by Wesley Harris
Stars of the hit History Channel series Swamp People will bring tales from Louisiana’s swamps—and a message about protecting the state’s natural resources—to the north Louisiana soon. .
Bruce Mitchell, known to fans as “The Alligator Man,” and Anna Ribbeck, better known as “Anna the Archer,” will appear at the Claiborne Parish Library from 6 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, the evening before Claiborne Parish’s Louisiana Legends Fest.
Mitchell and Ribbeck are known for hunting alligators and other game, but their work in the outdoors goes beyond the hunt. Both are committed to conservation, following game and fish laws, and encouraging responsible use of Louisiana’s natural resources.
During their visit, the pair will share stories from their hunting experiences and discuss the role hunters and outdoorsmen and all citizens play in preserving Louisiana as a sportsman’s paradise.
The special event is sponsored by the library and Claiborne Aware in partnership with Claiborne Memorial Medical Center and Claiborne Healthcare Foundation.
Mitchell, one of the best-known personalities in Swamp People history, grew up in Ponchatoula and began hunting alligators as a boy. A veteran outdoorsman, he has spent decades hunting, fishing, and processing his own alligator harvests. He has appeared on Swamp People since the show’s early years and remains a fan favorite for his humor, practical knowledge, and love of Louisiana’s outdoor traditions.
Ribbeck, a South Louisiana native and accomplished archer and bow hunter, is known for hunting alligators, deer, turkey, and nutria. Her efforts to harvest nutria also connect hunting with coastal conservation, as the invasive rodents damage Louisiana’s marshes by destroying the vegetation that helps hold the wetlands together.
For Ribbeck, the October appearance will mark a return to the Claiborne Parish Library.
In 2022, before she became a Swamp People star, Ribbeck conducted an archery program at the library for youth and adults. At the time, she worked as a media specialist for the LSU AgCenter. Her growing reputation as “Anna the Archer” and her passion for hunting eventually connected her with members of the Swamp People cast, leading to a place on the popular television series.
Now Mitchell and Ribbeck hunt together on the show, combining the experience of a veteran alligator hunter with Ribbeck’s skill as an archer and outdoorswoman.
Their Claiborne Parish Library appearance will offer fans a chance to hear firsthand about life in Louisiana’s swamps, the threat of invasive species, and the responsibility sportsmen share in conserving the state’s wildlife and natural resources for future generations.
