When they returned in the next morning, the trap had trapped something. One of the crocodiles has eaten the bait and dragged the trap into the 1 meters water depth. They then found out that it was a huge crocodile which ate the bait.
To most people, crocodile is a scary creature. Besides its large body, its sharp scary teeth seem to be ready to snap any one nearby. Somehow, the new little Indiana Jones has born to conquer this creature. It is Simon Hughes, a 5 years old boy, bravely faced the crocodile and even killed it. The incredible thing is that the crocodile was 400 kg in weight and 3.6 meters in length. Its body is almost 20 times bigger than Simon’s tiny body.Simon was with his Dad, Scott Hughes, and their hunting scout, Chuck Cotton, in their wild animal hunting in East Texas, Saturday (26/9). Scott him selves has a legal crocodile hunting permit. He is allowed to hunt 2 crocodiles from the total of 40 crocodiles that live in his 2.500 acres ranch, located near to Livingstone Lake.
The rules are the crocodile can only be caught using bait or being shot using a bow and an arrow. Scoot and Cotton preferred to use meat as their baits and put them near to the swamp where these crocodiles live.
When they returned in the next morning, the trap had trapped something. One of the crocodiles has eaten the bait and dragged the trap into the 1 meters water depth. They then found out that it was a huge crocodile which ate the bait.
Hughes team tied up the trap’s rope into their hunting car and pull it, but the crocodile pull the rope back that the car was almost dragged into the swamp. After a few tries, they manages to pull the crocodile to the surface. Unfortunately, Simon stood only 1.5 meters from the crocodile. He spontaneously grabbed a 410 weapon and shot the crocodile. To make sure that it is death, Cotton gave another shot that pierced the tip of crocodile’s snout.
Simon confessed that he was surprised to see how huge his catch was. “I am not afraid. I took my gun and just shot it. Next year, I will shoot a bigger crocodile”, said Simon happily.
According to the local biologist, the weight of the death crocodile was estimated to reach 400 kg. He said that it is rare to find a crocodile as big as that. The record of a caught crocodile was only 350 kg.
Simon has been learning to drive the hunting vehicle and to use gun since he was 4 years old. Both his Dad and Mom, Toni, do not get worried when Simon holds a gun. He has been familiar with weapons ever since he learned to stand and walk. “Here, weapons are introduced as safe equipments to hold. We never think that weapons are toys or something to be used in video games”, Scott said.
Besides crocodile hunting, Simon had ever joined pigeon hunting. The Polk County Sheriff, Kenneth Hammack, who was once in the same animal hunting with Simon, admired him. “His shots were accurate, seeing that he is still so young. Of course we always carefully watch what our kids are doing, but Simon has learnt much from his Dad.” Said Hammack.