LDWF to lease Catahoula Lake for haying

Move part of research plan to improve waterfowl habitat, agency says.

Victor Monsour

LDWF managers are planning to lease out areas around Catahoula Lake for haying as part of a plan aimed at improviding waterfowl habitat.

As part of a 10-year plan to improve waterfowl habitat around Catahoula Lake, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will be leasing areas for cutting hay, the agency announced today (Aug. 1).

The department’s experimental management plan for the lake will include varying water levels, utilizing a variety of vegetation control activities such as hay cutting, and collection of vegetation data from permanent monitoring plots.

Through analysis of this data, the department hopes to determine effective measures that can be implemented to control woody vegetation on the lake.

A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held in September when exact locations, acreages and timeframes will be specified.

Approximate acreage available could include a 270-acre unit and a 500-acre unit, although unit sizes and the number of units may change in advance of bids being accepted.

Hay collection will be allowed from the date winning bids are awarded through Oct. 31. Individuals who have notified LDWF of their interest in participating will be notified in advance of the pre-bid meeting.

For more information, or to have your name placed on a bid notification list, contact Steve Smith at 318.487.5885 or ssmith@wlf.la.gov or Paul Link at 225.765.2358 or plink@wlf.la.gov.