Swamp People: Season One

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Nature Documentary hosted by Pat Duke, published by History Channel in 2010 - English narration

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Swamp People: Season One Deep in the heart of Louisiana lies America’s largest swamp--a million miles of inhospitable bayous, marshes and wetlands where nature rules and humans struggle to tame it. Many of its inhabitants are the hardened descendants of French refugees who were forced out of Canada in the 18th century and settled in this harsh yet majestic environment. SEASON ONE of SWAMP PEOPLE takes you on a journey to a hidden world, the bayous and swamplands of America's southern heartland, where the folks who dwell here live on the fringes of society and are known as Cajuns. Resilient, self-reliant and fiercely independent, the Cajuns of the Atchafalaya Swamp still carry on many of their ancestors’ trades and traditions. HISTORY’s SWAMP PEOPLE follows these swampers through a time of year that is crucial to their survival: the 30-day alligator hunting season. At its core, this is a uniquely American story of a proud and skillful people fighting to maintain an ancient way of life in a rapidly modernizing world, despite the many perils and trials that stand in their way.

[edit] Big Head Bites It

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.

[edit] Houdinis Last Escape

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.

[edit] Troys Gamble

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.

[edit] Cannibal Gator

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.

[edit] Force of Nature

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.

[edit] Family Feuds

It's halfway through the grueling alligator season and the stress is taking a toll on families throughout the swamp. Joe and Tommy are fighting... and even Troy is frustrated. Meanwhile, nuisance gator hunter Howard McCrea is tracking a deadly gator.

[edit] Swamp Wars

As the swampers race toward the end of gator season, Tommy and Joe have a poacher after their catch and vow swamp justice. Meanwhile, Junior and Willie try different ways to earn cash: catching frogs and snakes.

[edit] Gator Voodoo

With just a week left in the season, the gators have mysteriously stopped biting. Is it the full moon? Swampers fight back with their own tried and true tactics, from new territories to a traditional Cajun bait called "shake and bake."

[edit] Final Countdown

With just a few days left in the season, the pressure's intensifying. Can the swampers "tag out" in time?

[edit] The Last Battle

It's the final two days of alligator season. There are still a lot of gators to catch, not the least of which is the big daddy of all cannibal gators, the one known as the "Loch Ness Monster." Troy faces his ultimate nemesis, as other swampers race to end the season.