Directly across the Atchafalaya River on its western bank in St. Landry and St. Martin parishes, another 28,500 acres of mixed swamps and hardwood bottomlands provide even more public access to deer hunting.
This tract is officially named the Indian Bayou Area, and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (337-585-0853) manages it for environmental protection and access.
The 2011 flood did not result in a reduction of either-sex days on these lands because little of it flooded on the north to central portions of the west bank. Also, management prescriptions for Basin whitetails here have never historically allowed many either-sex days.
Either-sex hunting with firearms begins the Friday after Thanksgiving in conjunction with the Sherburne Complex — but for three days instead of two.
“There was an excellent mast crop in the fall of 2011, and our hunters here found a fair number of whitetails,” said Lionel Sellars, acting project manager over the Indian Bayou Area.
“The soft mast has been abundant here this fall, as we have observed good persimmon production,” Sellars added. “This coming season looks good for deer hunters.”
Interestingly, the 2012-13 deer season marks the 14th consecutive year of quality deer management of a rather restrictive nature on Indian Bayou Area.
According to the Indian Bayou Area regulations, “a legal buck shall be defined as a deer with at least four points on one side or a deer with unbranched antlers commonly referred to as spikes (no minimum length). To be counted as a point, a projection must be at least 1 inch long and its length must exceed the length of its base. The beam tip is counted as a point but not measured as a point.”
The 2011-12 Indian Bayou harvest survey showed that 103 bucks and 79 does were taken. Average weights of bucks in the first three age classes were very similar to those on the Sherburne Complex.
With the antler restrictions present on these lands, 3 1/2-year-old bucks averaged 8.4 antler points — just one antler point higher than those in the Sherburne Complex. There were five 4 1/2-year-old bucks taken last season on the Indian Bayou area, and the antler point average was 11.
There were no 4 1/2-year-old bucks recorded in harvest records at the Sherburne Complex during the 2011-12 season.
Remaining deer-hunting seasons at the Indian Bayou Area are:
• Deer firearms (either-sex) — Nov. 23-25, Dec. 1-2 (mandatory deer check) All other seasons closed except waterfowl season will remain open.
• Deer firearms (bucks only) — Jan. 5-20 (mandatory deer check)
• Deer primitive firearms (either-sex) — Dec. 7-9, 14-16
• Deer youth and physically challenged (either-sex) — Oct. 27-28, Nov. 10-11 No antler restrictions. Mandatory Deer Check. All other seasons closed.
Please consult the 2012-13 Hunting Guide to Indian Bayou for specific regulations. For more information, contact the USACE Indian Bayou Area Project office at 337-585-0853.