Is there a difference in the food quality based on the size of the gator? I've got a pile of points towards a GA gator tag and hope to go next year.
I had no idea about gator hunting methods before reading your account. One thing perplexes me...how you get it all done carrying around those giant balls. LoL Thanks!
Locals say they like small ones to eat as they are more tender. That being said the two of the three best cuts (under tail loin and jowls) don’t get really big until the gator does (over 10 feet). The under tail loin on a 9 footer is the size of my forearm (pretty small) and on a 12 footer the size of my leg. The jowls really get big at about the 10 foot mark. I haven’t eaten enough gator to be a connoisseur to give you any better nuts and bolts. I can say I’ve eaten cuts from several 10 footers and it was all awesome. The key is no fat or red meat in what you are cooking. The fat is fishy rancid tasting and the red meat not much better. I have also had some great alligator sausage. Great stuff but you can tell if any red meat gets mixed in.