PALESTINE HERALD (Texas) 09 June 07 Local men bag 13-foot alligator (Mary Rainwater)
Every good hunter dreams of that one big kill, the one unforgettable story that he can tell over and over again and can be passed on for generations to come.
Palestine native David James got his catch, and his story, over Memorial Day weekend when he, with the help of his dad Dr. Barry James and brothers Jeff and Scott James killed and hauled in the biggest alligator they had ever seen.
“We like to go hunting at the Koon Kreek Club (located about 8 miles south of Athens off Texas 19) and have been watching the gator for more than two months,” David James said. “About two weeks before Memorial Day we spotted him, but missed.”
The James men didn’t give up, though. They continued watching out for and tracking the gator at Koon Kreek, seeking out the perfect opportunity to take a shot at the large reptile.
Finally, on May 26, David James saw his chance at the gator and took it, shooting from 70 yards away and hitting him in the head.
“He was on the shore when we got him, but started flip-flopping around and eventually rolled into the water,” David James said. “We got down in the water to go after him — it took us 10 minutes to find him.”
Using rope and a gaff hook, the men secured the 800-pound, almost 13-foot alligator and drug him alongside their boat to shore.
“Once we got him there, it took us a few more shots to bring him down,” David James said. “It took 1 1/2 hours to get the ropes on him and eight men were needed to load him on a boat trailer and bring him out of the water.
“We brought in a front end loader to lift him and put him on a trailer,” he added. “He is now at the taxidermist.”
David James says he plans to do a full mount of his trophy, which will take about a year to complete. The gator most likely will reside at the family hunting cabin at Koon Kreek.
“The alligator was the biggest taken from Koon Kreek since 1902,” David James said. “We did hear about another 13-footer shot at the Trinity River, but this is certainly the biggest one we have ever seen.
“It is probably a once in a lifetime thing for me,” he added.
David James said he and his family have hunted alligator for about 13 years, participating in game management hunts at the Koon Kreek Club before the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department designated a hunting season for alligators.
“A lot of people don’t realize how large alligators can get,” David James said. “They are a nuisance and can be very dangerous to hunters and fishermen.
“Most of the hunting we do is to keep them from overpopulating,” he added. “We certainly don’t want anyone being hurt by them.”
David James said he, his dad and brothers go hunting year-round, no matter what season is in play. They frequent Koon Kreek and occasionally take trips to West Texas and Alaska.
“We plan to be hunting again this weekend,” he said. “It is something we can do together.”
Local men bag 13-foot alligator