Page 38 - Winter 2022
P. 38
s| ANIMALIA
Age is no obstacle for
82-year-old alligator hunter
By Nancy Hansford
Families go fishing because it is a relaxing way to spend time together. Alligator hunting, on the other hand, is anything but leisurely.
However, this intimidating activity did not discourage my mother, Kelly Hansford, from planning an unforgettable trip to the Louisiana swamps for her 82-year-old father, Roy Holmes.
Two years earlier, my family surprised my grandfather, Roy, with a trip to Louisiana to tour the swamps with one of the sons from the History Channel show, “Swamp People.” The show is
about the Landry family and others who have been hunting alligators in Louisiana for their whole life.
During our tour of the swamp, we also had the pleasure of meeting Troy, my grandfather’s favorite character on the show. My grandfather’s eyes lit up as Troy and Jacob shared stories of their hunts and showed us their collection of taxidermied gators. Before we knew it, my grandfather decided that he, too, wanted to hunt alligators.
A guide offers alligator hunting trips on the Atchafalaya
At 82 years old, Roy Holmes still hunts alligators in the swamps of alligators alongside his daughter, Kelly Hansford.
PAGE 36 | OCONEE THE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2022
Courtesy Hansford family
