Swamp People

Welcome to one of America’s last frontiers: the wild swamplands of Southern Louisiana, a place whose history stretches back to the 17th century. It’s the start of the most exciting–and dangerous–time of year for the swampers, the month-long alligator season. During this 30 day window, swampers make most of their annual income culling gators. Troy Landry, a Cajun whose family goes back three generations is on a mission to hunt down his own personal “white whale,” the notorious Big Head, a monster gator he’s been after for years. This season, Big Head is threatening the bayou’s swimming holes, and must be stopped at all costs. In this episode, we also meet master hunter Junior Edwards and his older son, Willie, as they make their special weapons, specially designed hooks. Another father and son team Trapper Joe L’enfant and his stepson Tommy, also hit the marshlands, where careless Tommy puts his life at risk.

Troy enters one of the most mysterious hunting grounds in the swamp: the ominous cypress groves, in search of a monster gator that’s escaped his traps for years. Meanwhile, Junior enters a different kind of foreign territory as he reluctantly hosts the ultimate greenhorn, an Italian leather buyer.

Troy desperately needs to find a new honey hole, a corner of the bayou teeming with gators. He thinks he’s found one, but the rights to hunt it will cost him a lot of cash. He takes the risk–but will it pay off? Meanwhile, Joe and Tommy contend with their own greenhorn, a landlubber named Bud. Across the swamp, the Kliebard family shows they don’t need the aid of computers or a factory–Mike engineers and builds a perfect aluminum boat from scratch, showing off his Cajun ingenuity and expertise.

Alligators are among the most territorial of animals, and won’t hesitate to eat smaller gators that wander into their feeding grounds. Joe and Tommy come up against the notorious cannibal gator they call “Godzilla,” when they discover smaller gators on their bait lines scarred with bite marks. Meanwhile, Mike and Troy face different battles. Mike’s trying to pass down his vast swamp knowledge to his son T-Mike, while Troy’s lines are empty, putting his season in jeopardy.

A cold spell is coming, one that could drive gators into early hibernation, ending the season early. It’s a race against time as every gator hunter in the gulf tries to beat the storm.