Our Story
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Kevin Burn became involved in leatherwork through unusual circumstances. Kevin and his daughter Mackenzie began alligator hunting in Florida in 2020 with good friends John and Charlotte. We were shown the ropes and mentored by Juan Formoso.
Upon harvesting the gator, meat is butchered for eating and the hide is removed and cured to be directed to a tannery to be “chrome” tanned. Once completed, leatherwork may begin. Kevin worked closely with a college friend Charlie Galvin, who initially began working on projects for the hides. Kevin was so enamored with the product, that he, too, began working with leather. The rest was history. Florida Man Leatherworks aims to share a piece of Florida and its authentic/renewable beauty. Below on the bottom of this page, you will find some pictures of Kevin and friends hunting gators!
The American Alligator is an amazing success story. In the 60s and 70s it was hunted close to extinction, as folks had a desire to possess purses, boots, wallets, belts, etc. made of gator skin. Admittedly, it is very pretty…but then again…I am biased. The alligator was protected through the 70s and 80s. In 1988 the State of Florida successfully brought the alligator back to a sustainable population and determined it would begin allowing sportsmen and women to harvest alligators. The cost to hunt two alligators costs, $275 today. It is through the taxation of sportsmen and women that allows for money to be reinvested back into the conservation of the alligator. At the same time, the hunting allows for control over an animal that could be argued as overpopulated, if it were not hunted.
A little bit about Florida Alligator Hunting. Every spring, sportsmen and women are provided the opportunity to apply to hunt in August, September, and October. The hunter applies for a specific area in which they may hunt. Should they be fortunate enough to be selected, the state charges that hunter $275. That hunter may also elect to have friends help them. Those friends would purchase trapper licenses from the state of Florida at a cost of $50. The hunters then go hunting. Kevin and friends prefer to hunt the alligator by way of spot and stalk. They find the gator, they cast a large treble hook over it and snag it. From there, they fight the gator on rod and reel. Ultimately the gator is harpooned and then subdued with an item called a bangstick. A bangstick is merely a pole with a cylinder attached to it that discharges a bullet into the brain of the gator. Upon successfully hunting the gator, the real work begins. The animal is skinned, the meat is butchered and frozen for food, and the the hide is salted. After the hide has cured in salt for 2-3 weeks, it is directed to the tannery. The tanning process takes just shy of 12 months. Once it is completed, Kevin begins his work on producing beautiful pieces for friends to enjoy.
