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GO Advocate eEdition Public/Legal Notices Legislature Acts

Friday, November 20, 2009

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OUTDOORS

Deer Hunting Dates

A mandatory tagging program is in effect for the 2008-2009 season. All hunters, no matter their ages or licensing requirements, must complete the tagging program information when taking a deer. Within 72 hours of taking the deer, the required information must be filed with the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries via the LDWF Web site: www.wlf.louisiana.gov or by telephone (866) 484-4805.

The daily limit is 1 antlered and 1 antlerless deer when legal on all private lands, some National Forest lands and designated federal lands/refuges. The season limit is 3 antlered and 3 antlerless deer.

Wildlife Management areas, some National Forest lands and some federal refuges have either-sex days. Check Louisiana Hunting Regulations --2008-2009 for specific either-sex hunting dates on these areas. (Note: A four-point restriction for taking bucks applies to the Thistlethwaite WMA and the Corps of Engineers’ Indian Bayou Area only).

EXCEPTION: 1 antlered and 1 antlerless deer are allowed daily during period of either-sex days on private lands in East Carroll & West Carroll parishes, which have the state’s only either-sex seasons. Antlerless deer taken on Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) and Louisiana Antlerless Deer Tag (LADT) lands do not count in the season limit.

SEASONS

Gun Seasons

Taking deer with a muzzleloading weapon requires a special license — $10.50 for residents; $26 for nonresidents. A new regulation allows youth hunters (15 and younger) to take deer with a shotgun loaded only with slugs during muzzleloader seasons.

The state is divided into 8 areas for the deer-hunting seasons:

AREA 1: Nov. 8-14 & Jan. 19-25 (primitive firearms-still hunt only, either sex); Nov. 15-Dec. 5 & Jan. 5-18 (still hunt only); Dec. 6-Jan. 4 (with/without dogs).

AREA 2: Oct. 18-24 & Jan. 12-18 (primitive firearms-still hunt only, either sex); Oct. 25-Dec. 3 (still hunt only); Dec. 4-Jan. 11 (with/without dogs).

AREA 3: Oct. 11-17 & Dec. 1-5 (primitive firearms-still hunt only, either sex); Oct. 18-Nov. 30 & Dec. 6-Jan. 11 (still hunt only).

AREA 4: Nov. 1-7 & Jan. 5-12 (primitive firearms-still hunt only, either sex); Nov. 8-Jan. 4 (still hunt only).

AREA 5: Nov. 8-14 & Dec. 26-Jan. 1 (primitive firearms-still hunt only, bucks only); Nov. 28-Dec. 14 (still hunt only).

AREA 6: Nov. 8-14 & Jan. 19-25 (primitive firearms-still hunt only, either sex); Nov. 15-Dec. 5 (still hunt only); Dec. 6-Jan. 18 (with/without dogs).

AREA 7: Oct. 11-17 & Nov. 1-7 (primitive firearms-still hunt only, either sex); Oct. 18-31 & Nov. 8-30 (still hunt only); Dec. 1-Jan. 4 (with/without dogs).

AREA 8: Oct. 11-17 & Dec. 1-5 (primitive firearms-still hunt only, either sex); Oct. 18-Nov. 30 (still hunt only); Dec. 6-Jan. 11 (with/without dogs).

Archery Seasons

Sept. 20-Jan. 15 in Areas 3 & 8; Oct. 1-Jan. 31 in Areas 1, 2, 4, 5 & 7; Oct. 1-15 (bucks only) & Oct. 16-Feb. 15 in Area 6.

A special license — $10.50 for residents; $26 for nonresidents is required for bowhunters ages 16-59. Either-sex season, except where noted in Area 6. Spotted fawns cannot be taken.

EITHER-SEX HUNTING AREAS/DATES

East Carroll Parish (Area 4): Nov. 8-9, Nov. 28-30 in lands west of the mainline of the Mississippi River levee and north and west of La. 877 from the West Carroll Parish line to La. 580, then north of La. 580 to U.S. 65, then east to the Madison Parish line.

West Carroll Parish (Area 5): Nov. 28-30.

LICENSING

State law requires a Basic Hunting license and a Big Game license to “hunt, take, possess or cause to be transported” any deer. Resident fees: $15 for Basic and $14 for Big Game licenses. Nonresident fees: $300 for a season-long Basic/Big Game license and $175 for a 5-day combination license.

HUNTER SAFETY CERTIFICATE

Resident and nonresident hunters born after Sept. 1, 1969 must successfully complete a Hunter’s Safety Course and have a certificate of completion in order to purchase a hunting license and hunt with firearms. Exception: Any active or veteran of the U.S. armed services or any POST-certified law enforcement officer.

YOUTH-ONLY HUNTS

Open to ages 17 and younger accompanied by 18 or older adult. Adult cannot have a firearm and must maintain visual and voice contact with youth hunter. Only one young hunter per accompanying adult.

Private lands only. Either-sex hunts: Oct. 11-12 in Area 2; Oct. 25-26 in Areas 1, 4, 5 & 6 (Areas 3, 7 & 8 held Sept. 27-28).

Oct. 4-5, Oct. 11-12, Oct. 18-19, Oct. 25-26, Salvador-Timkin WMA

Oct. 11-12, Bodcau, Boeuf, Camp Beauregard, Jackson-Bienville, Ouachita, Sabine WMAs & National Catahoula, National Red Dirt wildlife management preserves

Oct. 18-19, Clear Creek, West Bay WMAs

Oct. 25-26, Attakapas, Big Lake, Buckhorn, Dewey Wills, Grassy Lake, Pomme de Terre, Russell Sage, Sherburne, Sicily Island Hills, Spring Bayou, Thistlethwaite (no antler restriction), Three Rivers WMAs & Corps of Engineers’ Indian

Bayou Area & Bonnet Carre Spillway (permit required)

Nov. 1-2, Bens Creek, Maurepas Swamp, Pearl River, Tunica Hills WMAs

Jan. 17-18, corps’ Indian Bayou Area

HANDICAPPED HUNTS

Restricted to holders of Louisiana Physically Challenged Hunter permits.

Oct. 4-5 statewide, private lands only.

Oct. 11-12, Nov. 1-2, Nov. 28-30, Alexander State Forest WMA

Oct. 11-12, Jackson-Bienville, Sabine WMAs

Oct. 18-19, West Bay WMA

Oct. 25-26, Dewey Wills, Russell Sage WMAs (restricted areas), Sherburne, Three Rivers WMAs & Corps of Engineers Indian Bayou Area

Oct. 25-26, Nov. 28-30, Dec. 6-7, Dec. 13-14, Dec. 27-Jan. 4, Buckhorn WMA

Nov. 1-2, Bens Creek WMA

Nov. 28-30 (either sex); Dec. 1-14 (bucks only) Big Colewa WMA

Jan. 17-18, corps’ Indian Bayou Area

NOTE: Several WMAs have regular seasons opened for handicapped hunters. Assess to specially constructed blinds are available by reservation only. Other WMAs have restricted access areas, while wheelchair-bound hunters and their attendants must reserve blinds for daily use. Consult Louisiana Hunting Regulations for specific rules.

shooting preserves

Whitetail deer: Oct. 1-Jan. 31 by archery, modern firearms & muzzleloader.Exotic animals: Either sex, no close season.

POSSESSION Tags

To transport game from field to home, state law requires “any part of the deer shall have affixed” to it the name, address and big-game license number of the person taking the deer along with the sex of the deer.

Positive evidence of sex identification, including the head, “shall remain on any deer taken or killed” within the state when the deer is kept in camp or in the field, or enroute to the home of the hunter (or the person in possession of the deer) until the hunter reaches home or the place where the deer will be processed into food.