Can You Believe We Are On Season 6!?!?

Hard to believe we are on season six already. It doesn't seem like that long ago when I started this blog but looking now, I realize its been 5 years since I started writing on here. Time goes by so quick! So Who is the one everyone here has their eye on this season? You know me, I'm a die hard Troy Landry fan. What can I say, Im a girl that likes a guy that requires subtitles.:) Seriously though, Troy portrays the kind of man that is really down to earth, someone that cares deeply for his family and his friends and he's all around fun. So keep it up Troy, choot em'! Are there any new faves? Has any of my non Louisiana residents got up enough nerve to take on the swamps for themselves yet? I hear people talk about how they are planning on it, but has anyone actually done it yet? What did everyone think of Mondays episode? Are they acting crazy or do they know what they're doing? They all take daring steps to ensure a good payout, but is the dare worth the reward.

New Season Begins

The newest season of Swamp People start tonight February 14th, 2013 at 9/8 Central so tune in! Heres to another great season of your favorite show on the air!

A Glimpse of What's to Come in Tomorrow's Episode- Deadly Skies

We don't want to miss tomorrows episode. This one sounds like something not to be missed. Don't forget to tune in tomorrow night at 9/8c on the History Channel.

Here's a snippet of tomorrow's episode.

DEADLY SKIES:

As a severe storm nears Southern Louisiana, the hunters are preparing for the worst. With his sharpshooter Liz still recovering from an injury, Troy and Jacob pit themselves against the gnarly weather. Troy uses an old Cajun strategy, employing a special bait to lure the gators despite the storm. Joe and Tommy are not on the same page. Tommy is looking forward to a day off, but Joe has a different work ethic. Joe is determined to run their lines in any weather, and despite protests, he drags Tommy along with him. R.J. and Jay Paul hunt in territory close to the Gulf--which means the winds are blowing even stronger. But Jay Paul isn't worried. Native Americans put a lot of stock in their dreams...and Jay Paul dreamed about catching a large gator in the storm. While the rest of the swampers head to their lines, Junior and Willie are taking theirs down. Junior is on pace to tag out in time, and he doesn't believe that fighting the storm is worth the money or effort.

Some people shouldn't carry a gun....

If you caught tonights episode you witnessed all of Junior's bad shots. Clipping Willie under the eye and his arm along with sending shrapnel to their other comrades hand. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, Junior's weakness is gun shot aim. Luckily for Willie his mom is the on call doctor and quickly helps him get the lead out from under his eye, but after the attempt on getting the chunk out of his arm he has enough and opts for waiting to remove it.

Poor Troy isn't having much luck and his gator season isn't looking to bright. Troy seems to think it's because Clint isn't helping him anymore and tries to win Clint over but Clint kindly refuses due to him having to work on getting his own business started. Troy was very understanding, but it is a let down for him because he has a ton of tags to fill before the end of the season.


I sincerely hope they can get their season going with no hitches but only time will tell and if you know anything about alligator hunting you know time isn't a luxury these swamp men have.

Who caught the series premier last night?

Swamp People seems to always leave you begging for more and they didn't disappoint last night with the series premier. If you were unable to watch it last night it should be available at History.com soon. Here's a short summary of last nights show.

Gator Gauntlet

As a new gator season begins in Southern Louisiana, hunters across the state return to the swamp with more on the line than ever before. Legendary Gator Hunter Troy Landry is back with his son Jacob. For Joe and Tommy, they have one goal in mind--to set new records. The duo hopes their trusty "shake and bake" bait seasoning will bring in more gators. Junior Edwards and son Willie have more tags than ever before. To accommodate the increase in tags, Junior's team begins their hunt with a much larger boat. But immediately, its size causes problems. When the sun sets and the gator hunters head home, Terral Evans is just getting started. There are many different jobs in the swamp, but Terral plies an unusual trade. Terral's a gator wrangler--when an alligator needs to be captured alive, he's the man to call. At night, when the nocturnal gators come to life, Terral grabs them from the water alive using only his bare hands, risking life and limb with every catch.

Find Your Inner Cajun - Alligator Recipes

So if you are curious and want to try your hand at cooking some of this wide range of alligator meat I will provide you with a few recipes to do just that.
Happy Cooking!

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After 20 years of protection, the alligator has made a remarkable comeback and alligator meat is available again. Most people only use the tail, but the other meat is good, too. The best tail meat will come from a 4 - 5 foot gator. A 3-footer wouldn't be big enough to feed the camp, 6-10 footers tend to put up a bit of a fight, and over 10 foot he's probably tough and you'll want to grind the meat up.

Many prepare alligator sub sandwiches made with tender fried alligator tail
meat on a bed of lettuce with sliced tomatoes.

Good Marinade For Alligator Tail:
In a large bowl or pot (big enough to soak a good portion of meat in) mix together:
1 beer
1-2 cups of milk
Louisiana Hot Sauce - To Taste

Put the nuggets in the liquid and set in the refrigerator or ice chest to soak for at least 1/4 hour.

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Stewed Alligator In Creole Sauce
2 tb Olive oil
1 c Chopped onions
1/2 c Chopped celery
1/2 c Chopped bell peppers
2 tb Minced garlic
3 c Peeled; seeded, chopped tomatoes (preferably ripe plum tomatoes)
1/4 c Chopped fresh basil
2 tb Chopped fresh oregano
2 ts Chopped fresh thyme
Salt; to taste
Cayenne pepper; to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper; to taste
2 ts Worcestershire sauce
3 c Chicken stock
1 1/2 c Chopped green onions
1 lb Alligator; cut into 1" pieces
8 tb Butter; at room temperature
1 Crusty loaf of French bread
2 tb Finely-chopped parsley

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, saute the onions, celery, and peppers for 1 minute. Add the garlic and continue sauteing for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, oregano, and thyme. Season with salt, cayenne and black pepper. Add the Worcestershire sauce and chicken stock. Bring the liquid up to a boil. Add the green onions and alligator, cover. Simmer the mixture for 12 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and swirl in the butter. Spoon the stew in a shallow bowl. Garnish with parsley. Serve with the crusty bread. This recipe yields 4 appetizer servings.

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Grilled Cajun Style Gator Tail 4 To 6 Lbs Gator Tail Lemon wedges Seasoning Mix: 12 T Paprika 6 T Garlic powder 3 T Salt 3 T White pepper 3 T Oregano, crushed 3 T Black pepper 2 1/2 T Thyme 1 T Cayenne pepper To make seasoning mix, combine paprika, garlic powder, salt, white pepper, oregano, black pepper, thyme and cayenne pepper in jar with tight fitting lid. Shake well to combine. Mixture may be stored for up to 3 months. When ready to cook, cut gator tail meat into 1/2" cubes. Roll each cube in 1 tablespoon of the mixture. Cook over high heat on an outdoor barbecue grill or under the oven broiler for 4 to 6 minutes, or until gator tail meat is white and firm to the touch. Serve warm with lemon wedges. The seasoning mixture will coat up to 24 (4 oz.) servings of gator tail.

 

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Alligator Pizza 1 Italian bread shell (boboli) 7 1/2 oz Prepared pizza sauce 1/2 ts Creole seasoning 1 c Alligator meat; chop 1/4 c Bell pepper; chop 3 tb Onion; chop 1 tb Green onion; chop 2 c Cheddar/Jack cheese; shred 1 tb Garlic and herb seasoning Preheat oven to 450~. Place bread shell on ungreased cookie sheet. Spread sauce evenly over bread shell. In a small bowl, pour Creole seasoning over alligator meat and mix well. In a medium skillet, saute seasoned alligator meat, bell pepper, onion and green onions until veggies are tender. Spoon meat mixture over pizza sauce, top with cheese and garlic and herb seasoning. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until crust is crisp and cheese begins to brown.

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Alligator Chili 1 lb Alligator meat, diced 2 tb Vegetable oil 1 lg Onion, diced 1 lg Bell pepper, diced 1 cl Garlic, minced 16 oz Can pinto beans 10 oz Can tomatoes & chilies, blended 6 oz Can tomato paste Salt & pepper to taste 1 ts Cumin 1 Diced jalapeno pepper 1 c Dark red wine In a Dutch oven - boil diced meat in water seasoned with salt and pepper for 20 minutes. Then drain and set aside. In the same dutch oven, add oil, onion, bell pepper and garlic and saute until onions are tender. Add pinto beans, tomatoes, stomato paste, salt, pepper, cumin and jalapeno. Cook on medium-low heat 40 minutes - then add the alligator meat. Cook on low heat for 3 hours. Add the wine during the last 30 minutes of cooking time. Makes about 6 servings.

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Cajun Gator with Green Peppercorn Sauce Alligator; (or any meat or seafood) Cajun Seasoning: 1 tb Black pepper 1 tb White pepper 1 tb Cayenne pepper 1 tb Granulated garlic 1 tb Salt 1/2 tb Thyme 1/2 tb Rosemary 1/2 tb Crushed red pepper 1 tb Flour Butter or oil; (for frying) Brandy Green peppercorns Heavy cream Season gator (to your taste). Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium heat. Turn heat to high, place gator in skillet and saute until moisture comes to the top of the gator. Turn gator over and continue to saute for another minute. Add brandy and flambe. Add peppercorns and heavy cream, continue to cook until cream thickens.

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Swamp People has Taken Over History Channel

With the August 2010 premiere of Swamp People, the History Channel moved a little further away from its core programming and onto newer findings. Following the success of the channel's other original reality shows like Pawn Stars and American Pickers, Swamp People represents an even greater departure for the history-themed network.
The programming shift has been very successful. Pawn Stars has been wildly successful in the ratings, American Pickers has spawned a British copycat, and the series premier of Swamp People shot the History Channel to the number one spot in cable ratings for the time slot. This is mostly due because History Channel has decided to go out of the box and push the envelope in this series following hunters who kill, skin, and eat not only alligators, they also kill snakes and bull frogs to eat for dinner. Watching these cajuns is like stepping back in time. From watching them kill, skin, and eat their kill. Its a way of life for them and how they make their living while also keeping the overwhelming alligator population down.

History of Louisiana’s Cajuns in Atchafalaya Swamp

Louisiana’s Cajun people originated from French settlers in Acadia, Canada. After the onset of the French Indian war in 1755, Great Britain drove French settlers from Acadia during what is now called Le Grand Derangement, or The Great Upheaval. About 3,000 Acadians fled to Louisiana, one of the last French settlements in America at the time.
The rich natural resources of the million-acre Atchafalaya River Basin allowed the new settlers to maintain an existence similar to their former lives in Acadia. The settlers eked out a living raising livestock, hunting and fishing. Many of the 180,000 Acadian descendants, now called Cajuns, still follow this traditional lifestyle.
Format of History Channel's Swamp People Reality Show
The show follows a handful of these Cajuns as they embark on their annual alligator hunt during the month-long hunting season. For most Americans, the swamp seems to be a harsh, uninhabitable environment. The poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow called it “the forest primeval.” Bruce Mitchell, who runs the Kleibert Turtle and Alligator Farm, calls it “my piece of heaven down here.”
The show depicts the ingenuity and strength of the Cajun people. While the month-long alligator hunt can provide most of a family's annual income, swamp-dwellers must find multiple ways to make a living. None has done this more successfully than Albert "Butch" Knight, who, in addition to gator hunting, builds boats, welds, and owns his own trucking company. Others can been seen farming, fishing, shrimping, trying to attract tourists, or offering services to other hunters. For some, life is a constant scramble find steady sources of income.
The program shows the deep love the Cajuns have for their land and way of life. Patriarchs Troy Landry and Joe LaFont (Trapper Joe) have raised their children to follow in their footsteps. Joe’s stepson, Tommy Chauvin, has been his right-hand man in the swamp since Tommy was in the first grade. In some ways, Swamp People is about how traditions are maintained and passed on to the next generation.

Controversy Surrounding Swamp People ( This will apply to some of my readers as I have received numerous comments)
There is some controversy surrounding the show. Swamp People represents a programming change that could cost the History Channel its most loyal viewers. While it is clear that the Cajuns depicted have a rich cultural history and strong traditions, there’s little attempt to show the history of those connections. Primarily, the show depicts swamp-dwellers trying to kill or exploit alligators and other animals.
Viewers may also be concerned about the animal cruelty documented the show. While alligators are vicious hunters, and the population must be contained, the methods of hunting them are brutal. The alligators are often baited in unattended traps. When a gator snags the bait, it becomes hooked. The animal is then trapped, impaled live on a hook for hours, until the hunters come to shoot it. Often, it takes several shots to kill the animal.
Despite these issues, Swamp People is an intriguing show that should continue to do well on the History Channel. The program has a sense of integrity that is absent in other shows. Viewers get the sense that this reality show is real. It depicts a way of life that is uniquely American, but virtually unknown outside of the Louisiana swamps. Swamp People serves as a reminder of the great cultural diversity that defines America.
Swamp People viewers: comment on the show in the space at the end of this article.
History Channel fans may also want to read American Pickers and Chasing Mummies: The History Channel's 

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Tonights Upcoming show 10/9 c

Force of Nature

Premiere Date: 09/19/2010

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. TVPG V-L

Sounds like an interesting episode tonight, can't wait to watch it!

Why We Like It

Swamp People is a pretty interesting reality show that focuses on the lives of the people who live in the swamps of Louisiana. Some people who hate the swamps start having creepy feelings when they even get to hear about people that are actually living in the swamps. The persons who live in the swamps "swamp people" feel it quite normal and easy to live there.
What you see on the show Swamp People is also pretty interesting and the people get to see how weapons were made by the master hunter and his eldest son Willie. They also created some hooks that most of the people might not have seen. These hooks looked to be made for hunting some swamp animals. The show Swamp People has gained a lot of popularity among the people because the life in a swamp is pretty interesting and not a very well known territory. The people living in swamps have a completely different life style as compared to the people living in the cities and even the villages. The people of the cities are amazed to see the life of the swamp and the challenges that the people living there have to face. Most are shocked to think people would actually choose to live a life like that but for swamp people it is all they have ever known. No one just moves to the swamps to live there, it is a lifestyle that they have grown up in, its all the swamp people know and that's how they know to live. Hunting alligators is part of that well known lifestyle it is a way of living.

One episode of Swamp People also showed Joe going to the marshlands along with his son. These swamps are some of the most dangerous places in the world and a person has to be very careful in moving through these places. The fans of the Swamp People series are pretty excited to see the upcoming episodes of the show and to see what lies ahead for the swamp people of Louisiana.

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Cannibal Gator 9/12/2010 10/9c

Cannibal Gator

Premiere Date: 09/12/2010 10/9c

Catch the latest episode tomorrow night of Swamp People. Sounds like this episode will be interesting and it sounds like their season may be nearing the end of the 1 month allotment. I can't wait to watch it! Let everyone here know what you thought of the episode as I will put my two sense in on it after I have watched it.

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.

September 5th 10/9c - Troy's Gamble

Tonights upcoming show will be about Troy desperately needing 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.

So stay tuned for a personal review from yours truly, or you could just watch the show yourself.

Swamp People and the Atchafalaya Swamp

Sprawling over a million-acre swath of southern Louisiana, the Atchafalaya River Basin is the largest swamp in the United States and one of the country's most ecologically varied regions. Its wetlands, bayous and marshes are home to 300 species of birds, 90 species of fish, shellfish and 54 species of reptiles and amphibians, including the famous American alligator. It owes much of its haunting and mysterious beauty to the towering, moss-draped bald cypress trees that thrive in the swamp waters.
For hundreds of years, the Basin's human dwellers (swamp people)—from the Native Americans who harvested its timber to the present-day Cajuns who hunt alligators in the swamps murky depths—have subsisted on its many bountiful resources. In the second half of the 18th century, the region became a refuge for several thousand French colonists who had been expelled from Acadie, part of present-day Nova Scotia, for refusing to swear allegiance to the British crown and church. Known as the Acadians, the settlers adapted their way of life to the changeable nature of the Basin's wetland environment, where water levels fluctuate depending on the season, by favoring houseboats and campsites to more permanent homes. Many began growing sugarcane and other crops in the fertile bayou soil, while other swamp people made a living as loggers, hunters, trappers or fishermen.

The Acadian community grew and prospered, eventually giving birth to the distinctly Louisianan "Cajun" culture, known throughout the world for its food, jazz music and unique dialect. Today, the Cajuns make up a significant part of southern Louisiana's population, and many continue to embrace the lifestyle and traditions of their ancestors.
In spite of the region's natural bounty and unmistakable splendor, swamp living has never been easy for the Cajuns and other residents of the Atchafalaya Basin. For instance, the disastrous Great Flood of 1927 decimated many communities, sparking a mass exodus that dramatically reduced the region's population. But to many people born and raised in the cradle of the lush and majestic Atchafalaya, the dangers and challenges they face are an accepted–and even welcome–part of life.

Swamp People

So now there is a reality show on the History Channel called Swamp People. This show depicts life as an alligator hunter in the swamps of Louisiana. So I bet your wondering, why would you hunt an alligator? I asked the same thing a few years back before I moved to swamp territory. Simply put, they hunt alligators to lower the population, for the alligator meat (yes, people actually eat the stuff. Supposedly it tastes like chicken), and they hunt and sell them for the alligators skin. For one month out of the year people are allowed to hunt alligators. The state of Louisiana issues tags for the hunters, every alligator killed no matter the weight or length has to be tagged, once you are out of tags that's the end of the season for you. The heavier and longer the alligator is, the more it is worth. It was said on the first airing of the show that a hunter can make half a years salary from one month out hunting alligators.

Now you're probably sitting around wondering how to get your hands on a boat and some swamp get-up, but don't go dashing to the swamps yet. This definitely isn't a job for everyone. Alligator hunting is very dangerous but is also needed to keep the population down. If it wasn't for the hunters places like, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi would be over ran with these sharp toothed prowlers. Like I said though not a job for everyone, you need to have your wits about you when wrestling one of these creatures, watch out for the strong chompers and whipping tale, they can be huge and definitely angry when you enter their domain. Don't get knocked out of your boat either, then you will be facing alligator infested waters along with all the venomous and deadly water snakes. Hey, nobody said making money was easy.


If you saw the first episode of Swamp people you caught how a father and step-son exited their boat to find the hooked alligator, the step son went to shoot the alligator as the alligator was racing towards them, he fired and missed and fired again only to discover there were no bullets left. Now that right there is a situation you don't want to find yourself in. Facing an alligator without something to defend yourself with is a sure fire way to get really hurt or possible killed.

So how do they hook them? Well, alligators love rotting meat, yep good old rotting, stinking, raw meat. The smellier the better. An alligator can get a whiff of the rotting meat from quite a ways away and come right to it, when they go to swallow the meat, they get hooked. When the hunters make their way back to the traps they will pull the lines while someone else is standing by ready to shoot. A sure way to kill a gator is a shot right square on the head. Hey, I never said it would be pretty either.

To obtain a license to hunt alligators will cost $25 for a resident of Louisiana and $150 for non Louisiana residents. As found on the Louisiana Alligator Advisory Council site states:

An alligator hunter license applicant must submit the following:

• a completed alligator hunter license application form including the hunter’s information (name, dob, ss#, etc.),
• proof of property ownership (tax receipts or bill of sale) containing Parish, Township, Range, Section and acreage information,
• a map outlining the property to be hunted, and
• a landowner’s signature indicating permission for the hunter to harvest alligators on the property.
• If applicable a legal alligator hunting lease may be submitted.

People not possessing or having permission to hunt alligators on property can harvest alligators as an alligator sport hunter while accompanied by a guide. A guide must be an alligator hunter possessing tags. Alligator Sport Hunter License cost $25 for Louisiana residents and $150 for non-residents.

There are a reported 1.5 million alligators located in the state of Louisiana. Now you see the need for harvesting, right? Louisiana alligator hunters currently harvest over 33,000 wild alligators and farmers harvest over 280,000 farm-raised alligators annually. Raw meat and hide values are estimated at over $10 million for the wild harvest and over $33 million for the farm harvest in 2005. (Note these values consist of raw meat and hides only and are not reflective of hide values after tanning and product manufacturing, values associated with jobs, tourism, economy, etc. or egg values.)



 There is way more to it then what the show Swamp People depicts. It is definitely a good show just to give you an idea of what life is like in the swamp lands of Louisiana.