What Really Happened to Pickle Wheat from Swamp People?

Pickle Wheat, born Cheyenne Nicole Wheat on September 21, 1995, in Poydras, St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, emerged as an unlikely star on *Swamp People* when she joined Troy Landry’s team in Season 12.

A fourth-generation alligator hunter with Isleno heritage—descendants of Canary Island settlers in Louisiana—she grew up immersed in the bayou’s wild traditions alongside her family, including parents Eddie and Missy, and brother Cody. Her childhood was steeped in hunting, with skills passed down from her father and grandfather, a revered machinist and knife maker.

Pickle’s grit and authenticity caught the eye of producers, transforming her from a family hunter into a television personality.

Initially, Pickle didn’t fit the stereotypical image of a gator hunter. Young and petite, carrying a pink gun case, Troy jokingly remarked she looked like a grade-schooler. Yet, at 25, she proved her mettle on her first day, helping land an 11-foot alligator with composure. Her bond with Troy, whom she nicknamed “Papa Troy,” was instant, marked by banter and mutual respect.

Throughout Season 12, she tackled monster gators like the infamous Freight Train and navigated treacherous swamps, showcasing endurance and leadership. By mid-season, Troy entrusted her with captaining the boat, a testament to her earned respect.

Subsequent seasons brought fiercer challenges. In Season 13, Hurricane Ida loomed, and Pickle raced against time with Troy to fill tags, hauling in massive gators under storm clouds. Her nerve held during intense moments, like wrangling a “tree shaker” gator. Later seasons saw near-death experiences, including a terrifying full-moon hunt where she fell into the water near a thrashing gator, her gun jamming at a critical moment. Despite fear and fatigue, Pickle’s resilience shone, though she swore off full-moon hunts thereafter.

Fans began questioning her whereabouts as her on-screen presence seemed to shift, but Pickle never truly left *Swamp People*. Personal milestones marked her journey off-camera. In November 2022, she and partner Joshua Kippes, an EMT, announced their first child.

Their daughter, Mei Ray, arrived on April 25, 2023. Pickle returned for Season 15 mere months later, wrangling 41 of 80 gators in a single day alongside Troy, proving motherhood hadn’t dulled her edge. Season 16 brought Hurricane Francine, and Pickle’s focus during urgent hunts remained unwavering, though she prioritized evacuating her family when danger peaked.

Her personal life blossomed further with her wedding to Joshua on September 21, 2024, by Louisiana’s Bell River, a deeply meaningful location. Weeks later, in October 2024, Pickle announced her second pregnancy via Instagram, humorously sharing her journey while hunting. On April 4, 2025, updates continued, reflecting her balance of swamp life and family.

Far from disappearing, Pickle Wheat remains a vital force on *Swamp People*, blending her fierce hunting legacy with new chapters of motherhood and marriage.