Hunters battle, bag giant alligator | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

A 12-foot, 3-inch alligator was harpooned during an alligator hunt near Hope, Arkansas, that stretched into a dramatic final stretch of the statewide season. Ricky Hamilton of Hope drew a permit and recruited his grandsons Kai (23) and Kason Hamilton (19), plus friend Hunter Robinson, to help him pursue a large animal at Dr. Lester Sitzes Bois d’Arc Wildlife Management Area. The hunt ran over two weekends, Sept. 18–21 and Sept. 25–28, beginning legally 30 minutes after sunset. Using bright lights to scan Bois d’Arc Lake, the team tracked the chosen gator via eye-glow cues and its bubble trail, then held constant pressure from the boat in shallow water.