The effects of Katrina and Rita linger into this hunting season – both for the good and the bad.
One year after a hurricane hit each coastal corner of Louisiana like a blast from a double-barreled shotgun fired from the Gulf of Mexico, habitat and the wildlife that use it are the focus of biologists and hunters, particularly on areas that are open to the public.
The encouraging news is many wildlife management areas in Southeast Louisiana, which Hurricane Katrina devastated last August, and in Southwest Louisiana, where Hurricane Rita plowed across last September, are recovering, with some even showing promise of fair to good hunting this season for deer, squirrels, rabbits, doves and/or waterfowl.
But it hasn’t been easy for those who oversee the WMAs.
“Our workload has increased probably tenfold trying to recover,” said veteran biologist Todd Baker with the Fur and Refuge Division.
That extra work started in the days immediately after Hurricane Katrina hit when he and other state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries employees participated in search and rescue operations in and around New Orleans.
Since then, Baker has been trying to get hard-hit WMAs back on-line, get equipment working again, cleaning and repairing water-control structures that regulate water levels and salinities, and removing storm debris.
In Southwest Louisiana, John Robinette in Region 5 had to deal with the loss of department property as well as his own property in Iowa, which is east of Lake Charles.
“Here at the office we lost three buildings and it completely destroyed boat sheds over the water and a boat shed in the back,” Robinette said in mid-July.
At home, he lost the roof and everything but the wood of the second story of the house, he said. He’s still doing ceiling work in the interior.
Some WMAs were impacted severely. Animals affected in marshy areas of the southwest region were stressed even more because the marsh was slow to recover due to lack of rain in the spring and early summer, Robinette said.
On a related note concerning public land for hunting, the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge, the largest wildlife refuge in Southwest Louisiana, will remain closed throughout 2006 because tons of debris and hazardous materials still clog the marsh. The 124,500-acre refuge, a popular waterfowl destination, has been closed since the storm.
Refuge manager Terry Delaine said canals that crisscross the marsh are choked with matted grass and other debris, including hazardous material containers.
At one time, the debris field, which included houses, was six miles long, 16 feet deep and about a mile wide. It piled on the refuge as it hit higher ground.
Otherwise, it has been a fairly typical preseason in the months leading up to the 2006-07 hunting season in the Sportsman’s Paradise. DWF wildlife supervisors around the state reported earlier this summer on prospects for deer hunting and small game hunting on their respective WMAs. Almost half of them voiced concern over a lack of rain and threat of an extended drought coupled with extremely high temperatures. Dry conditions were so bad that pine trees were dying in at least one area.
Louisiana Sportsman magazine’s annual in-depth look at WMAs around the state covers habitat conditions in this story and, in separate stories in this special section of the magazine, hunting outlooks for deer, rabbits and squirrels in each district from the most professional and dedicated biologists in the country.
For sure, Louisiana has WMAs that offer great deer hunting, awesome hunting for squirrels, and, even, exciting rabbit hunting in what appears to be a dying sport in some regions.
Before breaking down habitat conditions north to south, east to west, hunters may want to heed the words of Steve Hebert, the biologist manager in Region 1. In so many words, it’s a call to remember why people love this sport, why they take vacations during their favorite season, why they spend so much time in the woods or marsh in all extremes of weather.
“I would encourage all hunters to remember to enjoy the hunting experience and not take it too seriously,” he said. “One of the best parts of hunting is it provides a chance to get away from work and the regular routine. Hunters should enjoy the outdoors and being with other hunters who feel the same.
“The big three hunters (deer, turkey and waterfowl) may want to try small game hunting again. Slipping through the woods after squirrels or listening to the hounds trailing a rabbit may help rekindle some of the memories of how most of us got started hunting.
“That’s what excites me … when you see hunters getting back into the woods after small game. I like to see that.”
Hebert said he and his staff have been seeing a few more rabbit hunters taking to the woods with their dogs.
Region 1
As for the way Mother Nature has set the table for hunting conditions for 2006-07, Hebert echoed the wish of many biologists and hunters.
“We would, like everybody else, like to have a little more of a winter to make it a little more enjoyable when they get out here,” he said.
Weather conditions were favorable in the spring and early summer, he said. All parishes in the region ended the winter in fair to good shape after a mild winter, he said, and there was a fair to good mast crop in most areas that should have left wildlife in excellent condition going into the spring and summer.
Northwest Louisiana was below normal on rainfall, but wasn’t in a severe drought as of mid-July, he said, adding that the region received timely rains in most areas to help keep the browse in fair condition and the mast crop developing.
He is concerned that a stretch of predicted 100-degree days and limited rainfall would result in a drastic decline in the quality of browse as well as a poor-quality mast crop this fall and winter.
“We got a deluge last night. If we get a few more summer showers, we don’t have to worry about drought,” he said.
Hebert said while it was too early to predict the quality of the mast crop for 2006-07, it appeared it should be at least fair or better if the rains arrived in time. Red oaks looked good where the trees are in good health, he said, while the white oak group looked spotty to fair, and the hickory trees appeared spotty.
The region’s pine crop mast looked good with squirrels already beginning to cut cones as of the second week of July.
Region 2
Some Region 2 WMAs sustained damage to timber from Hurricane Rita, according to Jerald Owens, the area’s biologist manager.
Those were Bayou Macon, Big Colewa Bayou, Floy McElroy, Ouachita, Russell Sage and Union. But the damage wasn’t of major consequence, Owens said.
Habitat conditions were looking good going into July, he said.
“But we’ve got extremely dry conditions. It’s a little drier than normal this time of year. That concerns me. It can affect fawn survival and antler development — while they’re growing they need that nutrition from good quality browse,” he said.
He emphasized that there was no serious damage to vegetation at the time. But, he said, without significant rainfall in the remainder of the summer, browse and, possibly, mast production could be affected adversely.
“So far, we’re not in bad shape but it is a concern. We’ll see what happens,” Owens said.
Region 3
WMAs in this region had some damage from the hurricanes, mostly damaged and downed trees. But there was no significant habitat damage, said Czerny Newland, Region 3’s biologist manager.
Newland said the spring was a drier one than usual but rains in June and July apparently have kept the vegetation in good condition. However, he said, normal late-summer dry spells could be expected.
“To date, habitat conditions are pretty good, but the most stressful time of year has just begun, so things could change,” he said. “We could still get into a drought situation.
“It’s too early to tell about the mast crop for squirrels, but last year’s mast crop was pretty good, so we’ll be at least at the average.”
Hurricane Rita also knocked some mast out of the trees, Newland said, but it was late enough that the acorns were mature when they fell on the ground.
“We should be good in that shape,” he said.
One change in habitat conditions is manmade, particularly in Winn and Natchitoches parishes where habitat conditions are changing due to commercial pine operations. Many areas have entered stages of plantation growth that offers minimal forage for deer, he said. But that is a short-term effect.
Region 4
Rainfall has been below normal through the first few weeks of July for the second year in a row, according to John Leslie, Region 4’s biologist manager.
A generally dry winter allowed hunters into areas that would have been very wet or flooded under normal conditions, Leslie said, and since then spring and summer have been dry with only spotty showers.
“I wouldn’t call this a drought yet, but two, three weeks of extended rainfall would be very welcome and would improve habitat and vegetatorial moisture levels,” he said. “It could rain here for a month, and we could still use some more.”
Even during dry spells like the one the region is experiencing, large expanses of permanent water and swampy areas provide food and water for squirrels and other wildlife, he said.
Deer browse, despite the dry conditions, is good, and agricultural lands around Red River WMA, Three Rivers WMA and Big Lake WMA produce additional forage for deer.
A reforestation project that covered more than 2,000 acres of former agricultural lands has helped improve the deer herd over the last five years on Buckhorn WMA. A thick understory and dense weed fields in newly planted areas can make it a challenge to hunt, but the deer herd is growing rapidly, Leslie said, and the future looks promising.
“That’s going to develop into some really good hunting opportunities,” he said.
Region 5
Sabine Island WMA was a bullseye in the path of Hurricane Rita, and as a result it was impacted heavily, said John Robinette, Region 5’s biologist manager.
But that was the only area that sustained catastrophic damage in District 5. Many trees were blown down, and hunting for any species will be difficult there in the years to come, Robinette said.
“It’s a nightmare over there. I don’t expect much hunting over there,” he said about the WMA that has been notorious over the years for its great squirrel population. Robinette said he believes some squirrels survived and that the species will make a quick comeback.
But Hurricane Rita created more habitat that should benefit the rabbit population in the region. Ditto for the deer population. There is so much more new browse growing, Robinette said.
In the long run, he said, the storm’s wrath may be beneficial in many respects.
But Cameron and Vermilion parishes, which got the worst of the storm surge, may see a decline in deer herds because much of the marsh habitat has been slow to recover in a dry spring and summer, he said. Deer in those areas have been stressed but will rebound over the next few years, he said.
Speaking of dry, the early summer drought has caused concerns because habitat problems could be created if the region doesn’t get sufficient rainfall.
“In general, the habitats look OK. Hardwoods took a beating across Southwest Louisiana from Hurricane Rita,” Robinette said, “but thick underbrush has grown in and around fallen trees, which has helped increase food and cover. The bad news for hunters is that it will make it difficult to see game.”
Region 6
Region 6 biologist manager Tony Vidrine has a dry report on habitat conditions for his region in southcentral Louisiana.
It’s been very dry in the spring and summer, Vidrine said in mid-July.
“Drought conditions persisted through spring and early summer. Rainfalls that did occur helped vegetation growth,” he said.
There wasn’t much of an overall effect on browse plants due to the drought, however, he said, and plants were growing at normal rates based on surveys conducted throughout the spring and summer months, he said.
This fall’s acorn crop is expected to be a good one, he said.
Region 7
This region got hit hard by Hurricane Katrina, and biologist manager Randy Myers offered a full report on the damage to Ben’s Creek WMA, Pearl River WMA, Sandy Hollow WMA, and Maurepas Swamp/Manchac/Joyce WMAs.
One of the most telling observations was that recovery is going to be long-term for Pearl River WMA. The killer storm damaged hardwoods over 12,000 to 13,000 acres, and 60 to 70 percent of the canopy was lost, Myers said.
“If you’ll look at Pearl River, the ability for hunters to get in and hunt like they normally do, that has gone away,” he said, “because of the amount of debris and downed trees that have severely limited them from getting to their favorite spots.”
Here’s a look at how the area’s WMAs fared:
• Ben’s Creek WMA — Many downed trees resulted in a salvage operation by the landowner (Ben’s Creek WMA is leased from Weyerhauser Inc.), and several thousand acres have been clearcut. Many hardwood drains were impacted severely, with many mast-producing trees blown down. Access to the area was limited, but roads and trails have been cleared for the most part. Deer cover (cutover areas) should improve, and rabbit habitat should increase. Turkey habitat has been negatively affected.
• Pearl River WMA — Sixty to 70 percent of the tree canopy was lost in the bottom hardwood area (approximately 12,000 acres), mostly oaks. DWF has started timber salvage operations in a portion of the area, where access was limited until the state agency cleared and re-established all major roads and trails.
The marsh area was negatively impacted, and several hundreds acres of marsh were lost. Some new shallow-water areas were created where shrub/scrub habitat once existed, a development that has the potential to make better waterfowl habitat.
Hunting in the area, particularly the upper, hardwood areas, will be difficult over the next five to 10 years, but it should get better with the deterioration of debris and establishment of an overstory that shades out the understory.
A dense understory is being established, too, and should be maintained over this time period.
A corresponding increase in deer and hog population is expected with the increase in cover and browse. But the vegetation will limit hunter access.
Squirrel habitat was impacted severely because of tree/canopy loss.
The turkey season was closed, and probably will be closed next year.
• Sandy Hollow WMA — This area sustained downed trees from Hurricane Katrina, but not as significantly as Ben’s Creek WMA or Pearl River WMA. Roads and trails have been cleared. There was no major impact to wildlife habitat related to the storm.
• Maurepas Swamp/Manchac/Joyce WMAs — All experienced high water during both Rita and Katrina. Hunting season last year was closed at Maurepas Swamp WMA for a few weeks because of high water from Rita. There was, however, no significant impact to wildlife. The area suffered only minor habitat damage related to blown-down trees and erosion.
Overall, Myers said, most of the habitat on the region’s WMAs should recover over time from storm-related damage.
On top of the hurricanes, the region has experienced a severe drought. The most obvious drought-related stress signs have been pine trees dying, hardwoods dropping leaves, water holes drying up and wilted or dry browse on most of the WMAs.
Myers is concerned about high salinity levels on Maurepas Swamp, Manchac and Joyce WMAs, where the drought has doubled the impact of the storms. Without freshwater input, salinity levels increase and add more stress to the habitat, he said.
“We are concerned about the long-term effects from the salinity, particularly on cypress/tupelo. However, in areas with dense salvinia, salinity will actually help to control and reduce salvinia, thus providing better habitat for waterfowl,” Myers said. “Recent rains should help in the recovery from the drought. However, if the dry period continues into the fall, we may see significant impacts to many plant species that are important to wildlife.”
Fur & Refuge WMAs
Other WMAs close to the coast that felt the brunt of either Katrina or Rita, or both, were Atchafalaya Delta, Biloxi, Lake Boeuf, Pass-A-Loutre, Pointe aux Chenes and Wisner. Salvador and Timken were the least impacted, according to biologist Baker.
Baker reported on the damage recently:
• Atchafalaya Delta WMA — Received moderate vegetation damage from the inundation of salt water during the storm surge from Rita. It covered the freshwater delta system.
Fortunately, Baker said, the area is recovering fairly rapidly, and no long-term effects are expected. Also, he said, vegetation on Big Island (the WMA’s largest island) wasn’t adversely affected.
• Biloxi WMA — Hurricane Katrina delivered a devastating blow to this area, Baker said. It experienced marsh loss along much of its boundary and, to a lesser extent, some of its interior marsh was lost.
Spring and summer dry spells have increased salinities, a development that doesn’t bode well for submerged aquatic growth. But provided there isn’t another storm this year, what marsh is left, including wigeon grass, should slowly recover.
• Lake Bouef WMA — Both hurricanes felled a fair number of trees here. The absence of canopy cover has resulted in the abundance of browse for deer and rabbit.
• Pass-A-Loutre WMA — This WMA absorbed a direct hit from Katrina. More than 15,000 acres of marsh were lost, and about 75 percent of the willow trees were broken and haven’t recovered. The absence of canopy and the removal of undesired vegetation from the storm surge have combined to make browse availability excellent for deer.
Monitoring of the deer herd showed deer numbers were marginally affected. Marsh vegetation has rebounded well, and will remain in excellent condition well into the fall.
• Pointe aux Chenes WMA — Rita took its toll on this WMA, too. It experienced more than 5 feet of water over the marsh in many areas. Several thousand acres of marsh were lost, and what’s left struggles to recover because of high salinity caused by the current drought. Fresh and brackish marsh vegetation is dead, leaving only an oyster grass marsh that is stressed. Deer were pushed away from the marsh by the storm and haven’t returned.
• Wisner WMA — This WMA was hit hard by both storms last year. Marsh loss was experienced across the area, and high salinities resulting from the drought have slowed marsh recovery. What’s left of the marsh should be in fair condition this fall.
Deer herds respond well to new understory
By Don Shoopman
If your deer hunting goal is to spot a big buck through your scope as your heart grows bigger, your mouth becomes drier and your trigger finger waits, several Louisiana public hunting areas are for you in 2006-07.
If your objective is to fill out the six deer tags available to you in the state’s new format this season, there are deer herds capable of satisfying that quest, too, on many wildlife management areas around the Sportsman’s Paradise.
Those opportunities await deer hunters all over the state. Yes, that even encompasses some of the hurricane-ravaged areas that suffered so terribly.
And there is at least one part of the state that has too many deer. If you find that hard to swallow, consider this sobering report from Steve Hebert, Region 1’s biologist manager.
“We’d like to have deer hunters harvest more deer” in the Minden area, where there were seven deer-car accidents from January to mid-March in a residential area. Two involved motorcycles, and one of those accidents was fatal.
“It seems like every year we have one or two (fatalities),” Hebert said about the area with such a big deer population.
“I know deer hunters who aren’t successful don’t believe us (about having too many deer). But I’d encourage them to take advantage of either-sex opportunities,” he said.
Some WMAs always stand out as having the potential for good deer hunting seasons. This upcoming season should be no different for areas such as Jackson-Bienville WMA, Union WMA, Dewey Wills WMA, Red River/Three Rivers WMA, Clear Creek WMA, Sherburne WMA, Ben’s Creek WMA and Atchafalaya Delta WMA. Those are the top spots named by wildlife supervisors in seven regions and from the Fur and Refuge Division.
Of course, there are many more WMAs with the potential for good deer hunting in the state. There are large deer herds, deer herds with quality deer, and large deer herds with quality deer.
There are several reasons deer hunters traditionally have success on WMAs.
“I believe some of the best deer hunters in the state are those who hunt the public WMAs,” Hebert said.
Hunter skill, effort and luck comes into play for successful hunting, he said. How much the individual deer hunter puts into it can be a measure of success.
“The hunters must know the habits of the deer and be able to adapt to rapid changes in the deer’s daily pattern due to hunting pressure,” he said. “Hunters should look for areas with dense bedding cover with mast and good browse nearby. Hunters should try and plan their hunts on weekdays when hunting pressure really drops off.”
Hebert and other state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries wildlife supervisors advised deer hunters to check out the 2006-07 regulations before they meet up with law-enforcement agents.
Region 1
Deer hunting prospects in this region for 2006-07 are shaping up for a nice encore to last season when the harvest on the WMAs was slightly better than during 2004-05, according to Steve Hebert.
How good was the harvest on Region 1 WMAs, which Hebert said all produce quality deer? The numbers from volunteer self-clearing and daily permits show Jackson-Bienville with 321 deer, Bodcau with 147 deer and Loggy Bayou with 72 deer.
There are some reasons behind those numbers, Hebert said.
Hunter success on Bodcau and Jackson-Bienville was higher than the previous season, while Loggy Bayou deer hunters experienced a slight decline because the rut there appeared to peak a little later than what is considered normal, he said, and fell after the modern and muzzleloader season.
The peak rutting activity on Bodcau started in late October and went into early November, and on Jackson-Bienville, the rut began after Thanksgiving, which was normal.
Jackson-Bienville deer hunters saw and harvested more adult age bucks with several weighing more than 200 pounds.
This season, Hebert said, gun hunters should be successful hunting early November on Bodcau and after Thanksgiving on Jackson-Bienville.
Deer hunters on Bodcau and Jackson-Bienville should note those two WMAs will continue to have designated either-sex days as has been the case in past years. Again, Hebert reminded hunters to check the 2006-07 hunting regulation pamphlet for the dates for each WMA.
“If I was going to archery hunt for a quality 130- to 140-class deer, I would go to Loggy Bayou WMA, especially the week prior to Thanksgiving and then late December and early January,” Hebert said.
Region 2
Like Hebert in Region 1, Jerald Owens in Region 2 strongly advises deer hunters to be aware of the changes to deer hunting regulations for 2006-07.
Many parishes in his region won’t have either-sex days, for example, Owens said in mid-July.
The veteran biologist points deer hunters who are interested in where last season’s top harvests were recorded to Union WMA. A total of 198 were killed there last season, according to Owens. Year in and year out, it has the best numbers of deer harvested due to diversity of timber stand ages and long-standing deer management programs, he said.
Surprisingly, the piney woods areas on Union WMA yield some sizable deer each season, he said, but not as many as off the bottomland areas.
“The Union deer herd is well-balanced. During the entire either-sex gun hunt last year, they killed several more bucks than they did does,” Owens said.
Bayou Macon WMA and Ouachita WMA also boast excellent deer hunting success rates consistently, he said.
Want to increase your odds of seeing a trophy buck this season? Owens has just the answer.
“Russell Sage Wildlife Management Area is always the place to have a chance to kill a real quality buck,” he said.
Russell Sage WMA, he said, has big, heavy bucks walking around because of the soil fertility, hardwood forest type and long-term management programs for deer and forestry. The rich soil there is hard to beat.
Bayou Macon WMA, he said, also offers a “good” opportunity to take a quality buck.
Like hundreds of deer hunters, Owens can’t wait.
“Up to his point, things look good. We’ve seen a lot of fawns,” he said.
Region 3
Soil fertility is the reason Dewey Wills WMA always seems to give up the bragging-size bucks.
That’s the word from Czerny Newland, who said bucks with large racks and great body size can be found on Dewey Wills. The veteran biologist said Dewey Wills also ranks as one of the top three WMAs in Region 3 in harvest numbers.
The other WMAs with high success rates each season are Beauregard WMA and Sabine WMA, he said.
The region’s deer populations remain stable, he said. But changing habitat conditions — such as commercial pine operations — in Winn and Natchitoches parishes have led to a decline in the deer harvest. Those areas are to the point where plant growth offers minimal forage for deer, which translates to lower deer numbers.
Newland was proud to announce that for the third straight year, a deer hunt tailored to the physically challenged has been scheduled to be held Oct. 14-15 on Sabine WMA.
With help from the Wheelin’ Sportsmen organization, the DWF allows up to 20 people, young and old, to hunt deer on Sabine.
“We’re trying to get some people who really need some help to go,” Newland said.
There is a strict screening process for applicants, he said. Appli-cations need to be in the Baton Rouge office before Sept. 7.
The physically challenged people who have taken advantage of the special hunt the first two seasons have enjoyed the outing tremendously, Newland said.
Region 4
Deer browse on Red River WMA, Three Rivers WMA and Big Lake WMA is so abundant that successful deer seasons are predicted by John Leslie. Agricultural lands adjacent to those WMAs offer additional forage, he said.
What really had Leslie excited the third week of July was the deer sign, specifically that of fawns.
“Our major fawn crop starts in the bottomland hardwoods here usually about the first of July, so we’re starting to see some does with fawns that are actually getting up and moving around,” Leslie said.
There is a growing deer herd on Buckhorn WMA, where the state agency over the last five years has reforested more than 2,000 acres of what once was agricultural land. A thick understory and very dense weed fields in newly planted areas make it difficult to hunt, he said, but the deer herd is multiplying.
Want a trophy buck in Region 4? Leslie knows from experience where to point deer hunters.
“Red River and Three Rivers WMA continue to produce trophy deer simply because of their location in extremely fertile Mississippi River bottomlands. Oh, yeah, that’s a good place down there,” he said. “However, any WMA in Region 4 is capable of producing a trophy buck, and every WMA in Region 4 produces one or two really good bucks every year.”
Region 5
One thing that Hurricane Rita did was create plenty of new habitat for deer in Southwest Louisiana, said John Robinette.
That also means beau coup browse is growing in Region 5, which pretty much was ripped up by the hurricane that roared through the area last September.
As a result, the deer population should remain stable or, even, slightly increase over most of that part of the state, Robinette said.
In fact, one of the best squirrel hunting WMAs in the state may give up that title but become a prime destination for hunting deer. Sabine Island WMA’s trees were devastated by the hurricane to the point where 30 percent of the trees were knocked down, Robinette said.
“The habitat over there’s going to turn into deer habitat real quick, so we’ll probably see an increase in the deer population over the next couple of years,” he said.
Conversely, the same can’t be said for the marshy areas of Cameron and Vermilion parishes, which probably will experience a decline in the deer populations because many marsh areas have been slow to recover from the storm due to subpar rainfall amounts.
Robinette said deer in those areas have been stressed but will rebound over the next few years.
Top deer harvests in Region 5 in 2006-07 belonged to Fort Polk WMA, 350; Clear Creek WMA, 279, and West Bay WMA, 147.
For the chance to bring down a trophy-sized buck, two of the most likely places are Clear Creek WMA and Fort Polk WMA. Those areas are prime because of the favorable habitat conditions
“As far as all the other WMAs, West Bay and Clear Creek, Rita really had no effect on them. They already have people scouting and seeing lots of deer. They’re seeing trails and tracks and seeing deer right now. I think they’ll have a typical year up there,” he said.
Region 6
When Tony Vidrine talks about deer hunting on WMAs in Region 6, one of the first names that comes up without fail is Sherburne WMA. But deer hunting in the region doesn’t start and end there, as many deer hunters know from experience.
Sherburne WMA has a “fairly high deer population,” and the hunter success rate remains high there. Opening weekend success last season saw a hunter harvest of one deer per 15 hunters, and the harvest included one deer per 80 acres (535).
On opening either-sex weekend, hunters enjoyed a harvest of one deer per 15 hunters.
“We expect the harvest to be comparable this season. The deer population remains high on Sherburne, so hunters should have good success this season,” Vidrine said recently.
Spring Bayou WMA’s deer herd has grown over the last several years, he said. Last season there was a success rate of one deer per eight hunters on a WMA that doesn’t attract a lot of deer hunters. Some “good, quality deer” are taken off it each season, he said.
Vidrine also anticipates a good harvest this season on Thistlethwaite WMA, which is in the second year of a buck antler restriction of four on one side (a buck must have at least four points on one antler to be harvested).
“Last season was the first year of this point restriction, so we should see an improvement in the age structure and overall buck harvest this season,” he said. “During the 2005-06 season, we had a harvest of one deer per 88 acres, and expect it should be a little better this season. Hunter numbers were down last season, probably due to the point restriction, but those numbers should increase this year, being the second year of the point restriction.”
In 2005-06, Thistlethwaite WMA had a harvest of 133 deer, or one deer per 83 acres. On opening either-sex weekend, hunters got one deer per 26 efforts. Sure, that was a low harvest rate, Vidrine said, but hunter numbers were lower than usual and should pick up as the area gets more 3 1/2-year-old-plus deer.
Hunters harvested 148 deer, or one per 90 acres, last season on Grassy Lake WMA in Avoyelles Parish. On opening either-sex weekend, there was a harvest rate of one deer per 16 hunters.
“With habitat improvement projects that have taken place on this area, we expect good harvest numbers and good quality deer to be harvested in the future,” Vidrine said.
Trophy deer can be found on Thistlethwaite WMA, which has solid mast-producing oaks, plus rich soils and adjacent agricultural fields. With the four-points-on-one-side rule in its second year, Vidrine expects more quality bucks to be harvested as hunters see older deer.
WMAs in Avoyelles Parish — Pomme de Terre, Spring Bayou and Grassy Lake — normally have several nice bucks taken each season, too, he said.
“Sherburne es a 43,000-acre WMA that will usually produce a few nice bucks during each hunting season, so this area would be a good area to harvest a good quality buck this season,” Vidrine said.
Region 7
Randy Myers can hardly bear to look at some places that deer hunters frequented BHK (before Hurricane Katrina).
Pearl River WMA was one of those places. There was “significant” habitat damage there (see related habitat story in this section), he said.
“We’re using every piece of equipment available opening up trails so we don’t lose the trail system we had in place before the storms,” Myers said.
The positive side of the storm is that hunters should see an increase over the next few years of the deer population (and the hog population), which is the flip side of terrible access this season.
“We’re already seeing a tremendous increase in browse capability” on Pearl River WMA, he said.
Myers and other department employees have spent a tremendous number of hours clearing roads, and many hunters have said they appreciate the work, even though they can’t go 50 yards into the woods, he said.
Best bet for deer hunting this season is Ben’s Creek WMA, which has a moderate to high deer population, he said. The harvest was down last season (56 deer taken) due to fewer hunters taking advantage of the moderately long season, he said.
Also, he said, Tunica Hills WMA is a primitive weapons area that carries a moderately high deer population. Bow hunters and muzzleloaders are fairly successful, as hunters bagged 128 deer last season, based on self-clearing information.
Tunica Hills WMA also provides probably the best opportunity to harvest a nice buck with a bow as the bow season is structured around the rut. The mixed hardwoods area on the loess bluffs, coupled with areas that provide cover and quality food resources, provide an opportunity to harvest more quality deer there each year.
Maurepas Swamp WMA is a large, swampy tract that provides plenty of opportunity but difficult hunting because access is by boat only. There’s always at least a moderate deer population there, Myers said. Last season, hunters harvested 106 deer there, he said.
Fur & Refuge WMAs
Overall, Todd Baker expects a fair to good hunting season coming up on WMAs in his region — for just about everything but deer, thanks to Hurricane Katrina.
And that’s mainly because he expects fewer deer hunters to take to the woods and marsh on the hurricane-stricken WMAs.
All was not lost as far as deer are concerned. For example, deer and rabbit habitat on Big Island on the Atchafalaya Delta WMA is constantly improving, so the outlook there is promising for this season.
“Atchafalaya Delta has the highest quality deer habitat of all coastal WMAs in the Fur and Refuge Division,” Baker said. “This area was minimally impacted by Hurricane Rita. Deer browse is in good abundance, and good deer numbers have been observed.”
Based on self-clearing permits, 703 hunters killed 108 deer (seven hunts for every harvest) last season on the Atchafalaya Delta WMA.
Atchafalaya Delta also is an odds-on choice WMA for trophy deer. It’s the only WMA in the Fur and Refuge Division that has produced bucks large enough to make the state record books.
“This area consistently produces large bucks. The browse on this WMA has recovered well since Hurricane Rita, and the deer herd is in great shape,” Baker said.
And good numbers of fawns and healthy deer have been noted in good condition since the storm on Pass-A-Loutre WMA, he said. Deer and rabbit hunting should be good there, he said. Deer browse is in excellent shape, he said.
On Pointe aux Chene WMA, where deer were pushed out of the marshes by 5-plus feet of water during and after the hurricane, a fair number of deer have been seen in bottomland hardwoods in an area known as Point Farm. Deer and rabbit hunting are expected to be fair there. Last season, 44 hunters got three deer (15 to 1 hunts per harvest).
Some of the best deer hunting probably will take place on either Salvador WMA or Timken WMA. Both suffered little damage, and the Davis Pond Diversion empties into them. That diversion, increased this spring, has helped buffer the negative impacts of this year’s drought. Marsh vegetation is expected to be in good condition. Deer and rabbit hunting should be good, too.
“Salvador WMA is also expected to have a good season this year. Quality deer browse is in abundance, and there have been little impacts from storms or droughts,” Baker said about the WMA that saw 140 hunters harvest seven deer (20 to 1 hunts per harvest).
Non-coastal WMAs loaded with squirrels
By Don Shoopman
From one end of the Louisiana to the other, state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries biologists pretty much agree that the overall squirrel harvest is going up and up on state wildlife management areas.
Judging from their mid-summer reports, squirrel hunters should have a lot to smile about on so many WMAs. Except, of course, on the ones severely impacted by either Katrina last August or Rita last September.
One of the squirrel hunting meccas that was destroyed was Sabine Island WMA, where nearly a third of the trees were pushed over by Rita. The thing about that, however, is people went out right after the storm and didn’t see a whole lot of dead squirrels. They just didn’t see squirrels like they normally would on one of the traditionally fine squirrel hunting WMAs.
“Now they’re starting to see squirrels again,” John Robinette in Region 5 said recently. “They’ll make a comeback real quick.”
Wide expanses of bottomland hardwoods in Southeast Louisiana felt the brunt of Hurricane Katrina, according to Randy Myers in Region 7. Squirrel hunting opportunities over there have been reduced significantly. One of the hardest hit WMAs was Pearl River, where 60-70 percent of trees and canopy were obliterated by the storm, along with the mast crop from last year.
“The area was considered the best squirrel hunting area in Region 7, and provided considerable hunting opportunity. Despite the impact, hunting along trails and cypress/tupelo gum areas will still provide limited opportunities,” Myers said.
Region 1
One of the biologists who believe squirrel hunting is on the upswing in the state is Steve Hebert. The Region 1 biologist manager reported good mast production in his region last year, which bodes well for 2006-07.
“Well, the squirrel seasons up here have been unreal the last couple years. Normally, you get a cycle where you go up and down,” Hebert said. “We’re just on a good streak. For the last couple of years we’ve done pretty good on the mast crop up here. Usually we don’t get good back-to-back mast crops like that.”
The squirrels apparently are responding.
The plum of the squirrel hunting WMAs in his region is Bodcau WMA, where 2,554 squirrels were harvested last season, according to volunteer self-clearing and daily permit data, he said. Right behind the leader was Jackson-Bienville WMA, with 1,420 squirrels, and Loggy Bayou WMA, with 160.
The numbers were up slightly over 2005-06 figures on both Bodcau and Jackson-Bienville. But there was a slight decline from the previous season on Loggy Bayou.
All three should offer fair to good, mostly on the latter side, squirrel hunting opportunities this season, Hebert said.
“Bodcau’s got a good mix of habitat, real long narrow area, a bottom that goes up in the pine hills,” he said. “There’s a good variety of hardwood trees in there that produces mast and the woods are in pretty good shape. The habitat’s the key. There a good diversity of timber up there, and we’ve just had real good luck with the mast production the last couple years.”
The way the table’s set, the same probably will be said about 2006-07.
Region 2
Russell Sage WMA stands tall as the top squirrel hunting area in this region, says Jerald Owens.
Russell Sage’s vast hardwood timber stands make it the leading site for squirrel hunters, as it was last year, Owens said. The second and third choices should be Bayou Macon WMA and Ouachita WMA.
Hopefully, ample rainfall will settle to the earth from here on out so that dry weather doesn’t affect this year’s mast production.
Region 3
A fair to good acorn crop in 2005 bodes well for squirrel hunting this season in Region 3, says Czerny Newland.
“It’s too early to tell about the mast crop but last year’s mast crop was pretty good so it (squirrel hunting harvest) will be at least average,” Newland said.
He also said the squirrel population appears to be at a normal level throughout the region.
The biologist pointed squirrel hunters to Little River and Dewey Wills WMAs as the best bets to kill squirrels in 2006-07. And, he said, Sabine WMA and Camp Beauregard WMA provide a chance for a decent hunt or two during the course of the season.
Dewey Wills WMA, Little River WMA and Sabine WMA ranked one-two-three in squirrel harvest figures last season, he said.
Region 4
With an eye on dry conditions in mid-July, John Leslie was hopeful that Region 4 would get some timely rainfall to improve the habitat and moisture levels for the rest of 2006.
Leslie was optimistic and very confident that squirrel hunting would be good in the traditional squirrel hunting areas. Those are Big Lake, Red River and Three Rivers. They have extensive bottomland hardwoods with lots of mast-producing tree species (oaks, sweet pecan, bitter pecan, cedar elm, green ash and red maple).
How productive are those WMAs? Well, other numbers around the state pale in comparison. Last season, Big Lake WMA led the way with a squirrel harvest of more than 3,400, Leslie said. Big Lake was followed closely by Red River/Three Rivers with 2,800.
Why are they consistently giving up squirrels?
“Even during dry periods, all these WMAs have large areas of permanent water and swampy areas that provide food and water for squirrels,” Leslie said.
Region 5
Is there squirrel hunting in Region 5 without the Sabine Island WMA?
John Robinette answers with a resounding yes. But don’t expect the harvest to approach the long-term average of that at Sabine Island WMA.
Where to go? One of the top spots last season and a probable hotspot this season is West Bay WMA, where 520 squirrels were bagged in 2005-06.
“Squirrel populations seem to have been reduced by the hurricanes but here in the last few months, I have seen numerous young squirrels, so I believe the population will bounce back quickly,” Robinette said.
Region 6
Squirrels, and plenty of the bushy-tailed small game, abound on WMAs in Region 6, as the most recent harvest numbers attest, according to Tony Vidrine. He said he expects at least an average season in 2006-07.
The big two in 2005-06 were Sherburne WMA, with 3,866 squirrels, and Thistlethwaite WMA, with 3,150, according to a very reliable self-clearing compliance rate on each of those popular WMAs. Next was Attakapas WMA, with 729 squirrels, but it also boasted the best hunter effort on opening weekend with 3.4 squirrels harvested per hunter. Sherburne WMA had 2.1 squirrels harvested per hunter, while Thistlethwaite WMA had 1.7 squirrels per hunter.
“On opening weekend of squirrel season, we conduct physical bag checks, which gives us a good chance to gauge how the squirrel will be that particularly year,” Vidrine said.
Both Sherburne and Thistlethwaite have a very large number of oak species component, which helps to provide an excellent mast crop for the squirrel population.
His region was spared the brunt of both major hurricanes that hit last year.
“We were kind of in the middle, stuck in the middle between the east and west. We didn’t have hardly any damage at all, even on Attakapas, which is in the lower Atchafalaya Basin. We were very lucky,” Vidrine said.
Region 7
Squirrel hunters can rule out one of their favorite hunting areas this season because of what Hurricane Katrina did last year to Pearl River WMA. The storm eliminated 60 to 70 percent of the trees and canopy and severely impacted the mast crop.
The news wasn’t all bad, however. Hunters on Tunica Hills WMA dropped 259 bushytails, followed by Maurepas Swamp WMA with 135.
So where to turn to enjoy a day in the woods with a fair chance of encountering squirrels on WMAs in Region 7?
Perhaps the best choice is Tunica Hills WMA, with its older stand of hardwoods that provide plenty of opportunity for good squirrel hunting, according to Myers. It helps that there was a “decent mast crop” there last year, he said.
Another likely spot to put squirrels in the bag this season is Maurepas Swamp, where squirrels can be hunted in hardwoods along spoil banks and ridges as well as along the lake’s shoreline, Myers said.
Fur & Refuge WMAs
Only two WMAs under Todd Baker’s watch are viable squirrel hunting WMAs — Lake Bouef and Pointe aux Chenes.
If Baker had his druthers, he’d pick Lake Bouef, he said recently.
“Lake Bouef would be the better choice due to higher quality and quantity of squirrel habitat,” he said. “This is one of only two WMAs that have squirrel in the Fur & Refuge WMA system. Deer, rabbit and squirrel hunting on this refuge is expected to be good.”
Baker expects squirrel hunting to be at least fair on Pointe aux Chenes WMA, where a number of trees were felled by both Katrina and Rita.
As an FYI for squirrel hunters, to save time and fuel, Baker advised scratching off Biloxi WMA, Pass-a-Loutre WMA, Salvador WMA, Timken WMA and Wisner WMA. There are no squirrel hunting opportunities on those state lands, he said.
Storms create lots of rabbit habitat
By Don Shoopman
For sure, there are some horror stories to be told following the horrible hurricanes of 2005.
But one of the ongoing success stories that is evolving from the twin natural disasters is the growth of the rabbit population in hard-hit WMAs like Pass-A-Loutre, Lake Bouef and, even, Pointe aux Chenes. Those Southeast Louisiana public hunting areas are rebounding strongly, as Fur and Refuge Division biologist Todd Baker has witnessed since last August.
There are several reasons for that development, Baker said in mid-July as he talked about rabbit hunting prospects in areas around Southeast Louisiana just a year after Hurricane Katrina blew into that region of the Sportsman’s Paradise.
“I think a lot of that has to do with predator removal from the area. Those rabbits, along with their high reproduction, are coming on like gangbusters,” Baker said.
Another reason is the storm’s winds blew down tree after tree — 75 percent of the willow trees on Pass-A-Loutre WMA. The resulting absence of canopy and removal of undesired vegetation from the storm surge enhanced the browse numbers. Also, marsh vegetation has rebounded well, and should remain in excellent condition well into the fall.
With all the encouraging things that he’s seeing on his WMAs in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, he’s probably most excited about the rabbit situation, he confided.
“I’d have to say it’s the rabbit numbers. I’m really impressed from this year to last year … The amount of rabbit evidence I’m seeing, particularly on Pointe aux Chenes. I’m talking about rabbit browzse, rabbit droppings, mainly. And Pass-A-Loutre’s numbers seem to really be rebounding well,” he said.
“I expect rabbit hunting to be up, on all the (applicable) WMAs, especially Pointe aux Chenes.”
Ditto for Lake Bouef WMA, he said, where rabbit hunting should be good. Rabbit hunts also ought to be productive on Salvador and Timken WMAs, he said.
There are other areas that he supervises as a wildlife manager that traditionally give up rabbits consistently but went unscathed by the hurricanes. One of them is Atchafalaya Delta WMA, which although it took a shot of salty storm surge, has recovered nicely, according to Baker.
Even more encouraging there is the fact the largest island on the WMA, Big Island, was not adversely affected, so the rabbit population and deer herd are both improving constantly, he said.
Region 1
Last season, most of the rabbits killed in his region were on Loggy Bayou WMA, where 132 were harvested, according to volunteer self-clearing and daily permit data. Jackson-Bienville WMA gave up 30 rabbits while Bodcau WMA had 14.
A word of advice from Hebert for those who plan to hunt the top rabbit WMAs in Region 1: Don’t bother hunting Bayou Pierre, Jackson-Bienville or Loggy Bayou if your rabbit dogs will run deer — unless you want to spend most of the day hunting for your dogs rather than hunting rabbits.
Otherwise, Hebert said, “Rabbit dog hunters are beginning to learn how to hunt the cover on these WMAs, and are getting better at bagging a few rabbits. We’re starting to get a little following of rabbit hunters.”
The biologist said he enjoys seeing people getting back into the roots of hunting by going after small game. Apparently, listening to the sounds of hounds hot on the trail of a rabbit can be good for the hunting soul.
Region 2
Union and Ouachita WMAs have the faovrable hardwood timber stands to support fair to good rabbit populations in Region 2.
They are the picks by Jerald Owens as the top spots for rabbit harvests in 2006-07, he said recently. Owens and others are keeping an eye on the weather, which has been dry in the region, he said.
While there was no serious damage to vegetation as of the second week of July, a lack of rainfall the rest of the summer could affect browse, he said.
“So far (quality browse) is not in bad shape but it is a concern,” Owens said.
Region 3
Rabbits and more rabbits were being seen consistently by Czerny Newland and his staff in the late spring and early summer in Region 3.
“Well, the thing we really noticed a lot of recently, there seems to be a tremendous rabbit crop this year, in our bottomland area, especially,” Newland said in mid-July.
Really, he confided, rabbit populations “look good everywhere in Region 3.
“Reproduction has been good especially in bottomland areas with good herbaceous cover. Dewey Wills and Sabine WMAs should offer the best opportunities for rabbit hunters,” he said.
Dewey Wills and Sabine led the region in rabbit harvests in 2005-06, he said, with primarily incidental rabbit harvests in other areas.
Region 4
John Leslie in Region 4 said rabbit hunting is a dying sport in his region.
“It’s amazing the decline of rabbit hunting these days. We’ve got literally thousands of acres that can be hunted. Nobody hunts rabbits anymore. I would think guys who have five or six good beagles, like guys used to have 20 or 30 years ago, could easily kill a limit of eight rabbits a day,” Leslie said.
As good as rabbit hunting could be in Region 4, the harvest is merely and mostly an incidental take by squirrel hunters, said John Leslie. And the rabbit habitat is awesome in the region, he said.
“Region 4 allows six weeks of rabbit hunting with dogs after the close of deer season,” Leslie said, “but hearing a pack of rabbit dogs work the bushes is becoming a very rare event.”
The veteran biologist said Bouef WMA, Buckhorn WMA, Red River WMA and Three Rivers WMA all have excellent rabbit habitat that goes virtually unhunted every year.
The WMAs were practically unhunted last season by rabbit hunters as the harvest was extremely low with less than 60 rabbits regionwide, he said.
Region 5
A “good to excellent” rabbit population awaits hunters who visit Region 5 WMAs in 2006-07, says John Robinette.
Thick underbrush, much of it created by the fury of Hurricane Rita last September, has grown in and around fallen trees, thus creating more food and cover for the small game. Unfortunately, it also makes it more difficult for hunters to see rabbits.
That newly created habitat is certain to keep rabbit hunters happy in their pursuit of the small game.
Region 6
Those WMAs where hunters can hunt with dogs are probably better to target when going out this season around Region 6, according to Tony Vidrine.
“I don’t know. It’s kind of spotty. Some years it’s good, some years it isn’t,” he said about past rabbit seasons. “As of right now, we’re looking at a fair rabbit season … nothing out of the ordinary.”
His region escaped most of the damage caused to the southeast by Hurricane Katrina and to the southwest by Hurricane Rita.
With that in mind, Vidrine said Sherburne WMA, Spring Bayou WMA and Attakapas WMA should provide the best rabbit-hunting opportunities in 2006-07.
Sherburne WMA’s habitat for rabbits has improved over the last several years because of timber management practices, he said. Spring Bayou WMA has a fair population of rabbits, also thanks to some habitat improvement projects in the area. Attakapas WMA boasts some areas along the river with higher ground that remains thick with vegetation that provides good cover for rabbits.
Those WMAs all have dog-running seasons for rabbits, which helps the harvest numbers during that period. Hunting rabbits with dogs is allowed after the gun deer hunting seasons are over, Vidrine said.
WMAs with the leading rabbit harvests last season were Sherburne with 182, Spring Bayou with 82 and Attakapas with 30 rabbits, all based on self-clearing permits that are required to hunt on the areas. Compliance is high on some of the WMAs and low on others, Vidrine said.
Region 7
There are some WMAs for rabbit hunters to try in 2006-07, despite the wrath of last year’s Hurricane Katrina in Southeast Louisiana.
Randy Myers said Pearl River WMA now has dense cover that should provide excellent habitat for rabbits. However, the dense understory, combined with downed trees and debris, could make access limited, he said.
Likewise, cutover areas and blowdowns should provide plenty of habitat for rabbits on Ben’s Creek WMA, Myers said.
Sandy Hollow WMA is an area managed mostly for quail but offers some rabbit hunting.
Harvest figures from last season show Ben’s Creek WMA with 154, Tunica Hills WMA with 37 and Sandy Hollow WMA with 24.
