So... How do you beat the big crocodile near noob river?

Staying on a lake just on the other side of the starting region I kinda expected the crock to be a somewhat easy early game boss. You meet him before you meet the freaking hyenas, after all! But not only my gear seems to never be enough (heavy armor with steel weapons, btw), but the thing seems to be a buggy mess that will randomly disappear and then reappear at its start position with all its health back. So how the hell do you beat this thing? Am I supposed to be taking on *other* bosses first?