Pickle Wheat, born Cheyenne Nicole Wheat in 1995, grew up in the heart of Louisiana’s swamp country, destined for a life shaped by both hardship and resilience.

Her early days were marked by natural disasters—floods and storms battered her hometown, and her family’s trailer was evacuated multiple times before she was even six months old. Her father, Eddie Wheat, a third-generation alligator hunter, once navigated chest-deep floodwaters just to get Pickle’s mother to the hospital for her birth—a sign of the wild life to come.

The nickname “Pickle” stuck after a near-tragic childhood incident. At four, she ate an entire gallon of pickles, causing a medical emergency that nearly took her life.

From then on, her family joked the swamp tried to kill her with pickles before the gators ever got the chance. Survival, it seemed, ran in her blood. Her great-grandfather Bo, a legendary gator hunter, lost a finger to an alligator but kept hunting, his severed digit preserved in moonshine as a family trophy.

Pickle’s childhood was anything but ordinary. She learned to bait hooks, identify dangerous snakes, and navigate the bayou with her father and brother, missing school during hunting season but mastering the skills that would one day make her famous. By 16, she was already an accomplished hunter, taking down an 8-foot gator with a crossbow.

Her determination and skill set her apart, and she quickly became a leader in her family’s duck and turkey call business, eventually teaching over 150 hunters how to use the calls she handcrafted.

Tragedy and adversity were never far away. Pickle survived a capsized boat as a baby, a near-drowning at 17, and the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, which destroyed her family’s home and business. Through it all, she became even more determined, helping rebuild and innovate her family’s business, Wheat’s Custom Calls.

Pickle’s big break came in 2021 when she joined the cast of Swamp People at just 25, the youngest person ever on the show. Her partnership with Troy Landry, the “King of the Swamp,” and her relationship with his son, Chase, brought new energy and drama to the series. Fans loved her authenticity, toughness, and skill—she wasn’t just a sidekick or a love interest, but a true hunter in her own right.

Off-camera, Pickle’s life was just as eventful. After a breakup with Chase, she found love with Joshua Kippus, a New Orleans EMT, whom she met during a hunting accident. They married in 2024 and now have two children.

Despite rumors, on-set confrontations, and the pressures of fame, Pickle remained true to herself, fiercely defending her family and her role in the swamp.

Today, Pickle Wheat is not only one of the most recognizable faces on Swamp People, but also a successful businesswoman and mother. Her story is one of grit, survival, and breaking barriers for women in the world of alligator hunting. She’s built a legacy—one forged in the wilds of the Louisiana bayou, where every day is a testament to her strength and spirit.