2007 Louisiana Resident-Game Seasons
DEER
A voluntary tagging program is in effect for the 2007-2008 season. All hunters can, but are not required to, complete tagging program information when taking deer, then file the information with the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries or report taking deer on the LDWF Wed site: ww.wlf.louisiana.gov.
Daily limit is 1 antlered and 1 antlerless deer when legal on all private lands, some National Forest lands and designated federal lands/refuges. 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 – 2007-2008 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 parishes with 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 bag 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 20-gauge shotgun loaded only with slugs during the muzzleloader season in each area.
The state is divided into 8 areas for the deer-hunting seasons:
AREA 1: Nov. 10-16 & Jan. 21-27 (muzzleloader-only still hunt, either sex); Nov. 17-Dec. 7 & Jan. 7-20 (still hunt only); Dec. 8-Jan. 6 (with/without dogs).
AREA 2: Oct. 20-26 & Jan. 14-20 (muzzleloader-only still hunt, either sex); Oct. 27-Dec. 4 (still hunt only); Dec. 5-Jan. 13 (with/without dogs).
AREA 3: Oct. 13-19 & Nov. 26-30 (muzzleloader-only still hunt, either sex); Oct. 20-Nov. 25 & Dec. 1-Jan. 6 (still hunt only).
AREA 4: Nov. 3-9 & Jan. 7-14 (muzzleloader-only still hunt, either sex); Nov. 10-Jan. 6 (still hunt only).
AREA 5: Nov. 10-16 & Dec. 26-Jan. 1 (muzzleloader-only still hunt, bucks only); Nov. 23-Dec. 9 (still hunt only).
AREA 6: Nov. 10-16 & Jan. 21-27 (muzzleloader-only still hunt, either sex); Nov. 17-Dec. 7 (still hunt only); Dec. 8-Jan. 20 (with/without dogs).
AREA 7: Oct. 13-19 & Nov. 3-9 (muzzleloader-only still hunt, either sex); Oct. 20-Nov. 2 & Nov. 10-25 (still hunt only); Nov. 26-Dec. 30 (with/without dogs).
AREA 8: Oct. 13-19 & Nov. 26-30 (muzzleloader-only still hunt, either sex); Oct. 20-Nov. 25 (still hunt only); Dec. 1-Jan. 6 (with/without dogs).
Archery Seasons
Sept. 15-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. Bowhunters must conform to bucks-only take in areas where a bucks-only season is open for gun hunters.
EITHER-SEX HUNTING AREAS/DATES
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 15 and younger. Young hunters must be accompanied by an adult 18 or older. Adult cannot have a firearm and must maintain visual and voice contact with the young hunter. Only one young hunter per accompanying adult.
HANDICAPPED HUNTS
Restricted to holders of Louisiana Physically Challenged Hunter permits.
SHOOTING PRESERVES
Whitetail deer: Oct. 1-Jan. 31 by archery, modern firearms & muzzleloader.
Exotic animals: Either sec, no close season.
Tags
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.
RESIDENT GAME AND BIRDS
SHOOTING HOURS
One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Exceptions to these shooting hours apply for hunting on most wildlife management areas and national wildlife refuges. Consult the 2007-2008 Louisiana Hunting and Wildlife Management Area Regulations for specific rules on these public lands.
SEASONS
Statewide: Oct. 6-Feb. 29.
Daily limit is 8. Possession limit is 16 after opening day.
Statewide: Oct. 6-Feb. 29 & May 3-25.
The May 3-25 season is open on all private lands statewide, but is closed on the KisatchieNational Forest, all national wildlife refures, Army Corps of Engineers property and most wildlife management areas.
WMA season: May 3-11, on Bodcau, Boeuf, Clear Creek, Little River, Maurepas Swamp-East Tract, Russell Sage, Sherburne WMAs.
Daily limit is 8. Possession limit is 16 after opening day.
Statewide: Nov. 17-Feb. 29
Daily limit is 10. Possession limit is 20 after opening day.
Licensed commercial hunting preserves: Statewide, Oct. 1-April 30. Pen-raised birds only . No daily nor possession limits.
Statewide: Sept. 1-Feb. 29.
Daily limit is 5. Pelting or selling of carcasses is illegal except when taken by a licensed trapper during the trapping season. Steel shot mandated for shotguns. Hunters must remove carcass in “whole” condition from the hunting area, except that the nutria can be field dressed.
OTHER SPECIES
No closed season. Both species can be taken at night by one or more licensed hunters with one or more dogs and one 22 caliber rimfire firearm. A licensed hunter can take both species with a .22 rimfire rifle, .36 caliber or small muzzleloader rifle or shotgun during daylight hours during the open rabbit season. Hunting from boats or motor vehicles is prohibited. There is no daily limit for either or both species during the open trapping season, except on certain WMAs. For the rest of the year, the bag limit is one per person day or night. No one can pelt these two species during the closed trapping season. Pelting and selling carcasses of these two species is allowed for hunters having a trapper’s license and a basic hunting license.
Year-round season on private property only. Not open on public lands. Limit is one per year. Limited to holders of state big-game licenses. Take by bow and arrow, shotgun, muzzleloader or centerfire firearm.
Statewide: Sept. 1-Jan. 1.
No limit.
Crows, blackbirds, cowbirds & grackles can be taken year round during legal shooting hours is these species are “depredating or about to depredate upon ornamental or shade trees, agricultural crops, livestock, wildlife or when concentrated in such numbers as to cause a health hazard.”
Protected species. Can be taken by licensed trappers only during the trapping season.
Legally licensed hunters can take coyotes, unmarked hogs (where legal) and armadillos all year during legal shooting hours. Running coyotes with dogs is prohibited during the turkey season. Coyote hunting is restricted to “chase only” when using dogs during still hunting seasons for deer.
State law allows landowners or their designees to remove beaver and nutria causing damage to their property without a specific permit. See specific rules in Louisiana Hunting Regulations pamphlet.
OTHER REGULATIONS
Allowed:
Prohibited:
ENDANGERED SPECIES
Taking or harassment of any of these Endangered or Threatened species is a violation of federal law: Louisiana black bear, Louisiana pearl shell mussel, sea turtles, gopher tortoise, ringed sawback turtle, brown pelican, peregrine falcon, whooping crane, Eskimo curlew, piping plover, interior least tern, ivory-billed woodpecker, red-cockaded woodpecker, Bachman’s warbler, West Indian manatee, Florida panther, pallid sturgeon, gulf sturgeon, Attwater’s greater prairie chicken, whales and red wolf.
NEW FOR 2007-2008
State regulations require all hunters 11 years old and younger must be accompanied in the field by an adult.
The adult must be 18 years old or older and have a valid hunting license or have a certificate indicating successful completion of a Louisiana-approved Hunter Education Course.
The adult also must be within “normal audible voice proximity and in direct line of sight of the younger hunter at all times.”
Although care has been taken to assure the accuracy of these regulations, hunters should refer to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ hunting and waterfowl pamphlets to confirm date, regulations, area/zone descriptions and regulations and dates for wildlife management areas. Maps of WMAs and national wildlife preserves are available at LDWF district offices.
