5-Year-Old Shoots 800-Pound Alligator

5-year-old Simon Hughes from Texas, standing a little over three foot, caught and shot a 12.5-foot, 800-pound alligator.

It all happened last weekend when the little first-grader went out hunting with his father, Scott, and family friend, Chuck Cotton, on Hughes' 5,000-acre property near Lake Livingston. As they arrived at the marshy edge of the property to check on a baited hook they had set the evening before, young Simon came face-to-face with the reptile.

Standing at about 5 feet away from the dangerous creature, Simon fired his single barrel, 4-10 junior-sized shotgun and killed the alligator. Just to be certain, Cotton fired another shot to make sure it was really dead.

According to Scott Hughes, he started training his son how to shoot guns a year ago when the boy was still in kindergarten, because "everything on the ranch will either bite you or stick you." Now the alligator, estimated to be 35 to 40 years old, is at the taxidermist, but the Hughes are having the head. They plan to make boots out of the hide and eat the meat to celebrate. The little boy has earned the nickname "Gator Bait."