Georgia Hunter Harvests Behemoth 660-pound Alligator
OutdoorHub Reporters 10.06.14
Chad Young said his recent harvest of a behemoth alligator from Georgia’s Lake Blackshear on Wednesday will go down as one of his best hunting memories. The 660-pound reptile offered up a difficult fight to the hunter and his companions, and Young said it took more than four hours before the animal finally tired out.
“Basically it was like taking a full-size truck and hooking it to your boat. I mean he had plenty of power and he didn’t slow down for a while,” Young told WALB.
Once the hunters saw size of the alligator’s head, they knew they needed more help. The 13-foot reptile took six men and a truck to move, but it was worth it for Young, who said he planned on getting another gator before the season ended on Sunday.
According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Young’s catch missed the state record by about 10 inches. Alligators in Georgia are inducted into the books based on length rather than weight, and the current record holder is a 13-foot, 10-3/4-inch gator harvested by Jim Overman from Lake Seminole last year. That animal only weighed 620 pounds. The previous state record was also caught in Lake Seminole in 2010, but measured an inch and half less and weighed 692 pounds.
Still, Young said he was more than satisfied.
“I’m happy as I could be. That’s probably one of the best times I’ve had hunting period,” he said.
