Stalking Alligators in South Florida with the Diablo 12 Gauge Pistol
If you watched the video, you saw that the two gators we had spotted were nuisances to the cattle ranch where we were hunting. Gators like these were known to eat calves that unwittingly came too close to the gator-infested creeks to get a drink of water.Â
Both of the gators needed to be removed because they would become major problems if left unchecked. The larger gator evaded us for several days. We went back to the same site looking for him, and we saw him surface and then disappear about four times total. We eventually drew him out using the Convergent Hunting Solutions Bullet HP game call. It worked like a charm. The smaller gator had been causing some issues for the cattle dogs, and, again using the Bullet game call, we lured her in close. I got her nearly point-blank, right in the head. In the end, as Laurant said in the video, the alligators are part of the ecosystem of the ranch and have to be treated as such.Â
You’ve never seen alligator hunting like this. When most people think of an alligator hunt, they might think of “Swamp People” trapping gators, or, if you’re experienced, using a bang stick or rifle to the head of one of these captive gators. But you’ve probably never seen someone take down an alligator while lying face-down in a Florida marsh, next to a creek, mere feet from a 10-footer, armed only with a double-barrel black-powder shotgun pistol and 1.5-ounce lead balls.Â
It might just be the craziest hunting experience I’ve ever had, and it took a fair amount of courage, a steady aim, and some of the best hunting guides you can find, who can spot the sneaky creatures in heavy cover before they disappear underwater without a single ripple to tell you the direction they’ve gone.
An Idea
The team at International Sportsman first learned about the Diablo 12 gauge pistol at SHOT Show, and I was surprised by how small it is. Here was a 12-gauge pistol that, with its 6-inch barrel (10-inches full length), looks as though you can put it in your pocket. The size shocked me.Â
After handling the gun for a few minutes, I brainstormed ideas on how to use it in hunting scenarios. How could I showcase the potential of this firearm and challenge myself as a hunter at the same time?Â
The answer was to use the Diablo in an alligator hunt. Unlike a rifle, this pistol would require an up-close-and-personal encounter with gators in scenarios where they have the advantage. This prospect both excited and terrified me. I have been to Florida three times before on alligator hunts, but this was the first time I wouldn’t be more than 50 yards away armed with a rifle.
I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting myself into.Â
A Great Hunt
The gators measured 10-feet, eight inches and eight-feet, eight inches. We had the meat from the alligators processed and it is now in my freezer.Â
The Diablo performed well and was a lot of fun to shoot. I used a load of 60 grains of FFG powder with the .715-inch round balls of pure lead from Track of the Wild. They weight more than 1.5 ounces and did a lot of damage to the gators. Also recently available are the AGC 12 Gauge Fast Load Slugs. Combined with a muzzleloader black powder pellet like the IMR White Hots Pellets, loading the Diablo is much faster and convenient.
The first shot came at a close distance broke the gator’s jaw in half. I shot the second gator in the side of the head, and he was out instantly. We delivered a follow-up shot to the second gator after he was on land to make sure he didn’t move.
If you are looking for a challenge, then consider using the Diablo in a hunt. It will push the limits of what you think you are capable of doing and make you a better hunter.
American Gun Craft Diablo
International Sportsman has two other articles on the Diablo that go into greater detail of the pistol if you are interested in more information.Â
American Gun Craft’s Diablo 12 Gauge: The Coolest Mail Order Shotgun Pt. 1
Double Barreled 12 Gauge Shotgun Pistol Review – THE DIABLO!!!
Jeremy Mallette is co-founder of International Sportsman. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, he has spent more than a decade in the outdoor industry, from hiking and camping to silencers and hunting. His father taught him to shoot at age six, and he received his first firearm at age eight — a 1942 Colt Commando .38 special revolver. He enjoys yearly trips to Kansas for pheasant hunting, spending time with his children at the deer lease, and collecting unique firearms.