As the season opens, the King of the Swamp, Troy Landry, finds himself going head-to-head with Mother Nature. The water in the basin is higher than it's ever been, pushing the monsters into inaccessible back ponds and woods. On top of that, a cold front has moved into Louisiana making conditions even worse. As he and his family brace for what could be their worse season ever, the King discovers more bad news; R.J. and Jay Paul have invaded his area, using their airboat to get to the gators that are out of his reach. Over in Hammond, Bruce Mitchell prepares to start his second season without his beloved hunting dog Tyler. His partner, Ron Methvin thinks he has a great surprise for Bruce, but when they meet up, the plan blows up and puts their partnership to the test. And, at the end of the first day of gator hunting, Troy makes an announcement that rattles his family to the bone.
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. Today, these people are known as the Cajuns, a group renowned throughout the world for their flavorful cuisine, distinctive music and vibrant culture. Resilient, self-reliant and fiercely independent, the Cajuns of the Atchafalaya Swamp still carry on many of their ancestors' trades and traditions.
HISTORY 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.