Whatever Happened To Liz Cavalier From Swamp People?

The Gator Queen, Liz Cavalier, took History Channel's "Swamp People" by storm as one of the very few women who have made a career of alligator hunting. After joining the show during its second season as part of the iconic and memorable Troy Landry's crew, Liz quickly proved that her knowledge and experience, as well as the decades she had spent navigating the twisting waterways of Southern Louisiana and going head to head with the swamp's apex predator, made her a force to be reckoned with. Liz a fan favorite due to her presence in the male-dominated field, with female hunters like herself and fellow "Swamp People" star Ashley Jones making up only a fraction of those licensed to hunt alligators in the state. Nevertheless, Liz proved herself to be objectively and incredibly skilled at her craft despite doubts that she couldn't hang with the big boys in such a dangerous line of work. 

Liz left the show under unideal circumstances, and fans were devastated to learn that her time as a cast member had ended. With the height of her TV fame behind her, Liz didn't crumble with shame; instead, she proudly returned to the way of life that had brought her fulfillment and joy even before the cameras and production crews became a part of her job. In the years since being a member of the "Swamp People" cast, it would seem that fame hasn't altered her life much – she is still out on the water, doing what she loves most while engaging with her community and keeping in touch with her Cajun heritage.

Liz Cavalier left "Swamp People" after production restructured the cast after Season 6. Her split from the History Channel — home of other popular shows like "Pawn Stars" and "Ice Road Truckers" — was contentious to say the least, with Liz taking to Facebook to announce her departure from the show, writing, "Due to unknown reasons by the production company ... my family and myself ... will no longer be participating in the Swamp People series, starting with season 7. It saddens me to know that our fans are the ones who will suffer from these unexplained actions by the new management of this production company." Liz continued, telling her fans, "We will continue with our regular lives and hope to stay connected with all of you in the future."

The production company reportedly issue with Liz's phrasing and urged her to take the post down; however, Liz is not one to go down without a fight. Instead of complying with the production company's request, she made another, more venomous post in response. "I was just informed ... these people want me to remove my post, KISS MY A**, how you like that post !!!" She went on to add, "I was told they had a lot of nasty phone call and complaints, well these people call this business, well I'm different, I wear my heart on my sleeve and I will die that way, my family and my heritage stays alive always, until I die, I will not stop posting."

Liz Cavalier was born and raised in Pierre Part, Louisiana, a small town about 30 miles south of the state's capital of Baton Rouge. However, after her marriage to Justin Choate in 2010, Liz moved about 120 miles west to Pecan Island, an even smaller community of about 300 residents.

While many people outside of Louisiana might classify the whole state under the umbrella of "Cajun Country," there are distinct cultural and geographical regions within that classification. For example, Pecan Island is located near the heart of a part of the state known as Acadiana, which encapsulates the south-central region of the state as far east as St. Mary Parish and as far west as Vermillion Parish. Conversely, Pierre Part is part of Southeastern Louisiana, which goes from Assumption Parish to Jefferson Parish from east to west. Though the differences in culture and traditions may be subtle, perhaps even undetectable to some, Liz's move likely came with some adjustments — and a two-hour commute to her favorite gator hunting grounds.

Despite the distance between her old home and her new one, she maintains her relationships with her friends and family in Pierre Part, including fellow 'Swamp People' star, Troy Landry.

Hunting alligators has been a part of Liz Cavalier's life since infancy. In an interview with Queen Latifah in 2014, she explained that she doesn't just hunt alligators for fun; it is the way she makes her living and a way for her to share important traditions to her family. She revealed that while alligator hunting is a part of Louisiana history, it's also a part of her personal history. "My mama was giving me bottles in the boat," she told Queen Latifah, referencing how deeply ingrained alligator hunting is in her character and lived experience. 

A connection that profound isn't something that goes away when the cameras stop rolling and the TV show paychecks stop coming in. Alligator hunting is still primarily how Liz supports herself and her family, and her skills haven't waned since she bid History Channel goodbye. Each September, during that narrow window of time when the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries opens up alligator season, Liz and her husband hit the bayou to score bountiful boatloads of their prized catches. However, alligators aren't the only species that should keep an eye out for Liz. She also hunts deer in the autumn months as well as nutria (a semiaquatic rodent known as one of Louisiana's peskiest nuisances) and ducks.

Since Liz Cavalier garnered a bit of fame through her stint on "Swamp People," she has taken the opportunity to capitalize on some of that notoriety and made some savvy business decisions. One of these ventures is facilitating guided alligator hunts for those who want a taste of the action they've seen on the show. Others who want to dive into a historically significant aspect of Louisiana's rich culture beyond a guided alligator tour (which is how Lana Del Rey met her husband!) will love this adventure.

As summer draws to a close each year, Liz advertises her guided alligator hunts on her official Facebook page, offering up open dates for brave and daring souls to book a trip DTB (down the bayou). These hunts allow tourists, hunters, and enthusiasts to get up close and personal with the wildlife native to coastal Louisiana, learn about conservation efforts, strict hunting laws, and the delicate ecological balance that alligator hunters strive to preserve. It also offers thoughtful insight into the lives and personal histories of seasoned hunters, a chance to see Liz in her element, and the thrill of a lifetime. If these amateur hunters are lucky, they could leave with some tasty alligator meat.

Liz Cavalier has suffered through heartbreaking personal losses both during her time on "Swamp People" and after. From losing her father and her daughter, Jessica Cavalier's longtime struggle with substance abuse, which strained their relationship, she has come to understand that it is a privilege to be able to spend quality time with family. Since leaving the show, she has recommitted herself to her family and frequently shares special, heartfelt moments with them on social media. Just like many other family-centric people on Facebook, Liz sees the beauty in the special occasions and the day-to-day happenings of family life.

Her granddaughter, Bella, is one of the most featured family members on her Facebook, and it is clear that she and Liz spend a great amount of time together. From alligator, duck, and deer hunts to trips to the movie theater and casual smiling pictures on the porch of Liz's Pecan Island home, Liz undoubtedly cherishes her relationship with Bella and is eager to share their memories with the world.

Aside from Bella, Liz has shared heartfelt posts about her daughter, Jessica, and the strides she has taken toward recovery. She has also shared posts praising the accomplishments of her son, Daimon Choate, as well as memories of her son, Destin Choate, and husband, Justin Choate on Facebook. She has also shared fond moments of her time with her father, CJ Dupre, who taught her everything she knows about hunting alligators.

Though Liz Cavalier is primarily known for her skill and career as an alligator hunter, she has shown that she has other talents as well. In the years following her departure from "Swamp People," Liz cultivated a talent for creating decorative door wreaths, which are exceptionally popular in the South. These wreaths are made by artfully arranging colorful ribbons over a wire frame and fastening decorations such as artificial flowers and foliage, beads, ornaments, and even small figurines or toys to it. The finished product is a fun, flamboyant piece of art to hang on one's front door.

In many instances, these wreaths are crafted with seasonal or holiday themes in mind, and Liz's are no exception. She has featured a large Mardi Gras themed piece that included a full-sized mask and patterned ribbons that featured the iconic Mardi Gras color combo of purple, green, and gold on her official Facebook page and noted that the piece was available for purchase. She has also shared autumn, summer, and Christmas themed wreathes, as well as some that feature more universal floral arrangements that are appropriate for longer stretches of the year.

This display of creative skill has earned her thousands of likes and tons of compliments from her fans. In the comments section of a post listing two floral wreaths for sale, one fan wrote, "They are beautiful!! I miss seeing you wrangling gators!! ... You can go hook gators and then come home and make a wreath! That is talent!!"

In a surprising turn of events, given her unpleasant initial parting from the "Swamp People" cast in 2015 and all the subsequent social media drama, Liz Cavalier made a brief return to the show in 2021 for one more season.

In February of 2021, Liz shared a Facebook post promoting the premiere of "Swamp People" Season 12, a sharp shift in attitude from her scorched-earth critique of the show's production company six years prior. The shared post from the "Swamp People on History" Facebook page received thousands of likes from her fans who were excited to see her on screen again with some noting that they had stopped watching the show altogether after she left and were excited to get back into the franchise.

On screen, Liz displayed the familiar prowess that had garnered her so much praise and recognition in earlier seasons, and she seemed just as focused as ever on her craft. However, once Season 12 ended, she was gone just as quickly as she had come. Her second departure occurred without the drama and ire of her first, in fact, she didn't acknowledge her presence on the show on her "Gator Queen Liz" Facebook page again until April of 2021 when she shared one of her own posts from her personal Facebook account in which she shared screenshots from the show that featured her son, Destin. After the season ended, she didn't make any comments about not being invited back for season 13, and she returned to business as usual, or at least, as usual as it had been for the last six years.

In the wake of her History Channel stardom, Liz Cavalier has leaned into the wholesome hobby of gardening at her home on Pecan Island. Though starting a gardening is a great activity for one's mental health, it also helps people reconnect with nature and promote self-sustainability. And for Liz, it helps her honor her Cajun heritage, as growing one's own food has deep roots (pun intended) in the social and culinary traditions of Louisiana.

Liz's garden boasts produce commonly found growing across the state, including plentiful green bell peppers, yellow squash, and cucumbers. In true proud gardener fashion, Liz occasionally posts her bountiful harvests on Facebook, displaying dozens of gorgeous veggies for the admiration of her loyal fans and friends. These posts garner praise and envy online with one commenter saying, "Dang! That [Pecan Island] dirt is rich!" and about 70 others commending her gardening skills or jokingly requesting that she send some their way so they can prepare some iconic Cajun dishes, such as stuffed bell peppers. Though Liz isn't known to offer gardening tips, her posts still encourage her fans to give the hobby a try. 

Her posts don't only serve as a means by which Liz can show off her own skills, since her followers across the United States share their own gardening conquests and woes in the comments, promoting community through their shared interest. The engagement is even more plentiful when Liz shares photos of her harvests on her official "Gator Queen Liz" Facebook page, racking in thousands of likes and hundreds of comments from fans.