Florida Gator Hunting

Gator Hunting in Central Florida

We hunt alligators on more than 60,000 acres of private ranch in Central and South Florida, much of it lightly pressured ground that saw almost no hunting before 2019. Every animal is wild and free range, living where it was born. You stay on the ranch, you eat what Megan cooks, and your guide has your dates scouted before you get there. Book a size class, and the rest of the trip is already handled.

WHAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY BUYING

How to tell a real gator hunt from a stocked pond

Florida has roughly 75 licensed gator farms and more than a third of them sit in the southwest corner of the state. Some of them sell their biggest animals to people who want to shoot one, and the hunt happens inside a fenced pond that got filled the week before. That is legal, it is common, and most people who pay for it never find out what they bought.

Our ground works differently. Every gator here is a wild animal living free range on private ranch land it was born on. No fence around the water, no bait piles, no pens, nothing trucked in for your dates. We spot and stalk in daylight, so your guide gets a real look at the animal and judges it before anyone commits, and you get the same look.

We also will not promise you a kill. Anyone who guarantees a dead gator is either guessing or shooting inside a fence. What we guarantee is the opportunity, on ground we scout before you arrive.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

One Price, the whole trip

Every gator package covers

3 days of hunting and 2 nights of private lodging on the ranch
All meals, home-cooked
Your professional guide
Gun rental
Tags, so the lottery is not your problem
Transport of your trophy to the processor and the taxidermist
On-site upgrade available if a bigger animal presents itself

Not included, so you can budget for it

Your Florida hunting license, bought separately
Taxidermy and processing, handled by our partner and billed by them
Guide tip

$2,500 Meat Gator, 6 to 8 feet, minimum 2 hunters

$1,700 Get Your Gator, up to 6 feet, minimum 6 hunters

$4,000 Management Gator, 8 to 10 feet

$6,500 Trophy Gator, 10 to 11’11”

$6,250 Turkey + Gator Combo, Osceola plus a 6 to 8 foot gator

Gators over 12’+ are priced separately. Ask Mercy.

Prices listed per hunter. Hunters in the same group can book different size classes. Day hunts are quoted on request.

Plan your hunt

Get on the calendar

Leave your name and number, and Mercy will follow up within a business day to talk through your dates and your group. It takes a minute, and there’s no deposit to start. Or call or text Mercy directly at 763-595-5936

YEAR ROUND ACCESS

You do not need to draw a tag

Florida issues somewhere around 7,000 public alligator permits a year against more than 15,000 applicants, and the public season only runs from mid-August into November. Plenty of good hunters whiff on that draw every spring and write off the whole year.

Your tags come with the package, and this is private ground, so we hunt year-round. Whether you drew or not has nothing to do with whether you go.

BRING YOUR PEOPLE

Buddy trips, bachelor parties, and first hunts

Groups are normal here and the guides are used to running them. We hold your dates for 15 days with no deposit while you get everyone committed, then those dates go back on the calendar. A deposit locks them in. Everyone in the group can book a different size class, so nobody is priced out of the trip.

Kids hunt this ground and so do people in their eighties. The guide handles the parts that need handling and stays between your kid and the animal. What you are buying there is a first hunt that goes right, a photo, and a story your kid tells for thirty years.

FROM HUNTERS WHO WENT

What they said when they got home

Jeremy Heem, 11’6″ gator “Once we saw it, we knew he was the one so we made a plan to sneak to a better position for a shot. After a brief instruction on shot placement I took aim and touched off a shot… In short, this was one of the best guided hunts I’ve ever done. We were welcomed with open arms and treated like family.”

Gary Sumpter, first organized hunt at 63 “I am a 63 year old country boy who had never been on an organized hunt before. Words can’t describe the time I had, it’s definitely a bucket list hunt. Most respectful, professional, all around good people to be with.”

Mike Busick, eight hunts and counting “I have been on 8 different hunts and have hunted multiple gators of all size ranges. On every single hunt Matt’s ‘no quit’ mentality and second to none service has been outstanding.”

Joe Lindmark, hunting with his two teenage sons “They put us in positions where myself and my boys took one shot, one kill… My boys said it was the best hunting experience they ever had.”

Tom Sagissar, father and son “I have had many top-notch experiences in my life, Super Bowl, Final four NCAA, Stanley Cup, Three Ryder Cups… nothing comes close to the experience of being with your son and hunting alligators.”

CAMP

You are staying on the ranch, not near it

BOOKING

One point of contact, start to finish

Mercy handles your quote, your dates, and your paperwork, so you are not chasing three different people to put a trip together. Gage has been booking groups on hunts worldwide since 1998, and we handle your trip end to end.

HOLDING YOUR DATES

How to book your hunt

Tell Mercy your dates and your group size and she will hold them for up to 15 days with no deposit while you get your crew lined up. A deposit locks it in, and the balance is due 90 days before you arrive. Hunts are non-refundable once the deposit is received.

FAQ

Is this a fenced or stocked hunt? No. Wild, free range animals on open private ranch land. No fence around the water, no bait, no pens, and nothing moved in for your dates.
I’ve never hunted with you. How do I know this is the real deal? Fair question, and worth asking any outfitter. We hunt in daylight so you can see the ground and the animal for yourself, the gator gets taped in front of you, and the whole trip is booked and backed by Gage Outdoor Expeditions. Mercy can walk you through anything that isn’t on this page.
Do I need to draw a tag? No. Tags come with your package.
Can I hunt year-round? Yes. This is private ground, so we are not tied to the public season.
Do you guarantee I’ll get a gator? We guarantee the opportunity, not the kill. Nobody can honestly guarantee a wild animal, and the operators who say otherwise are usually shooting inside a fence.
How is size decided? Your guide judges the animal in daylight, you agree on it before the shot, and it gets taped nose to tail in front of you afterward.
What if a bigger one shows up? You upgrade on the spot by paying the difference before checkout.
What is not included? Your Florida hunting license, taxidermy and processing, and gratuity.
What happens to the meat and the hide? We transport your trophy to the processor and taxidermist. They bill you directly.
Can I bring my kid? Yes. Kids hunt here regularly, and the guide handles the parts that need handling.
Can I bring someone who isn’t hunting? Yes, at a discounted rate. Ask Mercy for the number.
What weapons can I use? Most requests can be accommodated. Bring it up when you inquire.
How do deposits work? Dates held 15 days with no deposit, a 50 percent deposit locks them, balance due 90 days out, non-refundable once the deposit is in.
Do you do day hunts? Yes, quoted on request. Most people want the full package, because the lodge and the food are half of it.
How far in advance should I book? Prime dates go first. Call and ask what’s open.

WHY GAGE OUTDOORS

Gage Outdoor Expeditions owns and operates some of the finest hunting and fishing lodges throughout the Americas. From Alaska to the tip of Argentina, Gage Outdoor Expeditions seeks out the world’s premier hunting and fishing adventures so you don’t have to. Every hunting and fishing expedition we offer has been explored by a Gage Outdoor consultant and only the finest venues are represented. We understand your time is valuable & you can’t afford to plan for weeks or months just to have some minor detail ruin your hunting or fishing experience. We travel the distance to bring you “The Best of The Best”.

REVIEWS

Highly recommend Florda gator hunting for the best hunting experience. Matthew was incredibly patient, educated, and helpful throughout the hunt and beyond. From setting a date to actually getting a trophy gator, I wouldn't want to work with anyone else! If you want a true-Florida experience, go with Matthew you won't regret it!

Natalie T.

TRAVEL INFORMATION

Planning your hunt

Hunts take place over 2.5-3 days. Hog hunting can be done during the hunt at anytime and we only charge $50/hog upon harvest. Ideal scheduling for a gator hunt is to fly in Thursday late afternoon/early evening and hunt Friday, Saturday, Sunday and fly out Sunday evening or Monday morning

Traveling in to your hunt

While Fort Myers is closest airport it does not have as many flight options as Tampa or Orlando. Both are only 10-15 minutes further out and pick up is available if needed by the outfit. Ideally on a gator hunt I’d say fly in Thursday late afternoon/ evening and hunt Friday, Saturday, Sunday and fly out Monday morning.

To lock in your hunt

A deposit of $1000 + ranch package is due at the time of booking to secure your spot. The full deposit will go towards your harvest. The ranch package is $250/night/person and includes: meals/lodging/guiding/ground transportation.

INFORMATION GALLERY