Many would-be hunters say, ‘See you later, gator,’ and turn down scarce permits

This past month, hundreds of people across the country have been receiving notices from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and asking themselves, “Do I really want to go on that gator hunt?”

For many of the 1,000 people selected to participate in the fall’s limited-drawing alligator season, that answer will be no.

In 2015, only 798 of those selected hunters completed the application process to get a non-transferable gator permit and harvest tag, and only 528 reported going on a hunt. That’s down from 56 percent participation in 2014, and 62.5 percent in 2013.

Some of those no-shows couldn’t find a boat, or ran into bad weather, like last September’s historic flooding. But hunting guides Ron Reagle of Alligator Addiction in Rock Hill and Brad Taylor of Taylor Outdoors of Batesburg-Leesville say most probably experienced sticker shock when they started planning their adventures.

“They think there’s a big market to sell an alligator,” Reagle says. “There really isn’t.”

Hunters can’t sell gator meat under South Carolina law, and in the guides’ experience, they don’t want to sell their valuable gator hide.

Instead, novices can end up paying more than $2,000 for the experience, from buying equipment or hiring a guide to paying a company to skin the gator, tan the hide and process the meat. At Cordray’s in Ravenel, for instance, gator rugs run $250 per foot. And producing link sausage and patties costs $5.75 per pound.

“You’re talking about real money,” says Jay Butfiloski, coordinator of DNR’s alligator program.

And faced with the additional costs of travel and lodging, and a night or two spent in a haze of mosquitoes and South Carolina heat, many would-be hunters simply decide not to bother.

“Once they figure it out, it’s just not worth it,” Taylor says.

While permits are limited, it’s hardly a disaster when people sit out a season. DNR selects more hunters than it would really want harvesting gators, and uses a point system that gives preference to those who’ve waited longer for a permit.

Overall applications were also down about 15 percent last year, with just 4,694 people applying for a license. At its peak in 2012, the state’s gator season attracted 6,640 applications.

Butfiloski said he wasn’t surprised by the waning interest overall, as there are not many enthusiasts who apply year after year. For most people, one gator, or even an unsuccessful hunt, seems to do, Butfiloski says.

“The impression I get from people is kind of like, ‘Yeah, I’ve done that,’” he said Monday. “For some people, it’s a novelty.”

The dirty job of hooking and hauling a gator could also have something to do with the trend. Reagle always tells people to bring a change of clothes, but each season, there’s a group that ends up driving back home covered in grime from the hunt.

Reagle noted that very few of his clients are hunters at all, let alone of big, dangerous game. Generally, they drive or fly down from New Jersey, New York or Ohio for a few nights and are happy to let Reagle and his crew run the show.

“I call them my ‘bucket list people,’” Reagle said.

He and Butfiloski also noted that participation has been tied to gator-hunting reality shows, which whipped up so much interest in the sport a few years ago, but are now struggling for ratings. The History Channel’s “Swamp People,” for instance, was only narrowly approved for an eighth season after overhauling its cast this year.

“I think it’s played out,” Butfiloski said.

Alligator season lasts from Sept. 10 to Oct. 8. Those selected to participate must pay a $100 fee to get their permit and harvest tag, which allows them to harvest one alligator longer than 4 feet. Nonresidents of the state must pay another $200 fee.

Overall, hunters harvested 319 gators last year, compared with 311 in 2014 and 452 in 2013.

The alligator season management unit that includes Beaufort County, called Southern Coastal, had the highest participation of all four units last year, with 141 of the 250 selected hunters taking to the water at least once.

In Beaufort County, hunters took 31 gators, up from 10 gators in 2014.

In Jasper County, they harvested just two.

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This story was originally published July 26, 2016 at 4:06 PM with the headline "Many would-be hunters say, ‘See you later, gator,’ and turn down scarce permits."