A .40 caliber round can ricochet off a human skull too, so I'm not surprised it happened to a gator.
It sounds like you guys found a great solution to the problem!
.40 caliber ricochet off a human skull! Wait a minute the knife through the gator skull might be possible! I have seen knives when through human skull, it might be that the weight of the bullet aint enough and a knife have more weight and is harder than a bullet.
Alligators have a thick bony plate over their brains, so it would be tough. Like I said, the problem would be GETTING close enough to use it. Anything that gets by the gator's head gets bitten off. Now if we were on it's back...... I don't know. I just don't see a knife going in the skull.
Lots of myths about gators, though.
Myth:
They can run 30 - 40 miles per hour.
Truth:
They run 10 - 12 MPH
Myth:
if a gator bites you, just poke it's eyes out.
Truth:
Their eyes sink into their heads as a protection from low hanging branches. I personally have sunk my finger in to the second knuckle from the tip into a gators eye socket, and it didn't bother it one bit.
Myth:
if a gator chases you, run zig zag.
Truth:
Gators can run zig zag just fine, probably better then we can. As ambush predators, gators will not chase their prey. If they miss with their lunge, they will go back into the water and try again later. However, if a gator WERE to chase you, at 12 miles per hour, you can out run it. So just run, or just trip the person you're with and walk.
Myth:
The most dangerous part of an alligator is it's tail.
Truth:
The most dangerous part of a gator is it's MOUTH!! What's the tail going to do, whip you on the calf? The mouth is what you have to worry about, it will take something and not give it back. Besides, I have never had an alligator chase after me backwards trying to slap me to death with it's tail.