Where is airing: History Channel
For what age: 9+
How many episodes in 3 season: 22 episodes
Season 3 kicks off with the opening of a 30-day alligator-hunting cycle in Louisiana. Troy reunites with partner Clint and runs a second boat with son Jacob; Liz Cavalier helms her own boat; and R.J. Molinere has a new secret weapon and sets out to prove he's king of the swamp.
In Southern Louisiana the Gator Gold Rush is in full swing. Buyers are paying top dollar for alligators, and Troy has a plan to get his share. He's taking a special boat called a 'Gator Tail' to an old family honey hole. But when he encounters an unexpected obstacle, he risks it all to fill his boat. Junior Edwards and his son Willy are stalking an elusive beast known for his distinctive roar they call Leo The Lion. But Leo is a formidable adversary and it comes down to Leo, Willy and a pocketknife. Down at Pecan Island, Liz and her partner Kristie are taking a calculated risk of their own, hunting the canals from land to capture a monster that has been terrorizing the local population. R.J. and Jay Paul spy outsiders setting lines directly across from theirs, a direct violation of the code of the swamp. Things escalate quickly and the two-time world arm wrestling champion and his son don't hesitate to take matters into their own hands.
Day three of the month-long alligator season in Louisiana finds the hunters working at a frantic pace to fill their tags. King of the Swamp, Troy Landry and Master hunter, Junior Edwards are following identical strategies; by putting their sons on a second boat with a specific mission: Catch Big Gators. It's a mission the new captains won't find easy to fulfill. Meanwhile, in Myrtle Grove, Joe LaFont and his stepson Tommy are back on the water. With more tags than ever this season, they're on track to make big bucks until... Joe sustains a potentially season-ending injury. In Bayou Pigeon, newcomers Austyn and Blake are trying to earn their way into the alligator business a few tags at a time. With five tags in hand, they set out to prove to their buyer that they are the next generation of swamp legends.
Tommy is on his own for the first time in his career. His step dad Joe wrecked his back while wrangling gators, so now Tommy must carry the load all by himself. Veteran Bruce Mitchell, his sidekick Tyler and their new sharpshooter Ron are hoping for another big day. To fill the boat, Bruce will move their hunt to a remote bog known as Stinky Bayou. The area earned its nickname from the methane gas that bubbles to the surface there, emitting a rotten and pungent stench. In Pecan Island, Liz and her new helper Kristi are taking a huge risk in hopes of another enormous payday. The ladies are headed to a spot that locals call "Monster Marsh", home to territorial and aggressive alpha males. While veterans with hundreds of tags hunt for numbers, over in Bayou Pigeon, rookies Austyn and Blake are looking for one beast in particular. Their buyer has given them one tag to catch one huge gator that's threatening his property.
As the end of week one comes to a close hunters are faced with new challenges. Troy makes a shocking discovery, a monster gator is feeding dangerously close to his home. To protect his family, he and his boys set out to do battle with the monster in a tiny boat and come face-to-face with disaster. R.J. and his son Jay Paul summon the powers of their ancestors in an ancient tribal ceremony to prepare for battle with a beast known as Big Foot. Liz and Kristie encounter something rarely seen on the swamp; a gator so bold, that he takes the bait in broad daylight right in front of them. When they attempt to haul the beast in, he breaks off the line and the battle is on! The Guist brothers find themselves in need of lumber, but they don't head to the home improvement store. Instead, they turn to the swamp, and an age-old technique of harvesting lumber as they go in search of sinker cypress.
R.J. and Jay Paul trek to a location ominously known as the Hive; Jacob attempts to catch a monster gator's offspring; Junior tries to keep his sons focused; and Glenn and Mitchell go hunting on the Conway Bayou.
It's been the best start to alligator season in a decade, and every record has been shattered. Now, the biggest storm since Hurricane Katrina is headed straight for the swamp. Forecasters predict it will make landfall by day's end so hunters across the bayou are using every second they've got to fill as many tags as they can. After days on the sideline with a wrenched back, Joe LaFont can't stay away any longer. He and his stepson Tommy are reunited on a mission to stay ahead of the storm. Troy Landry is once again running a two-boat operation. Troy wants to catch as many gators as possible before the storm makes landfall - so he's dividing to conquer multiple territories at once. Over in Pecan Island, Liz and her helper Kristi are also looking to use a two-pronged strategy: running lines and sharp shooting in open water. Rookies Austyn and Blake have five more tags from their buyer. If they fail to fill their tags before the storm arrives, their season could be over.
An impending storm heightens the hunters' sense of urgency; Joe returns from his back injury; Troy runs a two-boat operation; and Liz pairs up with Kristi for a two-pronged strategy.
The hunters are forced to adjust their plans in the aftermath of a tropical storm; R.J. and Jay Paul search for gators inland; Junior and Malcolm explore an area that's normally inaccessible; and Glenn and Mitchell hunt for dinner in the swamp.
It's the halfway point of the month-long alligator season, and it's time to rally. Boat traffic is spoiling one of Troy's go-to hunting grounds, so he and Clint decide to brave a treacherous swamp guarded by the legendary Gates of Hell. Over in Myrtle Grove, the high water levels that remain after the storm have given Joe and Tommy a rare opportunity. Today, the guys are headed to one of Joe's daddy's favorite honey holes, located in a flooded drainage ditch they haven't been able to access in years. In Houma, today is a very special day for R.J. Molinere...it's his 50th birthday. In keeping with family tradition, the boys set a lofty goal--to catch one gator for each of RJ's 50 years. Meanwhile, Willie and Randy are facing some serious pressure from their dad, master hunter Junior Edwards. Junior's tasked his boys with a quota of six gators...and if they don't fill it, Junior will stop running their boat.
Troy hunts a gator that has eluded him for years; Glenn and Mitchell help a friend move his houseboat; and Liz has trouble taking down an enormous alligator.
Troy receives help from his family while filling tags in Pierre Part; Austyn and Blake are presented with a difficult challenge; and Bruce uses a rotten chicken as bait.
As the sun rises on day 18, it's already 96 degrees on the bayou. Every hunter knows the heat drives the gators into a feeding frenzy. But the scorching sun can spoil hides and meat once the gators are in the boat. Troy and Clint are targeting Lake Verret to make the most of the voracious gators. Junior Edwards is also expecting a huge day. Five years ago, in 105-degree heat, he had the best day of his career. Today, he's hoping to repeat past glory. Liz and Kristi are primed to fill the boat by midday, and Liz is on the verge of her best catch all season. But soon, things turn on a dime when the swamp throws Liz a curve she never saw coming. Across the swamp, veteran hunter Bruce, Ron and Tyler are looking to cash in on the heat wave by targeting a hunting ground called 'Cypress Graveyard.' It's part of local lore, and Bruce believes it will deliver, but getting there is difficult--it lies at the end of a maze of canals that can confuse even the most experienced swamper.
Flooding in the Mississippi Delta has raised water levels almost two feet and now the once unreachable corners of the bayou are accessible. Troy is using the high water to his advantage, riding it straight into an area that the Landry family has lived and hunted for generations, and he wants to share the trip with his son Chase. R.J. and Jay Paul will travel the flooded channels into a Houma territory that's considered sacred in their culture--once used as a burial site. Joe and Tommy are preparing to take a big gamble. The high waters have made a remote canal accessible...and despite its eerie reputation, they're going in. Back across the swamp, cousins Austyn and Blake have their own plan to make the most of the conditions. The duo head toward an area known as Dead End Bayou. In low water, the territory is blocked and unreachable. But today, high water has flooded the bank, and the rookies can cruise right in.
Joe and Tommy go shrimping; a gator threatens Kristi's cattle; Malcom angles for catfish; and Glenn and Mitchell fix an old motor for a friend.
Troy and Clint visit a section of the swamp where they've had past success; R.J. and Jay Paul hunt a gator that has been terrorizing local crab fishermen; and Austyn and Blake sell to a new buyer.
The swampers are facing the toughest stretch. Worn down, the best spots have already been fished, and one unexpected turn can sink the season. In Pecan Island, Liz and Kristi start slow. Liz's hands have taken a beating. She's not sure how long they'll hold on. In Bayou Sorrel, Junior's right-hand man had a fishing accident. He's working with his cousin Gerald, an avid hunter new to the gator game. In Pierre Part, Troy's boys Jacob and Chase have been assigned to a tough fishing area, 'the Armpit.' Getting off to a fast start the Armpit lives up to its name. In Myrtle Grove, Joe and his stepson Tommy head to an area saved for the home stretch but there's a problem--not one bait has been touched. A bully gator has driven every gator from the area.
With only 5 days left in the season, the swamp is blindsided by a cold front sweeping across Louisiana, bringing a punishing frigid rain. When temperatures drop, gators run for cover, and the hunters will have to chase them down. R.J. and Jay Paul are at a spot where R.J.'s betting gators will be on the move. But the front brings strong high winds, and their airboat isn't equipped to handle them. All season Junior Edwards has run a two-boat operation, but today he's reuniting the Edwards 'A' Team. Willie is back at his father's side, and the duo is hoping their combined experience will help them track down gators. Bruce is anxious about the weather because his hunting grounds border Lake Pontchartrain. Even a few inches of rain can cause the lake to overflow, and force the gators to look for freshwater further inland. Troy's sons are hoping they can have a big day despite the cold front. They've got a secret weapon--a special bait to lure gators from hiding.
It's down to the final 4 days and Troy's road to the crown takes an unexpected turn. A good friend and fellow hunter has passed away. When his long-time helper asks Troy to help fill their remaining tags, Troy has a dilemma. If he helps, he will have to put his own tags on hold and with so little time left in the season, it could mean that he doesn't tag out. R.J. and Jay Paul are working tirelessly to fill their bayou-best 500 tags this season. As the season enters its final days, R.J. is more focused than ever before. Willie and Randy are embarking on their last day as partners this season. Starting tomorrow, Randy has to move onto the next commercial hunting season, fishing for buffalo fish. Determined to go out with a bang, the brothers are hunting in a favorite childhood spot. Bruce's longtime sidekick Tyler isn't feeling well. With the season ticking away quickly, Bruce has no choice but to focus on the hunt, but it isn't long before worry for Tyler becomes too great to ignore.
Troy is in a tough situation. After a fellow hunter passed away, Troy agreed to help fill his tags for the community, putting Troy s on hold. Now, the reigning king faces an uphill battle to finish his new tags and get back to his own before time runs out. R.J. and his son Jay Paul are gunning for the best season on record, and the duo's been moving at a hectic pace. Now, it seems the grind has finally caught up with them. With only 3 days left to hunt, exhaustion sets in for R.J. Joe and Tommy are in great position as they enter the home stretch. With only 25 tags to fill in 3 days, the crew is focusing on big gators. As they run their lines, they quickly discover that a monster gator is lurking nearby--one with prime waterfront property. Glenn and Mitchell are busy doing what they do best. Today, the boys are looking for garfish...but as things often go with the brothers, the day leads to unexpected places.
Joe follows Tommy's lead to new hunting territory; Troy must rush to fill his remaining tags; R.J. and Jay run out of fresh hunting ground; and Liz and Kristi search for gators in Liz's father's favorite hunting spot.
Troy hopes to make a statement by catching an enormous gator; R.J. and Jay attempt to set a tagging record; and dead fish cause trouble for Liz and Kristi.
