Ashley Jones is one of Swamp People’s most successful stars, but she had almost no experience alligator hunting before she signed on to do the show.
There is a subset of people for whom spending all day hunting in the dangerous, alligator-infested waters of the swamps near the Atchafalaya River Basin sounds like an absolute dream come true.
And when you add to this all the glitz, glamour and notoriety of being a reality television star on one of the most popular networks on television – being cast on History’s Swamp People does not sound too bad at all.
Ashley Jones’ Swamp People journey
However, while the stars of Swamp People clearly love what they do, this does not make their lives any easier.
Ashley Jones is one of the show’s newest additions, who first joined the cast in season 10 (2019).
But while Ashley has now become one of Swamp People’s brightest stars, this accomplished hunter has revealed that her road to Swamp People fame was not exactly smooth.
Ashley’s Swamp People appearances
Before we discuss how Ashley got to be one of Swamp People’s most popular cast members, we should examine just how far she has come since her very first appearance in 2019.
When Ashley first joined the show in season 10, she joined Ronnie as his partner on his boat. However, now, about six seasons later – Ashley is a gator-hunting expert in her own right and is the captain of her own boat.
Ashley’s incredible, five-year, five-season and over 70-episode Swamp People run (so far) can be outlined as follows:
| Season | Premiere date | Finale date |
| Season 10 | January 31, 2019 | May 23, 2019 |
| Season 11 | January 23, 2020 | April 16, 2020 |
| Season 12 | February 4, 2021 | May 27, 2021 |
| Season 13 | January 27, 2022 | May 19, 2022 |
| Season 14 | January 5, 2023 | April 27, 2023 |
| Season 15 | January 4, 2024 | April 25, 2024 |
How Ashley got on Swamp People
While the cast of Swamp People has certainly become favorites among the show’s fans, the show does not often delve into the personal lives of its stars. However, Ashley has very openly shared her story through the years.
According to Ashley, she fell into a hormone-induced depression after suffering a miscarriage several years ago.
And her husband’s suggestion that she join him for a hunting trip, was the only thing that managed to pull her out of her depressive state.
A few years later, Ashley signed on to join Swamp People’s Ronnie for one of his wild-hog hunts via Facebook. Ashley’s skills impressed Ronnie so much that he approached the Swamp People producers about getting her on the show.
Ronnie is also the one that gave her the “Dead-Eye” nickname (after witnessing her deadly skill as a hunter), which she still proudly uses to this day.
The rest is history, and now Ashley is well-known for being one of the most popular cast members in the ever-expanding Swamp People franchise.
What Ashley does when she is not filming for Swamp People
Hunting for alligators and other reptiles in Louisiana’s swamplands is certainly very hard work.
But, while Ashley can usually be found knee-deep in these dangerous waters during filming season, it looks like her off seasons are considerably calmer.
According to this post from Ashley’s Instagram page, her favorite thing to do during the off season is to spend time with her husband and children.
But if you have followed Ashley for a long time, you will likely know that taking it slow does not necessarily mean ‘less hunting’ for this reality star. In fact, she recently took a family hunting trip to Osceola to celebrate her husband’s 50th birthday.
Is Ashley leaving the Swamp People franchise?
In case you did not know, Ashley’s impressive skill and bubbly personality has now not only made her a Swamp People fan-favorite, but has also landed her a starring role on the show’s spin-off series, Swamp People: Serpent Invasion.
Right now, it seems like there is still no concrete news about renewals for either of these shows. However, in the meantime, Ashley has decided to expand her already-expansive repertoire of skills.
If being a wife, mother alligator hunter, serpent wrangler, and reality show star were not enough, Ashley is also getting ready to take her board exams soon, and she will then be able to add “real estate agent,” to her list of far-reaching qualifications and skills.
She has not yet explained what this new title will mean for her role on the show moving forward, but fans can rest assured for now, knowing that she has not announced any official departure from the show just yet.
