Tampa, FL -- It's done under cover of night with participants who hurl harpoons at primitive beasts -- and one Florida man thinks it could be the wave of the future for hunters.

What is it? Alligator hunting.

Captain Phil Walters of Gator Guides says there's increasing interest among white collar thrill-seekers in heading out into a Florida swamp to hunt a mighty gator.

The captain says the state had 1600 hunters participate last year, and expects up to 2600 permits to be issued to wannabe gator predators this season -- which goes from Sept. 1 to Oct. 8.

It isn't for the faint-hearted. Walters says, "I've seen guys turn white on me -- and generally hunters aren't wimps."

One thing in its favor: He says gator hunters don't get much flak from animal activists because "there's nothing real cuddly about these creatures."

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