LDWF approves new weapons for deer hunters

• By JOE MACALUSO
• Advocate Outdoors writer
• Published: Mar 7, 2008 - UPDATED: 7:02 a.m.

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Anticipating a move in the upcoming state Legislature’s regular session, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission approved amendments to regulations that would allow two new weapons for deer hunters at its monthly meeting Thursday in Baton Rouge.

The proposed moves to Louisiana Hunting Regulations changed terms from “muzzleloader” to “primitive weapons,” and from “bow and arrow” to “archery equipment.”

The amendments will clear the way for the Legislature to allow the increasingly popular .45-70 caliber rifles to be used by hunters during what previously were listed as “muzzleloader-only deer seasons,” and to approved crossbows for use by all hunters during the archery-for-deer seasons.

While the commission has the authority to establish and regulate hunting and fishing seasons, it does not have the power to approve types of gear — in this case weapons — user groups can use for hunting and fishing activities.

In presenting the amendments to regulations outlined for the commission earlier this year, State Wildlife Division biologist Scott Longman said the “primitive weapons” amendment was modeled after language Mississippi used to allow the .45-70 breech-loading rifles to be used in what was muzzleloader-only seasons.

The new rifle uses a cartridge loaded with blackpower. Modern firearms use cartridges loaded with pelletized powder.

In February, the LWFC approved the move to include crossbows for all deer hunters: It’s a weapon previously allowed for disabled hunters and hunters ages 60 and older.

Another amendment to the hunting regulations removed a portion of St. Helena Parish from “with or without dogs” deer season and made it a “still-hunt-only” season. The area was described as “north of La. 16 from the Tickfaw River at Montpilier, westward to La. 449, east and south of La. 449 from La. 16 at Pine Grove northward to Rohner Road, south of Rohner Road to La. 1045, south of La. 1045 to the Tickfaw River, west of the Tickfaw River from La. 1045 southward to La. 16 at Montpilier.”

Other amendments passed Thursday will allow hunters to use lead shot when hunting snipe — several public areas in the state restrict bird hunters to using nontoxic shot — allow permit-only trail rides with horses and mules on the Camp Beauregard Wildlife Management Area and removed a two-day physically challenged hunt at the same WMA on the second weekend in October.

The LWFC approved a Declaration of Emergency to change state regulations to match federal rules for the commercial and recreational take of red snapper.

For recreational anglers, the season will be reduced to June 1-Sept. 30 from what has been an April 21-Oct. 31 season, will cut the limit from four red snapper per day to two per day and will not allow charter skippers and their crews to take snapper while on a chartered fishing trip. Minimum size limits will continue to be 16 inches total length.

The change in the commercial season reduces the size limit from 15 inches to 13 inches.

The move also drops the recreational and commercial size limit on vermilion snapper from 11 inches to 10 inches and allows recreational take of 20 of the species as long as it does not exceed the 20-fish aggregate limit that includes vermilion and lane snapper, gray triggerfish, almaco jack and goldface, blackline, anchor and blueline tilefish.