Discussions include Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries plans to improve duck hunting habitat.
Two public meetings have been set during which management of Catahoula Lake will be discussed, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced.
The meeting dates, times and locations are:
• Aug. 17 – 6:30 p.m. at the Woodmen of the World Building at 1720 East Oak St. in Jena
• Aug. 18 – 6:30 p.m. at the Alexandria Convention Hall at 915 3rd St. in Alexandria
In 2010, LDWF initiated a 10-year management and research plan that includes varying water-level management from traditional dates; bush-hogging and haying in designated locations to inhibit growth of encroaching swamp privet and water elm; herbicide applications to kill smaller trees; active removal of stands of larger trees; and establishment of monitoring plots to evaluate the effects of various management activities on the vegetative community on the lake bed.
The ultimate goal of this program is to identify management practices or combinations of management activities that will reduce woody encroachment while maintaining or improving waterfowl food production.
Along with the experimental management plan, LDWF will also discuss the upcoming opportunity for hay leases on the lakebed; recently approved changes in the East Zone waterfowl hunting season dates; proposed changes to zones used for waterfowl hunting in Louisiana; upcoming surveys to assess hunter satisfaction with past waterfowl hunting zones, splits, and season dates; and gather opinions on potential changes to those regulations.