Ron's Guide Service offers an affordable and exciting year-round resident or non-resident alligator hunt on private land year-round. Our fully guided hunts are conducted during day and night on private ranches and leased land that consist of wetlands, small lakes, ponds, canals, and marsh which are prime alligator habitat.
There are hundreds of alligators from the sizes of 4 feet to 13 feet.

Hunting Hours
Ron’s Guide Service offers alligator hunting seven days a week year-round.

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
9:00 AM 11:00 AM 1:00 PM 3:00 PM
SUNDAY
7:00 AM 1:00 PM 3:00 PM
NIGHT HOURS
7:00 PM

Your success rate during an afternoon of hunting is just as good as a morning of hunting.

HOW LONG DOES ALLIGATOR HUNTING LAST?
Ron's Guide Service does not believe in rushing our clients.
You will have as many hours needed to successfully complete your hunt.
How long your hunt will take depends on many different factors such as weapons being used, alligator size, and how many hunters are in your party. On average a hunter can successfully complete their hunt within 1-3 hours.

ARE HUNTING TIMES PRIVATE?
Your hunt is typically private and consists of your party and guide.
Weekends tend to be busier so your chances of hunting with another party is more likely, however we do our best to make sure everyone receives individual attention.

Transportation
Our swamp buggy is loved by kids of all ages and is especially helpful for our clients
who have trouble walking. We use our swamp buggy for all styles of hunting.
We have two buggies, each buggy accommodates eight passengers.
A Utility ATV, Jeep, 4x4 truck, powerboat, or airboat are used
if conditions require their need. The type of vehicle or vessel that will be used during your hunt is at the discretion of the guide.
The use of our swamp buggy, boats, and other vehicles is included in our alligator hunting rate.

Hunting Styles
GUIDED SPOT AND STALK METHOD
Your guide will get you in range for a clean shot
as soon as an alligator in the size range you reserved is spotted.

Weapons
WHAT WEAPONS CAN I USE TO HUNT ALLIGATOR?
The following weapons can be used when hunting alligator, you can even combine weapons.

BOW
CROSSBOW
HANDGUN
HARPOON
MUZZLELOADER
RIFLE
SHOTGUN

WHAT LOANER WEAPONS DO YOU SUPPLY?
Our all inclusive wild boar hunting rate includes free use of our loaner weapons.
Hunters are required to furnish their own ammunition.

243 RIFLE
22 MAG RIFLE
12 GAUGE SHOTGUN
HARPOON

WHAT WEAPONS DO YOU RECOMMEND?
Rifles with scopes are by far the preferred weapon for this type of hunting.
Scopes should be sighted in at a 50 to 75 yard range.
Bows recommended for alligator hunting are long bows, compound bows, recurve bows, and crossbows with a minimum draw weight of 35 pounds.
If you use a bow fishing rig attachment the line should be in the 200 to 300 lb size class. You can also use a broad head arrow. Using this method the alligator would be recovered with a rope and treble hook.

AMMUNITION
We recommend buckshot 2 3/4 inch #4 or 00.
12 gauge deer slug shells 2 3/4 inch smoothbore or rifled barrel can also be used.
A five shell 2 3/4 inch box will be enough for each hunter.
Ammunition can be purchased without a license anywhere in the state of Florida.
Ammunition is not available for purchase at the hunting site.

WILL I BE ABLE TO SIGHT IN MY WEAPON UPON ARRIVAL?
You will be able to sight in your weapon when you arrive at the hunting area.

CAN I SHIP YOU MY WEAPON PRIOR TO MY HUNT?
A hunter may ship a firearm to himself or herself in care of Ron's Guide Service.
The package should be addressed to the owner.

EXAMPLE:
YOUR NAME
c/o Ron's Guide Service
OUR ADDRESS

WHAT ARE THE RULES FOR AIR TRAVEL WITH FIREARMS?
For details on air travel with firearms please contact the official
Transportation Security Administration.

TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
http://www.tsa.gov
(866) 289-9673

About Florida Alligator
FLORIDA ALLIGATOR HISTORY
Early Spanish explorers who encountered these reptiles named them “el lagarto” meaning lizard. Eventually settlers called them “allagarto”,
which was then corrupted to “alligator”.
Alligators are found only in the southeastern United States, mostly in Florida and coastal portions of Louisiana.

Alligators are olive-brown to black with creamy white around the jaws, and on the neck and belly. They have a broad snout, and 74-80 conical teeth, some of which can be as large as your little finger. Below each tooth is a replacement, which appears when the primary tooth is damaged or worn. However, these teeth are not designed for chewing – they are used for grabbing and holding. The muscles that close the jaw can exert literally tons of pressure, but muscles for opening the jaw are weak, and an alligator’s jaw can be held closed with a thick rubber band.  This fact is skillfully exploited during most alligator wrestling shows.

Some 1.5 million alligators live in Florida.
Many of them in close proximity to people.

Alligators are carnivorous. Baby alligators eat a variety of insects, small fish, frogs, and snails. Larger alligators will eat almost anything including fish, turtles, mammals, birds, reptiles, carrion and even other alligators.  They also eat stones, sticks and aluminum cans.  The stomachs of harvested alligators have been found to contain stones, fishing lures, aluminum pull tops, dog collars, and plastic debris.   A large gator living in a pond in west Florida had a stomach full of dog collars when it was finally killed. Trappers had been led to the dog killing-gator by a radio collar on a missing hunting dog. The alligator had eaten the dog radio-collar and all.

WHAT DOES ALLIGATOR TASTE LIKE?
As cliché as it sounds, alligator tastes a lot like chicken.
It is white meat with a tougher texture similar to calamari.

ALLIGATOR SIZE
A large adult alligator can weigh as much as 1000 pounds and can live for decades. The longest alligator on record was killed deep in a Louisiana swamp by E. A. McLlhenny in the early 1900’s. The beast was too big to get out of the swamp so he estimated the animal’s length using his rifle, it measured about 584 cm (19.1 ft).  The record for Florida is a 531 cm (17.5 ft) alligator killed at Lake Apoka in 1956.
A hunter will get about 20 to 30 lbs or more from a alligator in the size range of 9 to 12 feet, 10 to 15 lbs or more from a alligator in the size range of 6 to 9 feet, and about 5 to 8 lbs or more from a alligator in the size range of 4 to 6 feet.
The amount of meat depends on the size and how fat the alligator is.

DO I NEED A LICENSE TO HUNT FLORIDA ALLIGATOR?
A statewide alligator trapping agent license is required prior to your hunt.
The typical cost is $52.00, resident and non-resident, and may be purchased at any Florida county tax collector's office or from any Florida hunting and fishing retail outlet store like Walmart that sell hunting and fishing licenses.

PURCHASE BY PHONE: 1-888-486-8356

The Alligator Trapping Agent license is issued immediately after purchase.

There is a 24 hour Walmart in the town of Okeechobee which is 13 miles from where we hunt that sells the Alligator Trapping Agent license.

WALMART SUPERCENTER
2101 South Parrot Ave
Okeechobee, FL 34974
(863) 763-7070

The easiest way to get your license is over the phone.

Particulars

NON-HUNTER RATE
Our $20.00 per non-hunter rate permits a friend or youngster to tag along and watch, film, and participate in the excitement of the hunt.
Non-hunters are FREE for parties of two or more hunters.

AGE REQUIREMENTS
we allow youngsters who are at least six years old to hunt.

EXPERIENCE LEVEL
Ron's Guide Service welcomes all levels of experience.
Our guided hunts are perfect for first timers and advanced hunters.
Our guides are experienced and patient to ensure you have a memorable hunt.

WHAT DO I WEAR?
No special clothing is required to hunt alligator.
Closed toe shoes, jeans, and a t-shirt will be sufficient.
Camouflage is welcome, but not necessary.

PROCESSING MEAT
Ron's Guide Service provides processing on all kills completely free.
Your kill will be skinned, cleaned, and quartered immediately after your hunt.

PROFESSIONAL BUTCHERING
A hunter can choose to have a professional butcher process his kill.
These shops will package, label, and freeze your meat.
Contact each shop directly for the cost per pound, type of processing they offer, how long it will take, and any other questions you may have.

MOSQUITO CREEK GROCERY
5500 HWY. 70 EAST
OKEECHOBEE, FL 33474
(863) 763-7412

DAN'S MEAT MARKET
1314 STATE ROAD 70 E
OKEECHOBEE, FL 34972
(863) 357-0202

BIG ED'S BUTCHER SHOP
8140 BELVEDERE ROAD, #2
WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33411
WEBSITE: http://www.bigedsbutchershop.com
(561) 798-9876

TAXIDERMY SERVICE
Taxidermy preparation is provided free by Ron's Guide Service.
 After preparation of your kill we can provide you with our affordable taxidermy service or you can choose to go elsewhere for your taxidermy needs.

SHIPPING MEAT
There are many options for getting your meat back home.
For detailed solutions visit our shipping center page.

HUNTING ZONE
 According to the Florida hunting regulations handbook Glades County is classified as the south zone and Highlands and Okeechobee County are classified as central zones. These areas are considered to be the finest hunting zones in Florida.

HUNTING POLICY
We encourage hunters to utilize all parts of their alligator and leave nothing to waste.

MONEY BACK GUARANTEE POLICY
We offer a money back guarantee in the event our guides are unable to provide a hunter with an opportunity to kill an alligator in the size range they reserved.
Guide service rate and additional fees are not refundable.