Lessons learned after being chosen for the Sherburne WMA South Farm lottery hunt
The old saying when it comes to lotteries is simply, “you gotta play to win!” And I must tell you, I’m one of those who actually plays a lot when it comes to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) lottery hunt opportunities.
One of those lotteries is the Sherburne Wildlife Management Area South Farm hunt of which I took a chance on in 2023 and happened to draw out for an East Zone opening day blind.
The roughly 44,000-acre Sherburne complex is located in the Morganza Floodway system of the Atchafalaya Basin and is made up of properties from the Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge, Bayou Des Ourses owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Sherburne WMA.
The Sherburne South Farm Unit is located on the Bayou Des Ourses portion of the complex and consists of seven impoundments called shallow wetlands. During the spring and summer months these wetlands are home to numerous species of wading birds, as well as nesting wood ducks, black-bellied whistling ducks and hooded mergansers.
During the fall and winter, the complex impoundments attract both puddle and diving ducks.
Arthur Hebert, a Lafayette region Biologist Supervisor for the LDWF, said the primary focus of the South Farm is to provide wintering waterfowl habitat, but the management objectives of Sherburne’s wetlands are multi-faceted. Hunter focus is always at the fore front each year though.
“Promoting wise utilization of Louisiana’s resources is part of our mission statement,” he said. “When properly managed, shallow wetlands like the ones found at South Farm can provide quality habitat for many migratory bird species, including shorebirds and wading birds.”
How to apply
The process to apply for the Sherburne WMA South Farm lottery hunt is simple. Most Louisiana hunters are now accustomed to the LDWF website when purchasing licenses or obtaining information.
Log on to www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/lottery-hunts and the site will direct you to the links required to apply. You’ll need to pay a $5 application fee and small online processing fee, but other than that, it’s seamless.
The nice thing about winning this lottery hunt is you get to bring two other hunters with you. It’s a great experience sharing a blind with people you want to be with.
In trying not to make this a “Joe and Me” story, the fact is, the Sherburne WMA South Farm Lottery Hunt is a “do-it-yourself affair.” And, in that regard, we learned some things you should know ahead of time.
What you’ll need
You’ll receive an email from the LDWF with South Farm rules, a harvest report that’s required to be turned in post hunt and a blind assignment. Again, it’s a DIY affair. Once you show up at the designated time, you’re on your own.
The hunt is a “walk-in” hunt, but you are allowed to use ATVs to get you to and from your hunt unit. Though I did see one group walking in and out to their assigned unit from the South Farm parking area, it’s a very long slog with guns, ammo, decoys and any other gear you deem essential. So, I highly recommend you borrow a four-wheeler if you don’t own one. Moreover, every hunt unit has a designated parking location for your ATV, which makes it very convenient.
With no permanent blinds, you’ll have to hide in the cover that’s available. We chose an island of thick flag grass that worked out quite well. To avoid several hours of standing, we brought marsh seats.
The impoundment we hunted had a fairly hard clay bottom but was soft enough to stab the seats. As such, the seats allowed us to sit comfortably for several hours.
We also utilized an ice fishing sled. These sleds float, so it made the job of hauling decoys, marsh seats, ammo/blind bags and other gear super easy. What’s more, it provided a dry location to set things down while hunting. Essentially, you’re in knee deep water for the duration of your hunt.
Study the map
Like most waterfowl hunters, I like to know what I’m up against. There’s no scouting out your Sherburne South Farm lottery hunt unit ahead of time. Plus, you’ll be arriving in the dark. What I recommend is to thoroughly study the color map the LDWF provides and get very familiar with the route to your blind, which notably is well marked.
The map pdf is clearly from Google Maps and is in the natural earth configuration. It helps to note geological features. On the morning of your hunt, it’s easy to take a compass reading from your ATV parking location and head out into the general direction you considered from studying the map.
There are patches of flag grass scattered throughout each unit that make terrific natural blinds for wary ducks. It’s essentially instant cover and shouldn’t be overlooked.
Duck food is everywhere. Remember, these are shallow wetlands managed for wintering ducks. The flag grass blind we chose happened to have plenty of wetland plants full of seeds, of which Hebert identified as Seed Box (ludwigia alternifolia) and Pinweed (genus lechea). In short, the ducks we shot at wanted to be there.
What to expect
During our hunt the third weekend in November last year, Louisiana from top to bottom was in the throes of severe drought. November’s Louisiana coastal region and Little River basin aerial survey estimate of 584,000 ducks also was the lowest on record.
Despite those dismal conditions, we managed to shoot some ducks and miss a few others; including a flock of eight gadwall. So did another party of hunters we met at the kiosk in the parking lot, who like us were turning in their harvest reports.
Our bag consisted of green-winged teal, ring-necked ducks, gadwall and a couple of hooded mergansers.
“As far as hunting opportunities go, we typically have an annual number of hunts ranging somewhere from the low to mid-twenties,” Hebert said. “This is typically every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, except for holidays during the regular waterfowl season. We hunt four units for the first split and seven units for the second. Last year hunters on the South Farm averaged 1.52 birds per effort while Sherburne WMA, as a whole, averaged 1.17 birds per effort, but these numbers can be a bit misleading.”
Hebert went on to say when big cold fronts come in and push in good numbers of birds, hunting on South Farm can be a real advantage over the rest of the management area. Over the whole season, he concluded, the numbers average out and you don’t see the spikes from the pushes of birds during the fronts.
Other considerations
Though the impoundment water level on our hunt was calf deep we wore chest waders, but could have gotten away with hip boots. However, anyone who hunts ducks knows it’s hard to stay dry in the marsh, especially when you’re sitting in the grass.
Another consideration is headlamps. On the morning of our hunt, it was misty, overcast and dark. You’re required to be in your designated unit well before legal shooting light, so as not to disturb other hunters on their respective units.
Make it a point to wear LED headlamps that have a bit of range to them. You possibly will have to walk a couple hundred yards or more out into your unit to set up. Believe me, light is your friend.
And finally, make sure you keep your permit with you. It’s required.
Waterfowl hunters are an afflicted lot. They take chances on Ducks Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl fundraiser tickets. No matter how poor the duck report is or how bad the weekend weather is predicted to be, they’re willing to take a chance and head to the blind anyway. And when the waterfowl season is over, they’ve been known to sulk for months.
This coming season, why not take a chance on winning the Sherburne WMA South Farm lottery? It’s one lotto that you’ll be glad you did.
