Texas Boy, 5, Shoots Down 800-Pound Alligator

[festus]

Texas-born Simon Hughes, 5, doesn’t look intimidating. But put a gun in his hands and pit him against an 800-pound alligator and it’s a different story.
Texas Boy, 5, Shoots Down 800-Pound Alligator - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com
Simon's been training to handle a gun since he was just 4, his dad told MyFOXHouston — and it's a good thing, too, or else he could've gotten hurt by the mega-gator that wound up on the Hughes family ranch.

The huge alligator bit into a baited hook in a marsh on the property, coming face-to-face with Simon. The boy reacted with lightning speed, grabbing his gun and shooting the reptile in the head.

"It come out, the biggest alligator I've ever seen," Simon told MyFOXHouston. "He did his death roll."

The reptile was nearly 20 times the 3-foot, 44-pound boy’s size. It didn't survive the shooting.

Click here for video.

His dad Scott Hughes said there's a reason he started training his son, who is in kindergarten, to shoot guns at such an early age.

"Everything on the ranch will either bite you or stick you," he told MyFOXHouston.

Video'Gator Bait'
The little boy has now earned the nickname "Gator Bait."

"Simon was a champ, couldn't ask for any better. He was just fearless," said Chuck Cotton, a family friend who witnessed the shooting.

[Xader]

Awesome!

I wanna know what he used!

And make the kid a holster and belt from it!

[AZSATT]

Awesome! I want a belt and some new boots!

[billwot]

Awesome!

I wanna know what he used!

And make the kid a holster and belt from it!

According to the video, it was a single shot 410 with bird shot. There had to be a lot of luck included with tht shot to kill an 800 lb gator with one shot from a 410.

bill

[FN1910]

According to the video, it was a single shot 410 with bird shot. There had to be a lot of luck included with tht shot to kill an 800 lb gator with one shot from a 410.

bill

A LOT of luck He said it hit right behind the eye and went in the brain. Normally bird shot would just bounce off gators without them even knowing it.

[DebS]

That kid rocks. Get him started in competitive shooting now! He's a young Tiger Woods.

[Scarecrow]

man.. that kid's awesome! he must have some proud parents and neighbors.

[FN1910]

He was on the Today show earlier this morning and the kid was a better interview than 90% of the idiots they have on there.

[Ektarr]

This kid ROCKS! I saw the interview and the kid was a refreshing change from the normal hand-wringing claptrap that pervades the news. He should be the poster boy for why to teach your kids how to handle firearms responsibly and learn to shoot.