Hunters in Mississippi broke a state record for the heaviest alligator ever killed, kicking off the hunting season with two big catches.
Hunters
in
Mississippi
broke
a
state
record
for
the
heaviest
alligator
ever
killed
,
kicking
off
the
hunting
season
with
two
big
catches
.
Dustin Bockman of Wisconsin and two hunting friends caught the 727-pound 13-foot-long beast on Sunday, beating last year's record-setter by 26 pounds, according to the state's Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
Dustin
Bockman
of
Wisconsin
and
two
hunting
friends
caught
the
727-pound
13-foot-long
beast
on
Sunday
,
beating
last
year
's
record-setter
by
26
pounds
,
according
to
the
state
's
Department
of
Wildlife
,
Fisheries
and
Parks
.
"We're going to cook it for sure."
``
We
're
going
to
cook
it
for
sure
.
''
he told Gulf Live.
he
told
Gulf
Live
.
"There's plenty for me and everybody else."
``
There
's
plenty
for
me
and
everybody
else
.
''
He and his team of hunters followed the huge creature for 12 hours until they could get close enough to shoot him with a crossbow.
He
and
his
team
of
hunters
followed
the
huge
creature
for
12
hours
until
they
could
get
close
enough
to
shoot
him
with
a
crossbow
.
"He would go to the bottom and sit like a piece of wood.
``
He
would
go
to
the
bottom
and
sit
like
a
piece
of
wood
.
You could do anything with him," Bockman said.
You
could
do
anything
with
him
,
''
Bockman
said
.
The hunters then had to figure out how to drag the beast's dead body into their boat.
The
hunters
then
had
to
figure
out
how
to
drag
the
beast
's
dead
body
into
their
boat
.
It look four hours of pulling at which point they rested on a sandbar and called friends for help.
It
look
four
hours
of
pulling
at
which
point
they
rested
on
a
sandbar
and
called
friends
for
help
.
First-time hunter Beth Trammell initially broke the record when she caught a 723-pound 13-foot gator with a team of six hunters, but Bockman stole her thunder hours later.
First-time
hunter
Beth
Trammell
initially
broke
the
record
when
she
caught
a
723-pound
13-foot
gator
with
a
team
of
six
hunters
,
but
Bockman
stole
her
thunder
hours
later
.
She was shocked at her gator's size.
She
was
shocked
at
her
gator
's
size
.
"It took about four hours to get it in the boat," she said.
``
It
took
about
four
hours
to
get
it
in
the
boat
,
''
she
said
.
"We had to ask another boat to help us out it was so big."
``
We
had
to
ask
another
boat
to
help
us
out
it
was
so
big
.
''
She said that she, too, was going to eat the beast and use it for decoration.
She
said
that
she
,
too
,
was
going
to
eat
the
beast
and
use
it
for
decoration
.
"I think my brother-in-law is going to get the head mounted."
``
I
think
my
brother-in-law
is
going
to
get
the
head
mounted
.
''
she said.
she
said
.
Alligators nearly died out in Mississippi in the 1960s, but a conservation helped the creature recover to the point that hunting is now legal.
Alligators
nearly
died
out
in
Mississippi
in
the
1960s
,
but
a
conservation
helped
the
creature
recover
to
the
point
that
hunting
is
now
legal
.
Hunters in Mississippi broke a state record for the heaviest alligator ever killed, kicking off the hunting season with two big catches.  Dustin Bockman of Wisconsin and two hunting friends caught the 727-pound 13-foot-long beast on Sunday, beating last year's record-setter by 26 pounds, according to the state's Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.  "We're going to cook it for sure." he told Gulf Live.  "There's plenty for me and everybody else."  He and his team of hunters followed the huge creature for 12 hours until they could get close enough to shoot him with a crossbow.  "He would go to the bottom and sit like a piece of wood. You could do anything with him," Bockman said.  The hunters then had to figure out how to drag the beast's dead body into their boat.  It look four hours of pulling at which point they rested on a sandbar and called friends for help.  First-time hunter Beth Trammell initially broke the record when she caught a 723-pound 13-foot gator with a team of six hunters, but Bockman stole her thunder hours later.  She was shocked at her gator's size. "It took about four hours to get it in the boat," she said. "We had to ask another boat to help us out it was so big."  She said that she, too, was going to eat the beast and use it for decoration.  "I think my brother-in-law is going to get the head mounted." she said.  Alligators nearly died out in Mississippi in the 1960s, but a conservation helped the creature recover to the point that hunting is now legal.