I have not seen or herd any convincing evidence that Alligator gar are in any danger of being wiped out. The larger specimens are around in the harder places to get to. Target the netters not fisherman or bowfishers with your cry in the dark.

Hey Dave,

Nope, never went to Garland. My school days were a long time ago. LOL..

Mine too....had to ask though!

I signed your petition by the way.

"I signed your petition by the way."

Awesome! Thanks...

The petition has grown to over 60 signatures. I just wanted to say thank you to those who have taken the time to sign the petition. Next stop...100!

Usually I refrain from posting a picture to make my point, but this picture represents the mentality that I'm trying to address. Like they say, a picture is worth a 1000 words so...

I could post a photo of might near anything and say this is the kind of abuse I am talking about. Geez, ya make it sound like everyone with a bow does this. Well, it aint so! As far as bow fishermen shooting the long nose gar, have at em! There are way too many of them and NEED to be thinned out. I know several that bowfish and out of all of them they have taken exactly 1, that's right, 1 alligator gar.

Hi j.steve,

The point I am trying to make by posting the picture is not that every Bow Fisherman shoots everything in sight, but the fact that these two Bow Fisherman targeted the larger Alligator Gar. And did not stop at only 1 or 2.

Several of those Alligator Gars are over 100lbs, kind of makes you want to scratch your head and ask "why would an angler or bow fisherman need so much fish?".

Why would he need so much fish? Must have been hordes of gar in the area he was bowfishing and they probably did the area a favor by reducing their number. We don't know what he did with them so why automatically assume they were wasted?

" Must have been hordes of gar in the area he was bowfishing and they probably did the area a favor by reducing their number "

That is exactly the kind of mentality that causes problems. Why would you assume that they are doing the area a favor by reducing the number of Alligator Gar. The fish aren't pests they are a natural and required part of the ecosystem.

The assumption that the fish was wasted is based on the all to common practice of bowfisherman ( and in some cases R&R fisherman ) taking literally hundreds of pounds of gar and leaving it to rot somewhere.

A lot of people seem to have no problem with the huge gar taken with bows in the picture. Now blank out the gar in the picture and imagine they're all ten plus pound bass and the guys are holding rods and reels instead !!! Another species that's "in danger" if that was kept up by every angler who caught them and "wasted" them since most people don't eat bass either !
David C.

I for one think that the debate on whether or not Alligator Gar should be a protected species if valid. I have fished for gar in the past and yes I have eaten gar as well, but i will never abuse my ability to catch them or leave them to rot somewhere. I have seen several bow-fisherman who have done this as well as r&r fisherman who assume they are are trash and leave them on the bank to rot.

I disagree witht this practice and it angers me as well, why would you just leave an awesome fighting fish to die a miserable death. I love the angling experience the gar provide, If i catch several in a day they go back in the water, because i want to be able to catch them again.

I am not picking on bow-hunters, but several hunters do give the rest of you guys a bad name, should it be that way, no. It shouldn't, but the simple fact is several i have seen have abused their ability to targe these fish and in turn have turned many against them and their practices.

Rickt300 - "We don't know what he did with them so why automatically assume they were wasted?"

I'm not assuming the fish was wasted. The point is the Anglers chose to target the larger Alligator Gar (females), and I could be wrong but if you look closely at the fins they appear to be red, possibly indicating they were shot during the spawning period where ofcourse they conregate in mass.

Any species can overpopulate. "Natural and required part of the ecosystem" debatable. I suppose you buy the malarky they eat only shad and carp too. I think I'll limber up my bow and head out to the trinity to reduce the number of non-gamefish before you guys ruin it for me. Best way to get a good amount of trotline bait. Don't worry, if I can tell whether or not under bowfishing conditions at night it is one of your beloved Alligator gar I'll leave him in peace.

Anyone hear about bass being sold commercially?