The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries proposed the season dates for the 2009 turkey hunting season to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission at the commission's July 8 meeting.

The recommended statewide opening date is Saturday, March 28. The season in Area A would extend to April 26, Area B to April 19, and Area C to April 12. The daily bag limit would be one gobbler, and the season limit would be two gobblers. 

Special private land youth hunts for those 17 years of age and younger and hunts for wheelchair confined hunters are proposed to take place on March 21 and March 22.

The proposal also includes a requirement that all turkey hunters, regardless of age or license status, obtain tags prior to hunting turkeys. Successful hunters will be required to tag their harvested gobbler immediately and report their harvest within 72 hours. Harvest reporting can be done by telephone or on the internet at www.wlf.louisiana.gov.

The recommendation also includes:

- A new youth lottery hunt on Clear Creek WMA on March 21.

- Opened a new area around Miller’s Lake in Central Evangeline Parish. The new area is bordered on the west by La. Hwy. 13, on the south by La. Hwy. 10, on the east by U.S. Hwy. 167 and on the north by La. Hwy. 106.

- Adding a lottery hunt on the Dewey Wills WMA for a total of two lottery hunts. The lottery hunts would take place on April 18-19 and April 25-26.

Public comment on this issue can be submitted to Kenny Ribbeck, Administrator, Wildlife Division, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000, prior to Sept. 4, 2008.