With just three days left in the season...
That north wind's pumping.
This cold snap is killing us.
A cold front sends gators into hiding...
This is the worst time possible for us to have a cold snap.
Come on, motherfrigger.
Forcing one team to launch a bold new strategy...
This is gonna be the most stressful tags I filled.
To cover more ground and fill more tags...
Out here by myself, own boat, I'm my own captain,
and it's a big responsibility on my shoulders.
While some swampers wage their final battle of the season...
Whoa!
Everything's going wrong.
This is a total disaster today.
-[snap] -Oh!
Others have a long way to go
before they can tag out.
Got that big boy. Oh!
-Hold him! -Come on!
Really need your help.
I'm kind of in a little predicament.
It'd be awesome if I could get you
to help me with, like, ten tags.
[gunshots]
With three days left in gator season,
as the sun sinks lower in the afternoon sky,
Ashley "Deadeye" Jones
and her deckhand Anna Ribbeck have
only 12 remaining tags.
They were planning to tag out a couple of days early,
but after a surprising cold snap hit the swamp overnight,
Anna and Ashley have been looking at empty lines all day.
Line's down.
Nothing?
I don't think so.
The chicken's still on there.
The chicken's still on there?
This cold front's not doing us a lot of good.
When you get to the end of the season, it's hard enough
to catch gators, so this cold snap is
really bad, bad timing, this is a really
crucial part in gator season.
I really thought that we were gonna be tagged out early.
We were getting our tags filled,
and now it's looking like we may not fill 'em at all.
This is the worst time possible for us to have a cold snap.
Because alligators are cold-blooded,
they take on the temperature of their environment.
When the temperature drops,
they can enter into a state of dormancy
where they do not eat and hardly move.
Line's down.
See which way it's going?
No clue.
-There it is. -Oh.
Ooh, it's pulling straight out.
-Got it? -Yup.
Talk to me.
There's a gator on it.
Getting the gun. How's he feel?
Doesn't feel super heavy.
Whoa, hold him, Anna!
Watch out, Ash.
- Ooh! - Hold him, Anna, hold him!
-Whoo! -Watch out!
-Watch that tail. -Watch his tail.
-Steady. -Ooh!
[gunshot]
-There you go, Anna. -Good shot.
-Good job. -Nice.
We gotta load him up.
Ready? One, two, three.
This seven-foot gator fills a tag,
but with only a couple of hours left today,
the hunters' plan to tag out early
will have to wait until tomorrow.
We've had a lot of empty lines.
When it's colder, those bigger gators
just aren't gonna be biting.
The gators don't have to eat as much,
and it takes a hit on our lines.
So I'm worried about this.
That cold front ain't doing no good for us.
Over in Bayou Maxillaire,
Daniel Edgar and his grandson Dorien
have spent all day on the water
but have only a couple of gators to show for it.
Their goal is to finish their season tomorrow,
but with 20 tags left,
the Edgar patriarch is getting nervous.
That cold front's got 'em.
All the chicken's hanging, pa.
I'm getting worried now.
That north wind's pumping.
Yeah, that north wind's blowing.
You know, it's good to cool off a little bit,
but I need a jacket right now.
It's definitely affecting the catch, pa.
You know, we're trying to get this done,
trying to tag out, and here comes a cold snap.
That's when it gets complicated,
because depending on the temperature,
they're either gonna bite or, bam, disappear.
You won't even see 'em. Go to their holes.
And they're not coming back out until it's warm.
The hunters are out of lines to run for the day,
but they're determined to use whatever daylight's left
to try to fill more tags,
so they head to the open water to stalk gators.
Is that a big one way over there?
That looks like a big one, huh?
Yeah, huh? Way over there.
-Looks like it. -Swimming to the bank.
Okay, pa, watch for his bubbles.
Look, look, look, straight in front.
Let me see if that's him.
He's beating you up, pa.
It's a big one.
Just gotta--oh, oh!
-Broke it. -He broke it, huh?
That string that I just bought,
I just bought this string, brand new.
-Damn. -Brand new string.
Brand new string. God.
With the cold snap wreaking havoc
and 18 tags still remaining,
losing this gator is a major setback.
I'm really worried right now if we're gonna tag out.
With a cold snap, it's really tough having one get away.
Everything's going wrong.
This is a total disaster today.
Nothing's going right.
Boy, it's a bad day, huh?
It's like we're fishing in the marsh.
Over in Bayou La Haine,
veteran hunter Joey Edgar and his deckhand Zak Catchem
have run 40 lines today in a reliable honey hole,
but they too have been struggling
with the effects of the cold spell.
It's nice to have some better weather,
but this cold snap is killing us as far as catching gators, dude.
This sucks. I haven't even seen a head.
-They're not biting. -No.
Not seeing a bubble.
This ain't looking too good, buddy.
With this cold snap, these alligators can shut down.
It's very possible that they might not bite for days.
I've seen it happen before.
No?
Skunked. We got skunked.
-That cold weather. -Skunked.
I don't need cold weather when I'm fixing to tag out.
You know, we might run out of time.
You know, maybe we go to shallow water
or try to get close to some of these sunny banks.
Maybe we can shoot one.
This tagging out might be a little bit difficult.
With no gators in the boat and the day slipping away,
on their way to their last set of lines,
Joey and Zak scour the open water for gators.
Look, look, look, look, look, look, look, look, look, look.
Get him, pop.
Sweet.
Land capture, baby, land capture, baby.
You got it in his mouth!
I'm bringing him to you, pop.
-Oh, my God. -That was awesome.
I got that thing.
Dude, this thing is still going.
There you go, there you go, come around this way.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Shoot him!
[gunshot]
[laughs]
That thing tried to run.
Got that thing on the run on land, dude.
What the heck?
Aren't these things supposed to run into the water?
What the heck?
That's the first one I ever seen you hook on land.
Yeah, he ran right up on the land.
Thanks to Zak's skillful cast,
the hunters finally break through,
but the day is nearly done,
and their time to tag out is dwindling.
This alligator was sunning himself, basking,
trying to get his batteries charged.
This cold front's got these alligators in a way
where they in shallow water or on the mudflat itself,
and it's the only thing working for us.
We got this thing moving, dude.
That's crazy.
He didn't even try to get in the water though.
That was weird, man.
As dusk approaches in Bayou Bataille...
with 30 tags left to fill,
the Edwards clan is resorting to something drastic:
splitting into two boats so they can run more lines,
turning Little Willie into a captain overnight.
It's a high stakes gamble
that could save their season or doom it.
You got a lot of weight on your shoulders
because you know I gotta fill these tags.
I gotta put good alligators on these tags
and I gotta take these last couple days of the season
and prove to myself and my dad that I got what it takes
and I can do everything they thought I couldn't do.
The harsh cold snap
is making life tough for the first time captain
who has yet to fill a tag today.
[gunshot]
Damn.
[gunshot]
Damn.
[gunshot]
This is Little Willie's first gator as a solo hunter,
but he needs 14 more
to cover his share of the remaining tags,
and with barely any time left today,
he will need to return tomorrow
and hope the cold spell eases up.
I drove the boat, I grabbed the gun,
I sniped this alligator, I load him in the boat.
Everything by myself that I normally do with somebody else.
It makes me feel like I've accomplished a lot already
with just one alligator.
But to fill all your tags and everything
is extremely important because, if you don't fill these tags,
the landowner's taking them tags,
and you might not get them tags next year.
Yeah, it took me a little bit, but as soon as
I propped up on him, that was it.
I knew that was his ass once I got propped up.
Meanwhile, in Bayou Sorrel,
veteran Willie Edwards has been hunting hard all day,
but he's caught only two of the 15 gators he needs.
He's hoping Little Willie is doing better than he is,
or they could be in jeopardy of losing tags next season.
You ain't got much season. I mean, it's just a short time,
so you gotta work together.
And, you know, Little Willie, he wants to have
a little more responsibility
at this alligator hunting and everything.
He's old enough now to be by himself alligator hunting.
Bittersweet, but we gonna get these tags filled.
To counter the cold snap,
Willie plans to treble hook gators on the move.
His younger son Landon is following in his own boat
to help load gators and distribute the weight,
but so far there's been little need for that.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ooh.
Good Lord.
Barely got him in that leg.
[gunshot]
Let's go.
With this nine-footer onboard,
the veteran hunter's happy
to be one step closer to filling his tags.
You can't control Mother Nature.
Mother Nature's gonna do what it's gonna do.
And at that time when it changes and everything,
you gotta know what to do, and come hell or high water,
I mean, I'm gonna fill them tags.
In Bayou Tigresse,
Ashley and Anna's hope to tag out today is fading.
After running all their lines,
they still have nine tags to fill.
They're not getting on the lines.
That's crazy.
It's just these gators aren't biting
like they would be normally.
This weather's got 'em messed up.
It's giving them lockjaw.
We only have a few gators in the boat today
because of this cold snap,
and I don't know what we're gonna do
because this cold front has the gators' bite messed up.
They're not coming to the lines,
and this is not looking good for us.
As the hunters head back to the buyer,
they spot a promising sign.
Ash, check it out.
Gator claw marks on the bank there.
I'm gonna park this and get off and go look.
That's a big gator.
Look at that one.
Look at those claw marks, they're all over.
Yeah, that's a big heavy gator.
Anna, what does that back off into?
What's on the other side of that?
Ash, I mean, I don't know about this right now.
-You got your gun? -Yeah.
-Is it loaded? -Yeah.
Uh-oh, Anna.
Oh, my God, look back there.
What?
What I love about this spot
is all these little feeder bands right here.
-Yeah. -These all come into
this one deep water.
It's just, how do we get in here to hunt the gators?
If there was a gator heaven,
this would be it.
I just don't know how to get in there to hunt it.
If Anna and I are gonna tag out,
we really need to do a lot better tomorrow.
I don't know how I'm gonna get in there yet,
but I'm gonna find a way.
We're gonna get these gators back to the buyer,
but I'm gonna figure out a way to get in there.
In Bayou La Haine,
with only five beasts in the boat
and the sun quickly dropping,
Joey and Zak start heading home,
knowing they have a full day ahead of them tomorrow.
Pop, there's one in there, in that little pocket.
A big one. Go to the right.
Right on the edge.
-See him? -Keep your eyes on him.
We're starting to see alligators,
and we're seeing alligators sink and everything,
but these alligators are not really biting.
I don't know what else to do. I guess we're gonna have
to just hunt this open water and see what we can do.
The lines are not producing nothing.
We don't have any other options.
It's in this little pocket.
If you chill right here, chill right here.
All right, just know you're gonna have to kick us on...
if I get him, okay?
-Yeah. -I think he's still right here.
I'm not-- just I'm not quite sure.
Weird cast, but...
-Got him. -Got him?
Yup, he's coming to me.
-Good job, pop. -Got that big boy.
Oh!
-Hold him! -Come on!
No, no, no, no, no!
Oh, my God.
Oh, my drag was a little too loose.
-He come off? -Damn, son.
You had him.
Losing this giant is a tough blow
as they head back to the boat ramp.
They all around the lines. They just don't wanna bite.
That cold weather's got 'em messed up.
I don't know what to do. They weren't on the lines today.
They weren't biting. I got 14 tags left.
I don't know if we can fill all these tags on the open water.
I don't know what else to do.
We gonna go back home and be with family
and just put our heads together.
We're a disaster right now. We're not doing good.
Back at St. Mary's Seafood,
Joey and Zak are meeting with Mr. Daniel
to figure out how to beat the cold spell.
I don't know what's going on.
Hopefully Dad did better.
This cold front's got 'em pushed back
where they don't wanna eat.
And we not tagged out.
We got a bunch of tags yet to fill.
It's gonna be tough. What the hell we gonna do?
Alligators disappeared.
We don't know what else to do.
I'm not even seeing alligators on open water anymore.
This cold weather's got 'em pushed back into their holes,
and they're not moving.
I don't know if we can fill all these tags.
But no matter how bad it gets, the Edgars,
what they do when it get bad, they get tight,
they come together, and we're gonna come up
with a strategy to get these alligators.
I hope y'all did better than us.
This cold front's got 'em pushed back.
They don't wanna bite.
-They're not taking the lines? -No.
Yeah, it's had an effect on us, too.
And we got tags to fill.
-We still got a lot of tags-- -A lot.
-to fill. -A lot.
Dad, we've dealt with cold fronts
already in the past,
but no so late in the season.
I don't know what it is. They disappeared.
The timing with this thing has just got us thrown off.
We're to the point to where it's extreme.
-This late in the season? -Yeah.
I don't wanna say we're gonna panic,
but we should almost be in panic mode.
We got that many tags and this much time.
With his family in a bind, Mr. Daniel has no choice
but to share one of his most coveted honey holes.
There is a spot that I normally depend on
whenever things like this happens.
Why don't you and Zak come with Dorien and I to the hot springs?
Oh, Lord. You're gonna let us come with you?
I'll-- I might have to blindfold you.
-[all laugh] -No one-- the Devil
doesn't even know where the hot springs is.
You know, the hot spring is a very,
very special place to me.
I've hid it from everyone.
But we're in such a pinch,
this is the spot.
When a cold snap hits,
it's got nothing to do with food or anything.
They're cold-blooded animals.
They're going to the hot spring.
Last chance and the only chance we have to tag out.
There's actually no other place.
We'll all go together.
-Okay. -We'll check it out.
For 20 years I've been trying to figure this out.
But he just finally let the cat out the bag,
and he's gonna bring Zak and I.
We gonna do this as a family,
and hopefully we can get these tags filled.
I mean, the hot springs,
hey, ain't no telling what we gonna get.
We really appreciate the opportunity
to go there and fish it.
It's time for me to start sharing.
But I wanna warn y'all.
When you come out of there
and you get in front of the mirror,
don't even tell yourself where you've been.
[all laugh]
When you look in the mirror...
Lie to yourself.
Where have you been? I don't know.
Not even to yourself in the mirror.
I don't want anybody to know anything about that place.
Champion. Champion. You're a true champion.
Yup, yup.
As a new day dawns over south Louisiana,
it's do or die for the Edwards.
Little Willie is heading to a new location
armed with a new strategy to battle the cold front.
-Yesterday... -[gunshot]
Little Willie caught only two gators in deep open water
with his rifle and treble hook.
Today he's running lines in a pocket of warmer water
called the Calumet Cut
to try and fill his remaining 13 tags
by the end of the day
and prove himself as a captain.
We going to Calumet Cut, a total different area.
You've got so much boat traffic and everything,
so many people fishing,
treble hooking, it's impossible.
But if you keep on running the lines,
you can catch the same amount of alligators,
if not a little more.
So we're gonna have to kind of
get our mind off the treble hook a little bit.
I gotta go fill these tags and everything,
and we gonna make it happen.
[gunshot]
This ten-foot monster is a boost of confidence,
and even though he still has 12 more gators to catch,
Little Willie is ready for the challenge.
Out here by myself, own boat, I'm my own captain,
and it's a big responsibility on my shoulders.
You think in the back of your mind
maybe I done bit off more than I can chew.
But when you're this young
and you feeding for more and more responsibility,
there ain't nothing you wouldn't do.
You wanna prove to people you got what it takes.
On the outskirts of Bayou Tigresse...
after discovering a promising bayou yesterday evening,
Anna and Ashley are betting on it
to tag out today.
Is that where we're supposed to turn, Ashley?
No, there's gonna be a tree right up here on the right,
and then there's gonna be a little opening.
What kind of tree is it?
There's a willow tree, but then there's also,
like, a vine that's coming up on it.
Oh, the trumpet vine.
-Is it orange? -Yeah.
That's a trumpet vine.
Yesterday Anna and I found this really awesome looking bayou,
but we just didn't have a way to get in there.
So last night, I spent two or three hours
just figuring out how to get into this hidden bayou,
and I went and hung lines.
And I really wanna tag out,
and I just really need this place to pay off.
This has gotta be the spot, right?
Yeah. Look, there's those trumpet flowers right there.
Yup.
Ashley went last night
and found a way in to that hidden bayou.
I can't believe it, like, she took the time out at night
to go and find this place,
and I have a lot of respect for that.
Ash, that line goes straight back.
Like, straight back into the woods.
-On land? -It looks like it.
I could be wrong, but it looks like it's way back.
-Um, Ash? -What?
Get the gun.
You see a gator?
Big gator on land.
He's hissing.
Look how huge he is.
Oh, my God, Anna.
What do we do?
You're gonna have to come with me.
Yeah.
Okay. I've got your back.
Here we go.
Can you get a shot?
Okay, take it.
He's moving.
-I got a shot right here. -Okay.
Ash, he's hissing.
Take it.
Watch him. Be careful.
-You ready, Anna? -Yeah.
[gunshot]
-Got him. -Got him.
Great job. Double A team.
I don't really like land gators, Ash.
Now you see why I hate 'em so much?
Oh, my gosh.
The hidden bayou is already paying off...
but the hunters have eight tags left,
and the clock is ticking.
We get a gator right away,
which is super exciting out here in Hidden Bayou.
But we don't really know what's ahead,
so I hope that that was a sign for us
that it's gonna be good here.
If the rest of these lines pay off the way this did,
then we're gonna be in good shape.
But only time is gonna tell.
Knocking 'em out.
Pulling 'em in.
What we came to do, Anna.
You're dang right.
Over in Bayou Sorrel,
Willie Edwards needs to catch ten gators today
and hope that his son Little Willie does his share
so they can tag out
and keep all of their tags for next year.
To give himself a chance,
Willie's set lines in the spillway,
a reliable gator hotspot,
and once again he's bringing his younger son Landon.
We moving to the spillway today,
and the spillway is a lot different fishing
than in the back bayou.
They bigger, stronger, and they got way more.
This is gonna be the most stressful tags I fill.
Big one.
Oh, that's a big alligator.
Oh! Oh!
Big one, too.
Aw!
Lost that one. It got away!
Come on, motherfrigger.
Stirred up.
I got him. Thought he got away.
Oh... big one.
Get my gun.
Ten foot...
[gunshot]
This ten-footer puts him one tag closer
to finishing his season today,
but the elusive beast sucked up a lot of time.
Big one.
You're counting down the hours and minutes.
And when you pull him up, you think you're about to shoot him,
and he up and get off the hook and everything,
it takes so much time to get him back on the hook.
It's a little stressful.
Meanwhile, in the hot springs,
with their lines set, both Edgar teams
are covering Daniel's cold weather honey hole
with one goal in mind:
fill their 13 remaining tags by sunset.
It's the hot spring, pa.
See these alligators? Coming into this hot spring.
They're crossing over this ridge
to get into that hot spring.
My grandpa, it took him 30, 40 years
to find this place.
He's kept it a secret for so long,
and he just told me about it two years ago,
just told Joe and Zak about it.
As good as this hot spring is,
it's gonna have to pull through for us big time.
Still a lot of tags to fill.
While the water immediately near any hot spring
is way too warm for alligators,
finding its runoff further away
can offer just enough heat to keep them active and hungry
whenever the weather turns cold.
Looks like the line's tight. Might have one right here.
I see his tail, pa.
As they reach their first line, the hunters get a surprise.
Line feels heavy.
Feels heavy?
Oh, yeah.
What we got? Is he drowned?
Yeah, he's drowned.
Man, that might be two alligators.
You got two?
Yeah, see, we've got one with the hook in his mouth
and the other one tangled up.
We got a double, pa.
Is that one alive? The other one's alive.
Hold that rope so he don't bite me.
Whoa, whoa. That sumbitch is still alive.
Let me get the gun.
Give me a shot on him. Turn his head.
I don't know how I'm gonna shoot him.
-You want me to shoot him? -You're gonna have to shoot him
from your side. I can't turn him.
[gunshot]
Whoa, you got him.
It's a two for one.
No one's ever excited about catching a six-footer,
but on tag out day,
when you get two six-footers on the same line,
that's a pretty good bonus.
All right.
You got two, and you saved the hook.
This here's two good alligators.
With an incredible double capture on a single line,
the hot springs puts the Edgars
two gators closer to tagging out.
Looks like the hot springs may pull us through.
That pumps me up a little bit.
I'm pretty excited now.
You fill the tags pretty quick when they're double.
Hot springs always comes through for me.
A few miles away...
Joey and Zak enter the hot springs area
from the opposite direction,
and right away the spot lives up to its reputation.
-Holy hell. -Dude, look at the alligators.
There's so many of 'em, dude.
Hot springs.
Unbelievable.
This warm water's probably got 'em moving.
That's why they're more active.
This cold front won't affect these.
-It's different. -Yeah, this is badass, Joey.
Wow.
Before we came to the hot springs,
we wasn't seeing nothing.
And as soon as we get here, we starting to see alligators.
That's a good sign. But we got a lot yet to do.
The hot springs are gonna have to pay off.
Hopefully it's as good as Dad and Dorien say it is.
Line down, line down. Look right here.
-That's a solid one. -Yeah, that's a good one.
Let me tie the boat.
Is he dead?
I don't know.
Make sure he's dead.
Watch yourself.
Whoa!
Oh, no, he's not dead.
Oh, it's a big one.
-Pop, hold on! -I got him, I got him.
I gotta shoot this thing.
Holy crap!
Be careful, dude!
[gunshot]
That was awesome. That was awesome, dude.
He's a big boy.
You'll catch a front leg, and then I'mma catch
a front leg. Let's go.
-All right. -That's a big alligator.
It's getting bigger and bigger every time I look at him.
All right, you ready?
There we go.
Holy crap.
That's a big lizard, dude.
This giant fills one of the Edgars' last 11 tags,
but the hunters know they can't let up.
It was a really nice alligator to start with,
and I'm impressed. I really think we got a chance
to pull this off, but we need to fill some tags.
And at this point I'm not gonna be real choosy.
If we can get these tags filled, I'll call it a day and a season.
We can see why Dad's been keeping this a secret.
This spot's special, Joey.
I'm glad he passed it on,
because we gonna lean on 'em in here.
This place is awesome.
Out in the Calumet Cut,
Little Willie's lines in the warmer canal are producing
and the young captain's confidence is growing,
but he still has four more tags to fill
and time is flying by.
I don't know why I didn't be the captain of my own boat sooner.
Yeah, it's a big responsibility, but when you've been
doing this for so long and you got what it takes,
it's just like another walk in the park.
Who knew it can be this fun hunting by yourself?
No!
No, false alarm.
It's a big responsibility,
but you can't let it intimidate you.
You can't let it blow you down and everything,
because once you're like, oh, well,
I don't know if I can do this by myself,
then it starts putting you at a different mindset.
When you come out there with a strong mindset,
and with a good captain responsibility and all,
keep on looking and everything,
hopefully these lines pick up.
Meanwhile...
One, two.
As the shallow waters of Hidden Bayou
have been warming up,
Ashley and Anna have been on a roll.
And with only one more tag left,
the hunters can finally see the finish line.
Getting this done.
-Click-click. -Click-click, Anna.
I can't believe we're almost out of tags.
This is awesome.
-Good job. -Yes.
Considering the cold snap,
Hidden Bayou has really paid off for us,
and it was really worth the effort of getting back here.
Now we only have one tag left.
I'm just gonna do whatever it takes to tag out.
Line's down.
Pulling straight out.
Whoo!
It's gonna be a good one.
We got a tree shaker, Anna.
Girl, you better be ready with this one.
Yup.
Pull him up, Anna.
He's coming. He's swimming towards us.
You got the gun ready?
Here he comes.
-There he is! -Hold him.
-Oh, Anna. -Watch out, Ash.
He's trying to get in the boat.
Oh!
Whoa, Anna!
Watch him.
Shoot him!
[gunshot]
Finally, Anna.
Look at him.
Double A team got it done.
[sighs] It's gonna be a heavy one.
You ready for it?
One, two.
-Whoo! -Despite the cold front,
the hunters can officially call it a season wrap
with this ten-foot giant.
Whoo.
Last tag of the season.
I can't believe it, Anna.
It went so fast.
Ready to celebrate this one?
Ready to hear it one last time?
Oh, let me get down here and listen good.
Ready?
-Click-click. -Click-click!
We're done.
I didn't know what to expect from this cold snap,
so being able to tag out is just a huge accomplishment to me.
I would've really been happy with just any gator to tag out,
because tagging out is tagging out itself.
But we caught a monster gator,
and it's like one of the reasons
that I'll keep coming back for more every year.
Final tag. We're done.
Another one in the books. Our Cinderella story
has come to an end this season.
What a season, Anna.
Back in the spillway,
Willie's move to this area has paid off in spades
despite the cold spell.
He's now only one gator away
from finishing his half of the family's final tags
and ending his season a day early.
We're gonna have a conversation.
One little tag left, last alligator,
and we gotta put him on a big one.
We already got nine, ten big ones in the boat.
That's big alligators, and you sure don't wanna
put the last one on the pile, a six-foot alligator.
I mean, for the last alligator of the season,
you want him to go down with a bang.
Hold on.
[gunshot]
Whoo!
Let's go.
This 11-foot monster caps off a late season comeback
for the lifelong swamper.
And while it remains to be seen
if his son can finish the other half of the job,
for Willie, a long hard season has finally come to an end.
When you tag out, it's just unbelievable.
The stress, it just relieves your body.
I mean, just all the stuff you been through
all the whole season and everything,
and then you just tag out.
It's unexplainable.
Back at the hot springs,
Daniel and Dorien are down to their last tag,
and with only two lines left to run,
they're praying one will take them to the finish line.
I hope you know what tag this is.
Yes, sir.
I'm gonna start going to the next line
so we can start making this happen.
I think it's a dud.
Damn, that's bad.
You know, having one tag left,
not very many lines,
I'm a little bit worried.
I'm in my favorite hunting place of all time.
I've never failed in the hot springs,
especially bringing Joey here.
I could not not tag out in the hot springs
telling Joey this is the spot.
We have a chance, but I'm worried.
Line's down.
We might have a good one, pa.
Watch yourself.
Let's hope he's a good one.
I sure hope so.
Whoa.
This is a bad dude, pa.
-Oh! -Whoa!
Come here, boy.
Turn his head so I can get a shot.
I need a shot. Let him turn his head.
-Whoa. -Whoa.
Watch him, pa, watch him. Give me a shot on this thing.
Nice. Good shot.
Oh, yes, oh, yes.
Another one bites the dust.
He's got all of his teeth, it looks like.
Okay, now we gonna go whenever you're ready.
One, two, go.
Yes, sir.
With this 11-footer in the boat,
Daniel and Dorien's season successfully comes to a close.
I'm telling you, it's been a rough season.
A lot of obstacles, that's for sure.
I'll tell you what though, those hot springs paid off.
We loaded the boat down with 'em, pa.
Last tag. That's what I'm talking about.
Yes, sir.
I'll never get tired of catching giants.
That will never happen. On top of all that,
tagging out on the last line in the hot springs,
that's-- that's pretty special.
Hopefully Joey and Zak got all their tags done, too.
Life is good.
Last tag. It's over.
It's over, pa.
-Let's head for the house. -It's over.
Back in the Calumet Cut,
after an up-and-down day,
Little Willie has a single tag left,
but with no lines left to run, the newly-minted captain
will have to switch tactics
to finish the job for the family.
Temperature's coming up. They're starting to get out
on that bank and sun.
That's how they digest their food.
They get out on that bank,
and the heat helps them digest their food.
I got one tag left and I ain't got no lines.
So I'm trying to shoot an alligator in the sun and all.
I'm gonna prove to my dad that I can handle the weight,
I can handle the responsibility on my shoulders and everything.
I'm not a kid no more,
and I got what it takes to do these tags.
[gunshot]
Oh, yeah.
-[thud] -Oh.
With his expert marksmanship,
Little Willie pulls his family across the finish line
with a day to spare in gator season.
I'm proving to everybody and showing everybody
that I got what it takes to do this on my own.
I can put these tags on big alligators
just like I could with anybody else.
Over in the hot springs,
Joey and Zak are on their last tag,
but they too are out of lines to run.
One gator left. Let's go hunt, pop.
We're fixing to tag out. One more.
We don't have any lines left
in the hot springs, but we not giving up.
I got a secret weapon.
It's Zak Catchem.
Let's tag out. Let's get it done.
Oh, there he is.
To the right, to the right.
Actually go straight and then kill it.
All right.
Go straight more.
Look at the size of that thing.
All right, kill it.
-That's a gator. -Yeah, buddy.
-That's him. -Yeah, buddy.
There he is, buddy.
That is a big one.
All right, pa.
Look at the bubbles on that thing!
He got you wrapped or no?
No, we're good, we're good.
I hope you're ready.
-This is about to be a fight. -Talk about strong.
This is a big alligator. [laughs]
I got him, I got him.
-You got him? -Yeah.
That's all you, that's all you, that's all you.
Yeah, hold on right there, hold on to the front
of the boat. Bring him up.
Oh, my God, it's a monster!
-Hold on. -I got you, buddy.
Oh, my God! Oh, my God!
Pop, hold on, pop. That's all you, baby!
Damn, watch out!
Hold on, pop! You good? Hold on.
Oh, my God.
He slapped the sense into you.
Let's see if we can see where his head is at.
-Gotcha. -Aah!
Whoa! I got it with the second hook.
He's right here.
-Look at his head. -Shoot!
Oh, my God.
[laughs]
We almost lost our lives.
He grabbed the whole boat.
Thing almost got my foot.
Ain't no shame in my game. He scared me.
All right, Joey. One, two.
God.
This 11-foot hot springs giant
is one of the biggest of the season
and an unforgettable way for Joey and Zak to tag out.
[straining]
That's the one, son.
Tag out gator.
It don't get no finer.
Tagging out at the end of the season, you know,
especially the way we did this year,
I mean, I know I did my part for the Edgars
and I'm really happy to bring what I do out here.
You know, I feel like family.
I've been doing this with them for so long.
You know, we're as close as family can get.
So it takes a lot of pressure off of even me,
and they're not even my tags.
Give me some skin. You deserve it.
Broke everything, broke everything including your face.
Slapped the smile off you. [laughs]
To tag out on a day with a cold front like this,
when alligators disappear,
thank God Daddy let us come to the hot springs.
This has been one of the most difficult times
I ever had tagging out,
and the hot springs saved the season for me.
Hot springs, baby.
Big alligator and an ass whipping.
What a way to finish the season.
Over at Duffy's,
while Ashley and Anna are unloading their final haul
after tagging out a day early,
other hunters still have plenty of tags to fill,
including her old captain
and business partner over the last two seasons.
Ash, let me talk to you for a minute.
I know you tagged out today, but I really need your help.
I'm in a little predicament.
With the last day coming up on us, I got 25 tags.
I really-- it'd be awesome if I could get you
to help me with, like, ten tags.
I really wanna help Timmy out.
If we turn in any tags left,
that he's gonna-- might-- could lose the lease next year.
I think we could do 15
if you... could help me out with ten, just ten.
I finally got the satisfaction of tagging out,
but I see Ronnie at Duffy's, and he needs my help.
I owe it to Ronnie to help him,
but there are some stipulations this time.
I just really think that I should be 50/50 partner.
I mean, I really have worked hard.
I'm here early every time you get here.
I got my lines ran. I've done everything,
and you know I'm killing it out there.
Not only is it financially better
for me to be an equal partner with Ronnie,
but I've earned my spot here.
I do everything that a good gator hunter needs to do,
and, you know, I deserve this chance.
Absolutely. I'll do 50/50 with you.
-You'll do 50/50? -Absolutely.
Come on in here, Ronnie.
Absolutely. I need some big ass gators now.
-Okay. -All right, baby.
All right, Ronnie, you're welcome.
Thank you. I miss you, baby.
-Thank you. I miss you. -Yes, indeed.
Back at St. Mary's Seafood...
Oh, Lord, y'all ready?
The Edgar family has gathered together
to celebrate another successful season,
and Joey's cooking up
his famous rabbit and white bean stew.
Oh, Lord.
-I know that's organic. -Whoo!
Oh, my God.
Dude, that naughty weight.
I'll serve you, Daddy. Give me that.
-Oh, yes, thank you. -I'll serve you.
With the season over,
Joey reflects on another season spent alongside his father.
This was definitely a year that was growth for all of us.
You know, for me getting more hunting territory,
for him passing some of it on,
Zak and Dorien doing their part, it was just a great deal.
It's just family, you know.
It was awesome, you know.
We looking forward to next year.
Have to be thankful that we're all here healthy.
To be able to do this, accomplish what we did,
the highs and the lows,
and then to sit down together and eat a meal like this.
-Yeah, God is good, man. -Thank y'all.
What goes through my mind a lot
is handing the reins over a little more
to Joey and Dorien
in case something happens to me.
As parents, we all get to this spot.
I'm very healthy,
but my luck could run out at any time.
You know, I am so proud of you, dad.
-Mm-hmm. -You're the leader.
You're gonna have to keep all this together.
Everybody's gonna look up to you.
You know, spending time with Dad right now
is very important, I mean...
we only have so much time left.
He's 74 years old.
We may not always be able to do what we doing.
Spending time killing alligators,
that's something we shared special and time while we can.
And we look forward to doing it again next year.
We're gonna get all we can get, I can tell you that.
-Salud, Dad, thank you. -Salud.
-Toast to y'all, guys. -Thank you.
It's all good.