The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) adopted notices of intent for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 hunting seasons, 2020-21 general and Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) hunting seasons and rules and regulations, 2021 general and WMA turkey hunting season and rules and regulations, and 2020-21 migratory bird hunting season and rules and regulations at its January meeting Thursday, Jan. 9, in Baton Rouge.
The notices of intent include proposed hunting season dates and regulation changes from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) for the upcoming hunting seasons and provide for a public comment period.
Proposed changes include
- Moving Webster and Bossier parishes from Turkey Area B to Turkey Area A. This will result in an increase of seven days of turkey hunting opportunity for these parishes;
- Moving parts of Iberville and Ascension parishes from Turkey Area B to Turkey Area C. This will be a decrease of seven days in these designated parts;
- Addition of crawfishing on Little River WMA as an allowable activity. This will provide additional opportunity;
- Removal of mandatory deer check on Sabine WMA due to insufficient harvest to obtain meaningful data;
- Reduction of turkey season from 16 days to nine on Big Lake and Boeuf WMAs due to declining populations;
- Reduction of turkey season from 16 days to nine and change in the season dates on J.C. Sonny Gilbert WMA due to declining populations and to comply with area framework;
- Removal of turkey youth lottery and making it an open hunt on J.C. Sonny Gilbert WMA;
- Proposal to close all hunting except waterfowl south of Highway 90 on Pearl River WMA when the gauge is 16.5 feet. Current regulation allows waterfowl hunting area-wide during benchmark closure. This is due to disturbance/impacts to wildlife confined on high ground north of Highway 90.
- Closure of commercial and recreational fishing on Richard K. Yancey WMA until 10 a.m. on Grand Lake, Silver Lake, Lower Sunk Lake, Lac A’ Sostien and Moreau Lake during teal season. This is to prevent user conflicts.
- Change in when the primitive firearm for deer season occurs on Russell Sage WMA. There is no change in available days just season timing. This places antlerless harvest earlier in season prior to rut and prior to resources becoming limited.
To view the full notice of intent and all proposed hunting season dates and regulations changes for the upcoming hunting seasons, go to http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/action-items.
Public comment
Public comment will be accepted through 9 p.m. on March 2. It will also be accepted at LWFC monthly meetings from now through March 2. Comments may be submitted directly to Tommy Tuma, LDWF Wildlife Division, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA. 70898-9000 or 225-765-2349 or by e-mail at ttuma@wlf.la.gov
LDWF will also collect public comment at public hearings to be held Feb. 11-22 throughout the state. The locations and times for those meetings include:
- 11 (Tuesday) at 6 p.m. at the LDWF Minden Field Office, 9961 Highway 80, Minden.
- 12 (Wednesday) at 6:30 p.m. at Ponchatoula High School, 19452 Highway 22, Ponchatoula.
- 13 (Thursday) at 6:30 p.m. at the West Monroe Civic Center, Ouachita Room, 901 Ridge Ave., West Monroe.
- 18 (Tuesday) at 6:30 p.m. at the Alexandria Forestry Center, 2500 Shreveport Highway, Pineville.
- 19 (Wednesday) at 6:30 p.m. at the Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum, 7910 Park Ave., Houma.
- 20 (Thursday) at 6:30 p.m. at the LDWF Lafayette Field Office, 200 Dulles Drive, Lafayette.
- 22 (Saturday) at 9 a.m. at the LSU Ag Center, 7101 Gulf Highway, Lake Charles.
