Swamp People star charged in alligator hunting sting operation

Troy Landry allegedly did not have the proper alligator tags to hunt in that area of Louisiana

Troy Landry (Getty Images)

Swamp People star Troy Landry has been cited and charged with two counts of “failing to tag an alligator upon taking,” according to a Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries incident report.

Landry rose to fame as a cast member on the History Channel reality series, which follows a group of alligator hunters in the swamp region of Louisiana.

The well-known alligator hunter, 64, is said to have been discovered hunting without the proper alligator tags in Lake Palourde, located in St Mary Parish, per local news station WAFB.

Issued by the LDWF, the alligator tags are required for licensed hunters to harvest alligators in the state and are property-specific. The number of tags issued is based on the number of alligators estimated to be in that particular area. The tags must remain affixed to the alligator until it’s processed.

The report states that the department initially received a tip about a group of individuals hunting in the area without proper hunting permits.

Last month, two agents were sent out to stake the area where they are reported to have seen Landry and two other people, including “an unidentified cameraman,” show up to the area by boat.

Troy Landry is alleged to have been hunting alligators without the proper tags for the area (Getty Images)

The agents later discovered that Landry did, in fact, have a hunting permit for the property but allegedly did not have the correct alligator tags for the area.

“Mr Landry also admitted that prior to the agents making contact with him, he cut a dead ‘stiff’ alligator loose from his line and let it float away,” the report states.

It adds that the agents found the dead alligator floating in the water “with the same line hanging from its mouth as the rest of Mr Landry’s lines.”

He has been hit with two citations that each carry a potential fine of up to $950 and up to 120 days in prison: one for improperly tagging an alligator and the other for the dead alligator.

Speaking to WAFB, Landry said he had “nothing to say” about the charges. “I got a speeding ticket also last month but I have nothing to say about it,” he added.

The Independent has contacted the History Channel for comment.

Nicknamed “King of the Swamp,” Landry “consistently fills more tags than any swamper in Louisiana,” his network bio reads.

“As the son of a fisherman and seafood distributor, Troy has gator hunting in his blood,” it adds. “Together with his sons, Jacob and Chase, and a host of family and friends, the Landry gang runs an armada of boats each season to help control the gator population.”