When bowfishing for gar, “you have 1 or 2 seconds at the most to get a shot”. Gerardo and Edgar Benitez know this first-hand. It’s been 10 days since Edgar’s big catch, and Gerardo’s Facebook post of the prized alligator gar is still reeling in comments.
The long-bodied creature measured up at 7 feet, 8 inches, meaning the gar’s age likely ranges between 40 and even possibly triple-digits. Edgar hauled in the monster on Falcon Lake, a Rio Grande reservoir on the border of Mexico and Texas.
Benitez faced a fair amount of criticism for the catch, mostly from individuals highlighting the expected age of the alligator gar. However, Gerardo posted quick responses to adversarial comments on Facebook to those claiming the gar was victim to bowfishing purely for sport, writing, “we don’t waste the meat; we actually share it with friends and family – nothing goes to waste.”
The video and accompanying photographs, along with witnesses present for the measurements, verify the mammoth magnitude of the gar. Out of their hands and onto the world’s largest frypan, it’s up to the Benitez brothers and company to consume every inch of the catch.
Alligator, Alligator Gar – What’s The Difference?
The Benitez brothers’ story ends on a much lighter note than most involving creatures comparable to beastly reptiles.
On the same morning Edgar caught the Yao Ming-sized gar, a man in Florida confused a leashed dog with an alligator in a bush. The man – staying at a hotel when the incident occurred – suffered non-life-threatening injuries, but escapes with an unbelievable story.
A week prior, another man in Florida didn’t get the opportunity to share his tale. Authorities found the body of the 47-year-old man in the waters of a disc golf course in Largo, Florida. It’s likely the man was looking for frisbees when he met the final boss of John S. Taylor Park in the suburb of St. Petersburg.
A statement from local authorities read, “At this time, detectives believe the victim was looking for Frisbees in the water and a gator was involved. There are posted signs of no swimming in the lake”. But any Outsider that loses a ball or frisbee when golfing knows the urge to strip to their skivvies and dive for the lost treasure.
Use this as a friendly reminder to be aware of your surroundings, and maybe enjoy less gator-infested courses, too.
