Like most people wanting to hunt Zone 7 it took us 3 years to get drawn to hunt. That is 3 years plus the 45 years before which took the time to get ready to take an alligator by reading the articles and watching the videos and dreaming the dreams. Even after all the prep work I still would have to say nothing could fully prepare you for what waits in the water.
      Everything about out trip fell into place. Everything from the call to Russ to get the information to the room we stayed in. The hunt was on a cool night with just enough wind to keep most of the mosquitoes back in the woods. As we pulled away from the dock we had already spotted 4 sets of eyes. Everything we had done getting ready for this moment was about to pay off. As James pulled the boat into the shallow marsh everything Russ had gone over with me about the cross bow and what to do was about to happen. I was ready for everything except the excitement. I missed a very easy shot. No matter how good or how prepared your guide is if the man pulling the trigger chokes it's not going to happen. This same scenerio played out all night. As the sun was getting ready to come up it would have been real easy for the crew to be aggravated. But not Russ, Teresa, or James no matter what happened they just worked that much harder to make our trip a success. This is a very close group of people and it was a pleasure hunting with people who care and treat you as a friend. After a good day of sleep we headed out at dark the second night. The whole crew was cutting up with me about the night before and getting ready for a long night. At 10:00PM Russ had found a nice gator that was going to hold up in some grass. James worked the boat just right and put me right on top of him. When I shot the gator exploded faster than I ever had imagined. He took off accross the river with us right behind. After a good fight we had our gator a little under 9ft. in the boat.
Many thanks to Russ, Teresa, and James for giving my son Aaron, myself, and my hunting partner Steve a hunting trip we will always remember. I would recommend Smokehouse Outfitters to anybody. My son Aaron and Steve should get a permit next year and we will be back.
Thanks,
Boyd

Russ, Teresa, Gene, & Bernie,

     I just wanted to start out by saying thank you all for the experience of a lifetime. Smokehouse outfitters is truly a down home world class hunting operation. I started out this trip by thinking that it would be a once in a lifetime thing, but after the completion of this trip I can guarantee that I will return to Smokehouse any and every time I have the opportunity. You guys have shown my father, brother, and myself the true meaning of having a GOOD TIME!!!! The fact that you all treated us as friends and not just as customers made the experience the best it could possibly be. It's great that we all harvested nice gators, but I can guarantee you that it is the experience of the hunt,that will keep me coming back for many years to come. Thank you guys again and I look forward to chasing one of those big bad tuskers real soon.

Let me see how do I start????? OH yea! I guess I can start off by thanking Smokehouse Outfitter for giving me an experience that will last a lifetime. It was a trip that me, my dad, and younger brother was looking forward to ever since we found out that we drew an alligator tag. I can tell you guys one thing. If there has ever been a group of close net friends that work together to go above and beyond the call of duty these guys at Smokehouse Outfitters fit the bill. We all three as Russ says SMOKED EM!!!!

I can guarantee that once I receive another conformation that I got drawn I will book with Smokehouse immediatly. These guys can spot the gators from distances that a normal guy can't. That's the kind of people you need with you especially at night when your in the gators home territory.

I guess i've made my point about my hunting trip but I want to add a few things to it. If you get drawn for a tag make sure you book with Smokehouse and let Bernie show you the amazing frogs that appear at night on the river. =) It's amazing the things you can see when your out there at night. Also, This trip won't be the last trip I also intend to hunt some of them Hogs they talk about. I can't even imagine what that trip would be like.


PS. Teresa, Russ, & Bernie.
     
       If possible once I book again I want to make sure you let me utalize my under water hands on combat experience without signing the necessary paperwork to do so. =) Thank's again for the great hunt and I'll be seeing you again.

I was fortunate to draw a gator tag and after talking with several outfitters, booked with Smokehouse Outfitters for opening weekend of the 2008 season.

Alligator hunting was a new experience for me and I was not disappointed. The first night brought high tides but nonetheless we saw approximately 35 gators, none that we could get close to.
The second evening brought low tide and was "game on" from the start. We had close encounters with several gators, including a couple of misses with cross bow, however, as Bernie stated, "3rd time will be a charm". We connected on a nice 7 1/2 footer and I had my first alligator.

I approached alligator hunting as a "one time" adventure, however after going out with Russ, Teresa & Bernie I'll get back in the draw so I can hunt gators again with them at the earliest opportunity.

Anyone interested in a high quality "as advertised" hunt must book with Smokehouse Outfitters. I have hunted much of North America & Canada and have learned that many outfitters/guides are mostly "talk" - however, Russ & Teresa are absolutely honest and will work hard to help you get your alligator.

S. McCoy
Lilburn, GA
September 2008



I

      Recently my wife and I saw the movie, The Bucket List. After it was over we started discussing things that we would put on our list, things that we wanted to do before we passed. A few days later I started thinking about my list and decided to do one with an outdoor theme. So I sat down and thought about all the adventures that I’d like to get in on before I was no longer able to do so. Sitting very high on the top of my Outdoorsman’s Bucket List was an alligator hunt with a bow and arrow. Earlier this year I received word from the Georgia DNR that I had drawn an alligator tag for zone 8. An e-mail was sent out to the Smoke House crew with Teresa contacting me at home. A hunt was booked and my Gator archery hunting supplies were ordered. A few days later my supplies arrived as did an envelope containing my tag and paperwork. Anticipation set in as I was actually going on a gator hunt. I stripped the deer hunting stuff off my bow and set it up with the gator gear and started practicing for my hunt. By day at first then progressing to only practicing at night shooting by a flashlight at cardboard silhouettes of an alligators head fastened to a styrofoam block while standing on top of my ATV.
          
       The night before my hunt Teresa again called the house and confirmed my hunt with Russ and Bernie for the next day. She reminded me not to forget my gator tag and again went over the license requirements for the hunt before wishing me luck. The next day we meet up with Russ and Bernie and the rest of the crew and got a quick run down on Gator Hunting 101. The first thing that impressed me was their dedication to their sport. Before the night was over they would show over and over again how dedicated and serious they were to their sport from putting on a safe hunt to catering to their client’s needs and requests. (I had requested to use my bow and equipment and have my father-in-law accompany us)
          
             Conditions weren’t very favorable; we faced bad weather, high tides, wind, a full moon, at times lightning and storms were in the distance not to mention the uncooperative gators. At times I surely expected one of them to suggest calling the hunt for the night and giving it another try the next night when conditions would be better. It never happened and the thought of doing so was never entertained by any of them. If you think these guys are going to go out for an hour or two, ride you around the river a bit while shining a light around you’re wrong. If that’s what you’re looking for then you’d probably be better off booking with someone else. When you go out with the Smoke House Crew you had better be prepared to be up all night if need be because they are. These folks leave the ramp at sunset and won’t be back until daybreak unless you get your gator or there’s a chance of someone being struck by lightening.

     They stayed with it and we kept seeing gators, good gators too, just none that would allow us to get close enough for a shot. Finally we found a gator that held and allowed us to get within range.

      Portions of that hunt will always stay with me; the sight of that gator illuminated in the spot light lying there stretched out thinking it was safe and hid. The sight and sound of the arrow impacting it and the splash of water it made as it took off pulling line out of my bow mounted reel as it dove for the deeper water. Bernie reaching over and feeling the tension on the line and announcing, “Boys, we got ourselves a gator!” Feeling the weight of the animal on the line as we eased it up off the bottom and seeing the rush of air bubbles just before it broke surface and gave a toothy grin before the catch pole was slipped over its head and neck while Bernie delivered the finishing shot with a 240gr Corbon to the gator’s “sweet spot” then taping its mouth shut with the electricians tape and hauling the gator onto the boat so the tag could be placed in its tail and Russ shaking my hand complimenting the bow shot and congratulating me on my first gator. Lots of things I remember, you guys skinning and boning out the gator and packing it on ice for us, the drive home while my father-in-law excitedly called his friends and our family, sending texts and pics, telling each of where we had been, what we had done, and our success at doing it and once home the folks that stopped by just to see the gator. All of the meat has been vacuum sealed and the gator is now in the freezer. Some of it has been cooked and eaten. Eventually all of the meat will be eaten and there won’t be anything left but the skull, a tanned hide and the memories. I’m betting that those memories will outlast the skull and the hide.

As long as you guys are guiding we’ll keep applying for the permits.

Next time I’ll bring the long bow… just kidding.

Thanks again Smoke House Outfitters!!

Eric Stewart
Burns, TN
September-2008

Edited by author 06-05-2008 07:14 PM
let me start by saying I had the time of my life. I have only been hog hunting for about a year. I have have hunted several places buy these guys really know what they are doing and know how to show you a good time.I hadmy whole family with me they made us feel like we had been freinds for years. thanks for everything . look foward to my next hunt.
                          larry weeks and family .

Let me start by saying WOW what a day. Me and a couple of buddies decided to go to smokehouse after talking to a couple of people who said it was the time of there lives. I spoke with Russ and Wade on the phone several times before we decided this was the place. A decision I will never regret!!! Russ, Wade, Kevin, Teresa, And 3 yr old Nickolas made us feel more than welcome and were there to make sure we got our trophys, but more than that they made us feel like we were there as friends and not customers. These guys are not here just to get into your pocket they are here to help you harvest a trophy. I killed 2 hogs on this trip and Todd and Robert each killed a trophy. I killed a trophy and what on most other hunts would have been a trophy but Russ and Wade classified it as a meat hog. I was shocked that this was not a trophy at smokehouse when at any other preserve it would have been. This hog had to be close to haveing 2 inch cutters and weighed approx. 150 -175lbs. If you are looking for a place to hunt a trophy and want to have an adrenaline filled hunt you should not only consider these guys but you should call them right now and book this hunt. I will never forget this experience and I hope to get back down real soon to take a couple more meat hogs. I would be more than happy to be a reference for these guys any time. Thanks again to Russ,Wade,Kevin,Teresa, and my little buddy Nickolas and also to molly and ann these 2 dogs love to hate a hog.

Thanks,
Rodney Middlebrooks
404-805-6749

This hog hunt has to be one of the most exciting hunting experiences I have ever had. Special thanks to Russ, Wade and Teresa. I have been hunting hogs in south Texas for years and this hunt with Smokehouse Outfitters was the best experience that hog hunting has to offer. I found these guys doing a web search for hog hunts and from the first email until the last hog was taken everything went perfectly and professionally. I will be coming back in just a few months and bringing more buddies to experience "the thrill of the hunt". I can't wait for my next hunt with smokehouse outfitters its all I talk about. If anyone needs a reference
call me

Mike White
Athens, Al

WOW WOW WOW, Thanks to Wade, Russ, Bernie, and Teresa.

We appreciate your patience and diligence with harvesting an 8 plus foot gator.

The excitement of chasing the gator down the river, exploding on top of the water wide mouth and the finishing blow of the gun will stay with me for a long time. My four kids, wife, mom, cousin and brother and his family all enjoyed a great meal within 12 hours of harvesting... And they loved it.

If anybody is interested is going on a gator hunt these guys will work with you on all skill levels and really care about harvesting and skinning and taking all available meat sources from the gator...

By the way my buddy Ron that came with me took the largest part of the tail. ha ha ha

Look forward to the next time, thanks for letting me "live on the edge".

we had a hunt on the ninth of june, and everything was great. Russ, Wade, and Wes are all great people. The dogs did a great job chasing hogs all over the woods. I did not know what to expect because I had never hunted hogs but everyone made me feel comfortable and myself and two other friends all took trophy hogs home. It was a great day and I will be returning just as soon as possible.

These guys are pleasure to hunt with. Russ, Wade, Kevin, and Theresa were welcoming and made sure I got my hogs. I didn't know wht to expect but I was very pleased with the outcome. 3 good meat hogs in the cooler and a very up-close look at a 4th made me a believer that these folks know how to take care of the customer. The dogs were terrific and know how to deliver. Molly and Jill worked well as a team and chased two of the hogs all over the woods and through the brush but it eventually ended the same for both; hand shakes, smiles, and happy dogs. The skinning rack on-site made the overall hunt easy and care-free. A top-notch outfitting crew. When I get back from Iraq, I'm plan to bring my wife and kids so they can experience this wonderful hunt for themselves. I consider myself blessed to have spent the morning with these professionals and able to leave with a lot of meat for my family. Thankyou Smokehouse Outfitters!!! Save some hogs for me about March/April 2008.

Edited by author 01-27-2007 02:41 AM
What A Great Hunting Trip! I went down with my wife and another couple this past weekend and had the best time I've ever had in the woods! Russ, Wade and Teresa we very professional and left me feeling completely at ease with the entire hunt. The dogs were alot of fun to watch in action, 'Molly' is an old pro! My friend Ricky and I were treated to an experience that you'd have to live in order to understand how exciting and rewarding it was. Our wives even got to come along and enjoy it (from a distance of course). I came away with a very nice trophy and a memory of the best hunting experience I've ever had! If you've ever thought about doing this let me tell you these guys are the ones to book your trip with! I will be booking my next trip very soon! Thanks again Russ, Wade and Teresa!

Great hunt. Great folks. Great conversation. And all very professional. I only wish it could have gone on longer! We loved watching (and hearing) "Molly" and "Pup" - two great Plott Hounds - work the pigs. I'm going to recommend to all my Army comrades.
You guys made a great bonding experience excellent for me and my favorite two guys in the world, Cliff and CJ.