In September 2024,Troy Landry, star of History Channel’s reality showSwamp People, made headlines when he was cited by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) fortwo counts of failing to properly tag an alligator,whichoccurred during a sting operation at Lake Palourde in St. Mary Parish, La. According to official reports, Landry and his associates, one of whom was a cameraman, were caught by LDWF agents after they were observed setting up gator lines. Upon approach, the agents discovered that whileLandry had permission to hunt in the area, he allegedly did not have the correct property-specific tagsrequired by Louisiana law that also must remain attached to the gator until it is processed.
Likely in a panic, Landry immediatelyadmitted that he had previously cut a dead “stiff” gator loose from his lineand let it float away, which was later found by the agents and had Landry’s hunting line hanging from its mouth. This led to Landry immediately receiving two citations —one for the improper tag and the second for the dead alligator.Despite thepotential of imprisonment and fine charges, which initially had fans massively concerned, little has since been said about the legalities. The incident in question dates back seven months ahead of theSwamp PeopleSeason 16 launch, which began airing at the beginning of 2025.
Incident Chatter Has Been Notably Sparse in the Aftermath
Following the citations, information surrounding legal events has been notably sparse, as nothing else has been said about any penalties or legal follow-up, which includes silence from the History Channel, LDWF, and Landry. The only public response from Landry allegedly came in a dismissive, almost evasive comment to WAFB-TV. When asked about the incident by the news outlet,Landry reportedly had “nothing to say about it,”and added,“I got a speeding ticket also last month.”Therefore, in the light of saying “no comment” and the absence of any substantial announcements, coupled with Landry’s active public life andsocial media presence, it appears that the legal consequences he faced were minimal, likely resulting in a financial penalty rather than incarceration.
Just for context — each charge could result in$950 in fines and as much as 120 days in jail. After the incident, Landry seemed to quickly return to his normal activities andwas even seen filmingSwamp PeopleSeason 16, which he frequently posted about on his Facebook. The King of the Swamp’s swift return to filming and regular social media posting suggests that both he and the show’s producers viewed the incident as relatively minor, unlikely to significantly impact his public image orthe show’s continued success, and even if it meant something in terms of a fine, the matter was quietly dealt with.
Troy Landry’s Public Image Appears To Be Unfazed Following the Incident
Despite the citation and its potential legal weight, Landry’s reputation and public image have stayed surprisingly untouched. He’s known affectionately as the King of the Swamp, andcontinues to be embraced by his loyal, mostly boomer fanbaseon Facebook. While his long-standing inactivity on Instagram initially sparked speculation among followers after the citations, Landry has kept his larger-than-life persona alive through frequent Facebook updates — sharing images and videos of family life, cooking, outdoor adventures, and, of course, hissignature hunting content. Among the recent personal stories he’s shared is his grandsonCrue Landry’s (Brandon Landry’s son) battle with Biliary Atresia — a rare and serious condition that has now becomean end-stage liver diseaseand requires a transplant soon.
If anything, his public image and connection with fans have become morepersonal in the last six months. In one of the posts after the citation, Landry was also confidently handling giant pythons, which was likely a BTS picture fromSwamp People:Serpent Invasion’s filming in the Everglades. These regular updates, coupled with his humorous and down-to-earth interactions, seem to have effectively neutralized any potential negative fallout from the sting operation. On another note, it’slikely that many of his social media followers never even found outabout the citations to begin with.
Troy Landry Has Been Hunting Gators at Full Throttle inSwamp PeopleSeason 16
Since the citation, Landry hasn’t missed a beat when it comes to doing what he does best —wrangling monsters in the swamp. In bothSwamp PeopleSeason 16 andSwamp People: Serpent InvasionSeason 5, he has consistently paired up withCheyenne “Pickle” Wheat.WithPickle pregnant with her second childduring filming, audiences especially enjoyed watching the adrenaline-loaded duo. Both shows startedairing roughly just three months after the Lake Palourde incident, and Landry is featured prominently in both, showing no signs of slowing down. At the time of the citation, there was a cameraman with Landry, so it is possible that they were shooting for one of these two shows – but take that observation with a “bucket of salt” for now.
New episodes ofSwamp PeopleSeason 16 air Thursdays at 8/7c on theHistory Channel. The showtook a short two-week pause after Episode 12,and is now preparing for the final stretch — two episodes will close the season with Landry and Pickle cutting through thick fog, chasing tags, and pushing through until the very last daylight hour. If anything, these hunts are a reminder of what the show is really about: grit, instinct, and the deep-rooted rhythm of life in the swamp —something Landry never stopped living, citation or not.
Swamp People
Source:WAFB,Facebook
