An increase in black bear permits and hunting areas could be around the corner.
Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) members approved a Notice of Intent (NOI) for the possible changes to bear season at their regular meeting held March 6.
The season, originally set for Bear Area 4, would expand to Bear Areas 1 and 2, according to the NOI. Bear Area 4 encompasses West and East Carroll parishes, Madison, Tensas, and parts of Richland and Franklin parishes. Bear Area 1 includes nearly all of the Gulf parishes up to St. Charles, Ascension, Iberville, St. Martin, Jefferson Davis and Calcasieu parishes. Bear Area 2 includes West Feliciana, Pointe Coupee, St. Landry and parts of St. Martin and Iberville parishes.
Under the NOI, permits for Bear Area 4 would increase from 10 to 15, while Area 1 would be allotted eight and Area 2 would have three permits.
Commission member Andy Brister requested more permits for Area 4.
“I would highly suggest that we increase to 20,” Brister said. “We only killed two females (last season). I told hunters last year we just had to get this thing started. We got to understand what we are doing. Give us a year, and we will get that number up a little bit. My phone is going to ring a lot about 15.”
The NOI is not taking any action on the number of tags allowed. Officials can change the permit amount up to the time the lottery is released. Once the lottery is released LDWF cannot make any tag adjustments. The bear lottery will possibly run in August.
Enter the lottery
A hunter will be allowed to enter multiple lotteries allowing them to possibly win more than one lottery, although according to LDWF Large Carnivore Program Manager John Hanks, hunters would have to relinquish additional winning lotteries.
Hunters that won the lottery and hunted last year will not be eligible to hunt for bears for two years.
Also, a time extension on baiting bears would be moved to Nov. 1 until the end of the season.
Last year, 10 black bears were harvested during Louisiana’s first bear hunting season in decades. The season was confined to Area 4.
“It is a success that we even had a bear season,” Hanks said of last year’s season. “We got the (black bear) species recovered off the (endangered species) list, so just having the season was the success.”
This is the second time Louisiana has been able to take an endangered species and bring it to the point that it can be hunted safely. The first was for the American alligator, and Louisiana is the first state to do so with two species.
According to Hanks, the largest bear harvested weighed 696 pounds and was harvested in Tensas Parish.
“That’s the biggest bear I ever put my hands on,” Hanks said.
Of the 10 bears, there were eight males and two females. Both females were older and had not had cubs in approximately two years.
Red snapper count
Additionally, 974,000 pounds of red snapper were caught in 2024, according to a 2024 summary presented by Jason Adriance, marine fisheries biologist.
Private recreational fishermen caught 906,641 pounds while state charter fishing caught 67,578 pounds. Federal charters, not part of the allocation, caught 103,166 pounds according to the summary.
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries allocated 934,000 pounds of red snapper, which was exceeded by nearly 40,000 pounds.
“We did have to pump the brakes in the middle of the season,” Adriance said. “On July 7 we closed and reopened weekends only on July 12. We closed again on August 18 and resumed the daily season on the 19th.”
Red snapper weights have been going down the last several years with the average weight being 5.93 pounds for private fishing and 6.92 pounds for charter fishing. Average red snapper length caught was 21.8 inches for private fishing and 23 inches for charter fishing.
In 2024, the red snapper season opened for 151 days and closed Oct. 6. The 2025 red snapper season will begin on Thursday, May 1, 2025.
