What does a gator typically go for? Do they sell by the pound? I know most things I've seen made from alligator skin are sky high expensive, so surely the hides alone must go for quite a bit.
Also, how many tags are the hunters allowed per season and do they usually come close to getting their maximum by the end?
On a serious note....
Here is a great site that breaks down the cost per foot for various size gators that was used in 2011. As stated in the show, this season prices were up...however, when you look at what a 13' alligator in perfect condition can bring in (around $350), its not a lot of money considering what the hide and meat sells for retail. But the article does a great job of describing how the size affects the per foot cost and discusses skinned vs. not skinned. It becomes very clear why people like Bruce who does his own skinning and meat processing can make a lot more per gator than others.
To give a preview, RJ and jay paul who are filling 500 tags could make somewhere around $59,000 if you were to average out various size gators. But what a fisherman can make in a season is dependent on too many factors.
Another interesteing thing this article explains is how the hunting season for a lot of the fisherman is 37 days, not 30. depends on if you own land in the east and west part of the swamp. if so, you get an extra 7 days since the fishing season starts a week later in one of the areas. And the writer claims that most of the people shown on swamp people do own land on both parts.
http://starcasm.net/archives/143321