana and a lot of southern specific videos that will be coming your way on things much more than just hunting.

[00:07:28]>> They don't feel it, Gordon.

[00:07:31]>> Yeah, they do. The last thing they felt was a 10 mm.

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