Rob Fox
A Florida man is lucky to have any part of his arm at all after the hunter apparently became the hunted during an alligator hunt at Lake Jesup in Seminole County, Florida.
Videos by Rare
The hunter in question, Carsten Kieffer, was part of a group that was attempting to bring a 12-foot gator close to their boat with harpoons after catching it on a snatch line. As the group attempted to pull the gator up into the boat the monstrous predator launched itself upward, bit down on Kieffer’s right arm, and started to roll.
The man’s partners began attacking the gator after it grabbed hold of Kieffer’s arm and were able to eventually free their friend so they could get him back to shore.
One of the other alligator hunters who accompanied Kieffer on the lake informed authorities that Kieffer had suffered a partial amputation below the right elbow.
The alligator escaped after biting Kieffer.
A couple thoughts:
1. Yeah I assume that’s what happens sometimes when you’re hunting gators. That’s a risk that’s cooked into hunting an apex predator dinosaur. Sometimes you might lose a finger or hand or arm. Or two.
2. I’m no gator hunting expert — obviously. I am, in fact, the opposite of an alligator hunting expert. But wouldn’t it be wise to further incapacitate or perhaps even kill the alligator prior to pulling it up into your boat? I guess they harpooned it twice but these monsters are tough bastards. Like, the toughest bastards. Do they even feel pain? They just kill and bang and will take a pretty substantial beating to accomplish either.
3. I’m not saying these guys did this but this is a great PSA for not drinking a couple camo tallboys before hitting the waters on a gator filled lake. That might work for duck and deer season but if the prey can kill you back maybe have coffee instead.
4. Regardless of all my dumb conjecture, here’s hoping Mr. Kieffer has a speedy and full recovery.
