Louisiana alligator hunters used to make between $20 and $40 per foot of alligator. Alligator sales in Louisiana dropped to an all-time low due to increased competition from overseas.
It’s reported that they typically work on a freelance basis where they only get paid when they have an alligator to sell. How much an individual can make depends greatly. It’s reported that some get paid up to $40 per foot of the reptile unprocessed.
Let’s say our hypothetical hunter has a healthy allotment of 200 tags and property in both regions (for a 37 day season). So, that means, he needs to average 5.5 alligators a day. Let’s also assume that he’s a really skilled hunter and that 1 out every 10 alligators he catches is a 11+ foot monster.
Anyone who watches Swamp People knows that alligator hunters care about how much money they make. Sure, they hunt for their love of the land, but they do it for their living, too. And they’re not shy about it.
How much do alligator hunters make in Louisiana?
Reportedly, Louisiana alligator hunters used to make between $20 – $40 per foot of unprocessed alligator. However, in 2017 and 2018 there was increased competition coming from overseas and this caused gator sales to drop to an all-time low.
Occasionally, the hunters catch alligators as big as 12 foot, which proves to be quite the struggle to get into the boat.
Swamp People have the tags necessary to allow them to make hunting gators their job, which takes up 30 days of the year. The alligator hides are used in a variety of luxury goods such as shoes, belts, suitcases and leather. As a result, Swamp People can make lots of money by selling the alligators after catching them.
Louisiana’s east zone opens on the last Wednesday of August, while the west zone opens on the first Wednesday in September. In 2020, the Louisiana alligator hunting season was extended to 60 days, and ended in late October in both east and west zones.
The Swamp People often kill and sell the alligators after catching them. The hunters often profit from their meat and their hides. Those appearing on Swamp People are all registered and licensed to catch alligators.
There is a rule according to The Louisiana Alligator Advisory Council that you have to tag an alligator after catching it. However, if you own your own hunting grounds then you can breed as many gators as you wish. I missed my true calling as a gator hunter on Swamp People. — Zay Cole (@KingJeffffrey) February 3, 2021.
How long is alligator season?
The alligator season lasts 30 days, but serious hunters stretch that to 37 days by owning land in both the East and the West regions, since the Western region’s 30 days starts a week later than the Eastern region’s.
While skins went for $6/foot in the 1960’s and $9/foot in the early 1980’s, they rose to over $40/foot in the late 1980’s. What the Louisiana Advisory Council fails to mention is that prices have come down since the late ’80’s.
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Each tag represents a potentially profitable alligator. Each lost tag represents a loss, since they cannot be replaced. (Which is why Bruce’s helper dove into alligator invested waters to retrieve some tags that had fallen overboard, and why Bruce didn’t stop him.)
So, according to these estimates, when Troy Landry pulls a 12 foot monster alligator out of the swamp, risking his life and straining his body, he might get up to $180 for a perfect hide. If the gator has lived hard and has the scars to show for it, he’ll get less.
Anyone who watches Swamp People knows that alligator hunters care about how much money they make. Sure, they hunt for their love of the land, but they do it for their living, too. And they’re not shy about it. With the notable exception of the Guist brothers, the hunters featured on the show are quick to talk about what makes the difference between a profit and a loss during the one-month alligator season in Louisiana.
Well, they go the “live simply” route. Alligator hunting really isn’t a great way to make a living, at least by most middle class Americans’ standards. And, despite what any of them might say, they’re really not in it for the money. It runs deeper than that. It’s a way of life.
Alligator tags don’t cost anything if you own your own hunting grounds. All you have to do is prove ownership of a piece of land deemed sufficient to sustain alligators, get a $25 Alligator Hunting license, and make an application.
How much does Chase Landry make?
Another article from Distractify said that Chase makes about $3,000 per episode and his net worth is somewhere between $200,000 and $400,000.
That’s easy to believe seeing as how he is 1 of the only people who has consistently been on the show since season one. According to Distractify, Troy’s net worth is estimated to be at about $2 million. The Cinemaholic also reports that he makes about $25,000 per episode.
Even though Jacob is most widely known for being on Swamp People, he is also interested in filmmaking. There’s a very good chance that we could see him get involved in other projects in the entertainment industry in the years to come.
Unlike the other people on the show, however, most of Daniel’s fortune isn’t tied to the show. He is estimated to have a net worth of around $1 million dollars, most of which he made through his businesses, St. Mary’s seafood Incorporated and Louisiana Baits Company. Prev Article Next Article.
Daniel Edgar has only been on the show since season seven, but he has quickly become popular among viewers. He is easily one of the most experienced hunters on the show and his expertise has come in handy countless times. Unlike the other people on the show, however, most of Daniel’s fortune isn’t tied to the show.
Throughout the season, viewers are taken on a wild journey. Hunting for alligators is just as dangerous as it sounds and the cast of Swamp People regularly put their lives at risk while they work. Although hunting is the main focus of the show, other aspects of ‘swamp’ culture are occasionally featured in the episodes.
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