329-pound, nearly 4-meter alligator caught in the United States

What may be cruel to many is a hobby practiced by many hunters in the United States. The Alligator-hunting season in the US state of Mississippi has barely begun and an incredible record has already been set by a group that captured (and killed) a huge alligator of about 329 pounds and nearly four meters in length.

Dustin Brockman's hunting group achieved the feat on Saturday, August 31, breaking the record of the group led by Beth Trammel - who, just an hour earlier, had hunted a 327-pound alligator, according to reports. Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fishing and Parks.

Relentless pursuit

Brockman's pursuit of the giant animal lasted about four hours into the night. The group followed the speedboat alligator along the Mississippi River, and when they got close enough to the beast they hit him with an arrow gear before firing a mercy shot with a shotgun.

Alligator hunting is always done at night, when it is easier to spot targets through the reptile's reflective eyes with a flashlight. “We killed the alligator at four in the morning and waited until six thirty to transport it. So I called three or four other friends to help us carry him into the boat, "Brockman told NBC News.

Prior to these two catches recorded at the start of the season, the previous highest weight record was 316 pounds, while the one in length still needs to be broken as it is four meters and a few inches more. Both hunters have said they plan to feast on their friends with the meat of the captured alligator. In addition, Brockman plans to use the skin to make a gun strap and a frame.