I hunt quite a bit on the northern shore of Lake Pontchartrain (currently in East zone), and due to low tides each year in late January, access to that area is very limited.

Has the state considered a 'North/South' zone, with the dates opening earlier in the South? That border could run from the Texas state line along I-10 to Baton Rouge, then along I-12 to Slidell, then back along I-10 to the Mississippi state line. This way, all of the 'tidal areas' are in the Southern zone and open earlier/close earlier. This would also satisfy the folks in the upper portions of the state that wish to have later season dates.

In essence, this option would be as follows:

The north zone would mirror the current east zone,
and the south zone would mirror the current west zone.

Can you report which recommendations as far as splits seem to be getting the most support at the meetings?

Thanks,
Ben

Larry, thanks for going above and beyond to help gather input from hunters. It's a shame that the dead horse of 'I want a later season' continues to be beaten but I think most have realized that's just not realistic. I know first-hand that the marshes are full of birds right now, does that mean you want to hunt into late March too??? Come on guys, work with what's being offered as plausible alternatives. Bayou Bob and I both hunt similar areas and I can concur on the water levels issue. I think I'd be willing to give his idea a shot but again we're just offering input with regard to that one area. Maybe some others could chime on their thoughts of Bob's idea and how it would relate to their area.

thanks again, Larry

The zones/splits option getting the most support at the public meetings was the current 2-zones with splits. However, at the 6 public meetings, there were only 17 comments including zero at the Opelousas and Bastrop meetings. Of those 17 comments, 13 favored the current 2 zones with split seasons.

Including comments I've received via phone call, e-mail, personal conversations, and website postings (like here a couple of months ago), I've received 95 comments that have run something like this.

53% for 2-zones with splits.
31% for no-zones with 2 splits (3 season segments).
10% for 3 zones with splits.
3% for 2 zones with no splits.
3% with no zones and no splits.

Lots of people have also suggested changes in season dates, length and position of splits, division of days between first and second splits, etc. Those decisions can be debated and changes made every single year, but the zones and splits structure is the 5-year decision I was focusing on.

LDWF did indeed consider a North-South zone division. On our 2010 Hunter Opinion survey, we included that as an option for hunters to choose. I don't have the data with me, but on that survey we saw something like.

34% for 2 zones with splits.
25% for no zones with 3 splits.
17% wanted North-South zones with splits.
4% for 3 zones with no splits.
20% had no opinion or didn't care.

(I'll edit those numbers on Monday if I didn't remember exactly correct).

I do receive a lot of conflicting opinion on season dates from SE Louisiana hunters. Some want to be put back in the East zone while others do NOT want a later season because the low water and north winds typical of the late season keeps them from getting to their hunting spots.

I think that the marshes do better in the first split just bc seems like when the water leaves so do the ducks?? Just my opinion..However a later season benefits the hunters in central la and north la flooded farms and timber. I dont understand how arkansas and missouri can hunt till the end of january as well as long as louisiana.