Biologists give public land hunters their outlook for the season
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries biologists checked in again this summer to report on their respective Wildlife Management Areas before deer hunting begins for the 2024-25 season.
The dedicated professionals covered browse, mast, habitat conditions, weather impacts, size of the deer herd and past harvests. Their time and effort can benefit those deer hunters deciding on where to go on public lands.
Hammond Region
Top WMA deer harvest numbers for 2023-24
Maurepas Swamp WMA: 319 deer reported (204 bucks, 115 does)
Pearl River WMA: 106 deer reported (75 bucks, 31 does)
Joyce WMA: 86 deer reported (61 bucks, 25 does)
Tunica Hills WMA: 26 deer reported (21 bucks, 5 does)
Tangipahoa Parish School Board WMA: 16 deer reported (10 bucks, 6 does)
Antlerless deer restrictions over two seasons since Hurricane Ida, plus more browse, benefitted the deer herd on Maurepas Swamp WMA and encouraged deer hunters to hunt the flooded cypress tupelo swamp in the Hammond Region.
The region’s WMA biologist manager, Forest Burks, reported Maurepas Swamp and Pearl River WMAs remain the two areas with the greatest opportunities for deer harvest and proved it in 2023-24 when 319 deer, including 204 bucks, were taken from Maurepas Swamp WMA and 106 deer came off Pearl River WMA. Burks credits the return of either-sex hunts during some parts of the firearms seasons on Maurepas Swamp WMA following the restriction of antlerless harvest to the youth weekend and archery-only in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
Hurricane Ida uprooted willow trees to allow briar thickets to grow and provide quality browse in a swamp where habitat is dominated by wetland plants with less nutritional value, the game biologist said.
Burks, who has been with LDWF 11 years, believes Maurepas Swamp WMA deer harvests this season could be similar to 2023-24. Perhaps, he said, not 319 but at least more than 200. He pointed out the swamp receives less hunting pressure because the region’s other public areas are smaller, more accessible.
Late winter/spring storms blew down more trees in the region this year but the damage may prove beneficial as it opened holes in the canopy, particularly on Pearl River WMA.
“We’ll wait and see,” Burks said. “I think we’ll have a pretty good season coming up.”
Lafayette Region
Top 5 WMA deer harvest numbers for 2023-24
Richard K. Yancey WMA: 481 deer reported (1 deer per 147 acres), 329 bucks, 152 does
Sherburne WMA: 238 deer reported (1 deer per 183 acres), 152 bucks, 86 does
Thistlethwaite WMA: (*) 161 deer reported (1 deer per 69 acres), 88 bucks, 73 does
Grassy Lake WMA: 142 deer reported (1 deer per 91 acres), 93 bucks, 49 does
Pomme de Terre WMA: (**) 87 deer reported (1 deer per 74 acres, 1 deer per 11.1 hunter efforts), 55 bucks, 32 does
(*) Top harvest per acre
(**) Top harvest per hunter effort
Last season’s deer harvest numbers are impressive for the top three WMAs in the Lafayette Region — Richard K. Yancey WMA, Sherburne WMA and Thistlethwaite WMA.
Schuyler Dartez, region manager, and Arthur Hebert, the region’s biologist supervisor, believe deer harvests on those three areas will be as good or higher in 2024-25. That’s the way the table’s being set, particularly since Hurricane Beryl spared the Lafayette Region.
What did damage some WMAs were violent spring storms with straight-line winds, which “knocked down a pretty good number of trees across trails and roads,” Dartez said. LDWF crews with heavy equipment removed them.
Both Richard K. Yancey WMA, rich in fertile soil for excellent browse growth, and Thistlethwaite WMA have prime habitat to support healthy deer herds. That explains increased chances of shooting a quality buck at either one.
“It comes down to good habitat conditions,” Dartez said. “We’re very conservative in management for opportunity. Yancey produced several large deer, several really good looking deer over 200 pounds seen by staffers at check stations during either-sex season.”
Thistlethwaite WMA’s big deer usually show up later in the season, he said, when bowhunters “typically harvest a nice buck or two.”
Last year’s drought, Dartez said, had no noticeable effect on the Lafayette Region’s deer herds based on managed hunt data, deer growth metrics and rainfall values. Plus, recent lactation rates were high, further indication of quality browse.
Dartez also pointed out Pomme de Terre WMA’s one deer per 11.1 hunter efforts was tops in the Lafayette Region.
Lake Charles Region
Top WMA deer harvest numbers for 2023-24
Fort Johnson-Vernon WMA: (*) 606 deer reported (1 deer per 173 acres, 1 deer per 15 hunter efforts), 289 bucks, 317 does.
Fort Johnson North WMA: (**) 585 deer reported (1 deer per 127 acres, 1 deer per 13 hunter efforts), 230 bucks, 355 does.
Clear Creek WMA: 289 deer reported (1 deer per 180 acres), 140 bucks, 149 does
West Bay WMA: 277 deer reported (1 deer per 213 acres), 148 bucks, 129 does
Sabine Island WMA: 25 deer reported (1 deer per 346 acres), 12 bucks, 13 does
(*) Formerly Fort Polk-Vernon WMA
(**) Formerly Peason Ridge WMA
Unlike 2020, Lake Charles Region WMAs escaped damage a few months ago from Hurricane Beryl.
Kori Legleu, WMA biologist manager and a game biologist since 2006, said Hurricane Beryl, which hit Matagorda, Texas, on July 8, had no impact on the region’s WMAs, unlike devastation wrought in August 2020 by Hurricane Laura and September 2020 by Hurricane Delta.
“Thankfully, we finally had no damage from a natural disaster,” Legleu said.
However, WMAs in southwest Louisiana are rebounding from “exceptional drought” and extreme heat in 2023, conditions that persisted well into the 2023-24 hunting season, according to Legleu. Drought and heat affected the mast crop, mostly, as well as browse. Areas ravaged by wildfires are regenerating early successional vegetation.
That’s good news, particularly for the top two WMAs — Fort Johnson-Vernon WMA and Fort Johnson North WMA. Does and fawns in both areas appear to be in great condition, Legleu reported July 11.
Both WMAs have uneven aged pine hardwood stands, mature longleaf pine and longleaf savannahs across rolling hills with bottomland hardwoods along creeks and drains.
Fort Johnson-Vernon and Fort Johnson North WMAs recorded higher than average deer harvests last season, she said. The latter’s one deer per 13 hunter efforts was the best ratio in the region, followed by Fort Johnson-Vernon WMA’s one deer per 15 efforts.
“With sufficient rainfall through the summer, the flush of high quality browse will carry our herds well into fall, and hunters should have plenty of opportunities for success,” Legleu said.
Minden Region
Top 5 WMA deer harvest numbers for 2023-24
Bodcau WMA: 207 deer reported (1 deer per 163 acres), 120 bucks, 87 does
Loggy Bayou WMA: 142 deer reported (1 deer per 45 acres), 97 bucks, 45 does
Bayou Pierre WMA: 20 deer reported (1 deer per 139 acres), 11 bucks, 9 does
John Franks WMA: 20 deer reported (1 deer per 183 acres), 11 bucks, 9 does
Soda Lake WMA: 11 deer reported (1 deer per 227 acres), 9 bucks, 2 does
This summer has been a “180-degree opposite” from last year’s drought-stricken summer months and it shows in healthy browse on Minden Region WMAs.
Jeff Johnson, the region’s biologist manager, said as much a few weeks ago when he talked about deer hunting prospects on those public areas, including Bodcau WMA, where 207 deer were harvested in 2023-24. That count led the way in the region.
“It’s still good,” Johnson said July 23 about the region’s browse conditions, “and we got rain yesterday. We should have plenty of browse unless it (rain) shuts off. It’s a vast difference from last July. It looks like we have good reproduction.”
Body weights should be up compared to last summer, he said, with bigger deer on other WMAs. He expects similar harvest numbers on Bodcau WMA but overall heavier deer roaming Loggy Bayou WMA and Bayou Pierre WMA — second and third, respectively, on the region’s 2023-24 harvest total.
“All of our WMAs have the potential for that (bigger deer),” Johnson said. “Body weights shouldn’t differ that much on WMAs,” although there should be “a little more” on those WMAs in the Red River Basin. Soda Lake and John Franks WMAs also have big deer potential.
While the region was spared the brunt of Hurricane Beryl in July, twisters from the storm hit Loggy Bayou WMA, he said, adding, “If anything, they probably improved habitat.”
Johnson celebrates his 23rd year as LDWF biologist in October.
Monroe Region
Top WMA deer harvest numbers for 2023-24
Boeuf WMA: 628 deer reported (377 bucks, 251 does)
Russell Sage WMA: 245 deer reported (136 bucks, 109 does)
Big Lake WMA: 278 deer reported (166 bucks, 112 does)
Buckhorn WMA: 239 deer reported (135 bucks, 104 does)
Bayou Macon WMA: 115 deer reported (64 bucks, 51 does)
J.C. “Sonny” Gilbert WMA: 47 deer reported (30 bucks, 17 does)
No WMA in the Sportsman’s Paradise boasted a higher deer harvest last season than Boeuf WMA in the Monroe Region.
Deer hunters bagged 628 deer, 377 of them bucks, and with favorable conditions this preseason may approach that total again in 2024-25. That’s what deer hunters might expect from the region’s largest WMA at 51,110 acres. It has a large deer herd, WMA biologist supervisor Mitch McGee agreed, but the age structure favors younger deer.
McGee, an 11-year veteran, emphasized that two other WMAs — Bayou Macon and Buckhorn — offer more chances at hunters getting quality bucks in their sights. Both feature diverse habitats and management practices that favor older class bucks.
“As far as really big bucks, Macon and Buckhorn areas’ deer get a little larger with those soils over there … very fertile. Several high-scoring bucks have been harvested the last few years, and I expect to see several this upcoming season,” McGee said about Bayou Macon WMA, where 115 deer were harvested last season, and Buckhorn WMA, which had 239. Mast crops also improved over the previous few years.
Those WMAs received timber harvests within the past few years to improve deer browse.
Lactation rates across the region have been stable the last five years, typically averaging 65 to 85 percent for 2 ½ to 3 ½-year-old does. Body weights have been stable as well in that period, McGee said.
Pineville Region
Top 5 WMA deer harvest numbers of 2023-24
Dewey W. Wills WMA: 357 deer reported (1 deer per 154 acres), 183 bucks, 174 does
Alexander State Forest WMA: 95 deer reported (1 deer per 57 acres), 50 bucks, 45 does
Esler Field WMA: (*) 114 deer reported (1 deer per 112 acres), 56 bucks, 58 does
Sabine WMA: 67 deer reported (1 deer per 29 acres), 38 bucks, 29 does
Little River WMA: 68 deer reported (1 deer per 88 acres), 34 bucks, 34 does
(*) Formerly Camp Beauregard WMA
The Pineville Region’s WMAs also escaped destruction of any degree from Hurricane Beryl in early July, but last summer’s long drought took its toll on some of the most popular WMAs in Louisiana.
Cliff Dailey, WMA biologist supervisor since 2013 and an LDWF biologist for 15 years, said, “We didn’t have any issues with the hurricane. (But) we did have some hardwoods die off after the drought last year.”
Dewey W. Wills WMA, for the most part, lost hardwood, Dailey said, but the upside is dying trees open up the canopy to allow sunlight on the ground, where forage will grow, and when the trees fall create habitat for rabbits.
Despite the drought, the most recent lactation rates were good, over 60 percent on Dewey W. Wills WMA, where 357 deer were harvested in 2023-24, and 75 percent lactation on Alexander State Forest WMA, where the deer harvest count rose above the 10-year average with 95 bagged last season.
Dailey recommends Alexander State Forest WMA for hunters who prefer hunting a mix of pine and hardwood habitat.
As for big, quality bucks, the veteran state biologist pointed hunters to Dewey W. Wills and Esler Field WMAs. Hunt the former during the rut (peak rut Jan. 2-15) because “the big dudes” typically hole up until then, he said. Esler Field WMA gave up 114 deer last season, including some big-bodied deer with impressive racks.
Coastal Lafayette Region
Top WMA deer harvest numbers for 2023-24
Atchafalaya Delta WMA: 50 deer reported (1 deer per * 300 acres, 1 deer per 10.08 hunter efforts)
Salvador/Timken WMA: 18 deer reported (1 deer per 1,917 acres, 1 deer per 12.5 hunter efforts)
Pass-A-Loutre WMA: 3 deer reported (1 deer per **38,333 acres, 1 deer per 14.6 hunter efforts)
* NOTE: Used emergent habitat acreage on Main Delta only. Not all of the WMA acreage is deer habitat, a large portion of the WMA is open water
** NOTE: Not all of the WMA acreage is deer habitat, a large portion of the WMA is open water
South Central Louisiana deer hunters who hunt the 15,000 acres of marsh and scrubby habitat on the Atchafalaya Delta WMA’s Main Delta should bag as many deer as came off the area in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Why? Habitat conditions are similar to the previous two seasons, which means, barring a tropical disturbance, deer harvest numbers are expected to be similar, according to a report submitted by the region’s biologist program manager, Lance Campbell.
Fifty deer were taken off that area last season with one per 10.08 hunter efforts.
The focus has been on youth hunting since 2021-22. Boys and girls can hunt the Main Delta the first two weeks of October with either a shotgun loaded with buckshot or bow and arrow. At the same time, the Main Delta is closed to all other hunters. Also, Big Island is closed to all hunting other than youth deer hunting Oct. 1 through the last day of the youth deer seasons.
