How long is alligator season

These shots are most likely taken when there are no alligators around and have been edited in later to create suspense. Anyone who watches Swamp People will surely be amazed by the amount of detailed shots that capture the struggles of the swamp. In an interview with the New York Post , Landry explains that he has learnt to slow down so the cameramen can get the best possible footage.

It is hard to get an overall view of a tussle with an angry alligator in the heat of the moment, so the cast has had to learn how to create compelling images.

Swamp People takes a slow and steady approach to alligator hunting in order to give viewers an optimal experience. When the show made it big, Landry did not rest on his laurels: he swiftly copyrighted his name and catch phrases. Since then, Landry has taken anyone who tries to benefit from his fame to court. Perhaps because of Landry's success, the show now seems to have added a new clause to the cast's contracts.

An appearance release from the show's casting calls revealed that participants had to sign away the rights to their name and likeness. These attributes could be used for both marketing purposes and merchandizing. History Channel obviously does not want to share potential earnings with new additions to the cast. Viewers might be tempted to head out into the swamps on their own, with a shotgun in hand, looking for an alligator to kill.

According to news reports , several amateur hunters have done just that. The public would be well advised to leave the hunting to the professionals. Alligators are dangerous animals that should not be provoked, and hunting and skinning a gator requires knowledge and training. Anyone who wants to participate in Louisiana's yearly hunt must apply for a specific license. The cast of Swamp People have years of experience and all their papers in order.

If audiences want to get a taste of Bayou living, they should sign up for a guided hunting tour instead. According to regulations enforced by the state of Louisiana, where most of the show takes place, alligators can only be harvested between sunrise and sunset.

In Florida , on the other hand, alligator harvesting takes place between 5 p. Louisiana hunters can use lines with bated hooks to trap alligators, while this is strictly prohibited in South Carolina. Laws that regulate alligator harvesting change drastically from state to state. The cast and crew of Swamp People have to make sure they are always following the latest regulations in whichever area they are in.

Since most of the show is filmed in Louisiana, this list focuses mainly on the restrictions put on the cast in this state. The alligator hunting season may be brief, but this does not mean that the cast can take the rest of the year off. Many of the stars you see on Swamp People make hundreds of public appearances each year at trade shows and conventions.

RJ Molinere has said that he now has less time to work out and go on hunting trips, but he still enjoys meeting fans. Landry also visits an impressive number of conventions each year and claims he has no plans of slowing down anytime soon. Even though they have to sacrifice their spare time, the cast of Swamp People have probably made up for it in monetary terms.

Fans of the show will likely remember the disappointment on a cast member's face when they pull up a baby alligator. By law, all alligators caught on the line during hunting season must be tagged, no matter the size. A hunter cannot release a small catch and save his tags for the big alligators. The hooks from the lines strung up to ensnare alligators usually end up getting lodged in the their stomachs, which is probably why all of these animals must be hunted and counted.

Letting small alligators roam free with hooks in their stomachs would be an inhumane way to conduct the hunt. This means that alligator hunting is often a gamble — bigger alligators are worth more per feet than the small ones and you never know what you will end up with when the season is over.

A hungry alligator is as discerning as any reptile and will try to consume anything that moves. Jay Paul Molinere has even stated that he once found a license plate inside one of them. Hunters have to take as many precautions as they can when they are dealing with such relentless predators. Molinere has confessed that he never goes out hunting without his steel toed boots and claims they even saved his foot once.

A rubber boot also comes to Troy Landry's rescue on the show when he has a dangerous run in with an alligator. To avoid serving up a plump toe for dinner, the cast of Swamp People always make sure they wear a pair of sturdy boots. Many of the gators caught on the show weigh hundreds of pounds and have to be hauled out of the waters and into the boats.

Hunters also have to hold reluctant alligators still in the water to get a clean shot. All of these tasks require serious muscle power, so the cast of Swamp People have to stay in tip-top shape.

It measured 15 feet, 9 inches long and weighed 1, Stokes and her crew took the gator in Mill Creek, a tributary of the Alabama River. Troy and Jacob are fan favorites on the show, so it makes sense that they might be paid more money than others. However, alligators at least 4 feet in length that present a threat to pets, livestock or humans are considered nuisance alligators. Oct 21, Alligator can be hunted in the state of Texas from September 10 through September 30 in the fall. Texas also has a spring season for alligators in none-core counties from April 1 to June For more information call If you tie the line to a fixed object the gator will either pop the line or capsize your boat.

CITES tags may only be used on the property they are allocated to, and cannot be transferred to other properties. For information about tag issuance and requirements, contact the Alligator Program at Alligators in Texas: Rules, Regulations and General Information - A department publication that provides additional regulations and information, including how to determine sex of an alligator required for Alligator Hide Tag Reports.

For a copy of the publication, call menu 5 or download the Alligators in Texas publication. General Season Core Sept. View Alligator hunting regulations for your county. All counties have Alligator seasons. General Regulations for Alligator Feeding Alligators Except when engaged in hunting, it is against the law to intentionally feed a free-ranging alligator. Required License Alligators may be taken under any resident or non-resident hunting license except for a non-resident spring turkey license and a non-resident banded bird hunting license.

Lawful Hunting Hours One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.