Duck hunters get ready! The 2026-27 Louisiana duck hunting season begins in the West Zone with a youth and veterans only hunt on Nov. 7, followed by the first segment of the regular season a week later on Nov. 14, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced.
The East Zone’s youth and veterans hunt will be Nov. 14 with the first segment of the regular season beginning Nov. 21.
To see a map of the zone boundaries and complete season dates for both zones, go to the hunting seasons and regulations page on the LDWF website.
All waterfowl hunters 16 years and older, even those who are not otherwise required to purchase a license, must have a Federal Duck Stamp. See the federal duck stamp webpage on the LDWF website for more information.
Those 18 and older duck hunting are required to have a basic hunting license and be Harvest Information Program (HIP) certified. Youth 17 and under do not need a hunting license or HIP certification to duck hunt. See the hunting license webpage on the LDWF website to purchase a hunting license.
Many LDWF Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) throughout the state offer duck hunting opportunities. The most popular include: Pass-a-Loutre WMA, Atchafalaya Delta WMA, Pointe-aux-Chenes WMA, Sherburne WMA, Dewey Wills WMA and Russell Sage WMA. For a complete list of WMAs open to duck hunting and more information on WMA duck hunting, see the hunting seasons and regulations webpage.
All visitors to LDWF WMAs must have either a WMA Access Permit, Senior Hunting/Fishing License, Louisiana Sportsman’s Paradise License or Lifetime Hunting/Fishing License, except those 17 years of age and younger. Go to the WMA Access Permitpage on the LDWF website for more information.
For more information on duck hunting in Louisiana, see the LDWF waterfowl page.
