Hunters fight to capture wounded gator in 'Swamp People' Season 4 premiere [Exclusive video]

It's almost gator season once again, and the hunters on "Swamp People" are ready to battle for the bayou's reptilian game. Looks like it's going to be one tough year: The waters will be more crowded than ever with new, determined alligator hunters hell-bent on giving the Atchafalaya Basin Swamp veterans a run for their money. To make matters worse, Hurricane Isaac left behind extensive fish kills, flooded grounds, and gators who won't take the bait.

[Related: New 'predators' invade the waters in 'Swamp People' Season 4 preview clip]

In this exclusive sneak peek at Thursday's Season 4 premiere episode, "Swamp Invaders," R.J. Molinere and his sharpshooter son, Jay Paul, are locked in an intense struggle to capture a gator that they've shot and wounded in an isolated canal. R.J., a Native American, refuses to lose an animal that he's already injured, saying, "Whenever you shoot an alligator and you hit 'em, the way I was brought up, you better get that alligator. We don't believe in shooting something and leaving it to waste."

[Related: 'Swamp People' cast member Mitchell Guist dies]

Jay Paul tries to hook him, but the gator breaks away. R.J. then seems to have a grasp of the flailing reptile and asks his son to grab the gun so they can finish what they've started. When the alligator keeps disappearing under the boat, it's clear that the men are having a tough time getting a clear shot. In the heat of the moment, Jay Paul makes an impetuous decision and jumps into the water in hopes of wrangling the gator.

To find out if Jay Paul makes it out of the swamp with his limbs intact, tune in to the Season 4 premiere of "Swamp People" on Thursday, 2/14, at 9 PM on History.