Louisiana WFC Adopts Notices of Intent for Hunting Seasons, Hunting Regulations and WMA Rules

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) adopted notices of intent for the 2013-15 hunting seasons and the 2013-14 Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) General Rules and Regulations at their Feb. 7 meeting.

The notices of intent include proposed hunting season dates and changes from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) for the upcoming fall hunting seasons and provide for a public comment period.

Some of the proposed changes include:

• Alterations in deer areas and seasons to include a new Area 4, Area 9 and Area 10, plus re-aligned Areas 1, 6 and 7.
• Standardized crawfish limits on all Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) allowing up to 100 lbs/person/day.
• Feral hog, experimental trapping, from May 1 to Aug. 31, by permit only on Boeuf, Clear Creek, Jackson-Bienville, Manchac, Pearl River, Red River, Sherburne, Thistlethwaite, Three Rivers and West Bay WMAs; permits to be available at regional LDWF field offices.
• Elbow Slough WMA: proposed lottery-only hunts for Mourning Dove on opening weekend of 1st split.
• Pearl River WMA: proposed return to deer season framework and length utilized pre-Hurricane Katrina.
• Maurepas Swamp WMA: proposed reduction in deer hunting days from 42 days to 28 days to be consistent with proposed New Area 9 season.
• Salvador/Timken WMA: proposed Experimental Night-time Activity Season; plus deer hunting to be allowed after 12 noon.
• Thistlethwaite WMA: proposed 10-year Experimental Quality Deer Management Season to include ending current experimental season and adopting new experimental season with altered season structure.
• Kisatchie National Forest: proposed addition of a Youth Deer Hunt and still hunting only for all deer hunting.
• Primitive Gear: proposed addition of single shot, breech loading shotguns, 10-gauge or smaller, having an exposed hammer, loaded with buckshot or rifled slug.

To view the full notices of intent and all proposed hunting season dates and regulations changes for the upcoming hunting season and a presentation on recommended deer season changes for 2013-15, with area maps, please visit http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/action-items.

Public comment will be accepted at LWFC monthly meetings from March through May and/or can be submitted in writing by mail to: Steve Smith, LDWF Wildlife Division, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000, or via email to ssmith@wlf.la.gov until 4:30 p.m., May 2, 2013.

Proposed hunting season dates, general hunting regulations and WMA regulations will additionally be presented in nine public meetings as follows:

• March 19 at 6 p.m., LDWF Minden Office, 9961 Hwy. 80, Minden
• March 19 at 6 p.m., St. Tammany Parish Council Chambers, 21490 Koop Drive, Mandeville
• March 20 at 6 p.m., LDWF Monroe Office, 368 Centurytel Drive, Monroe
• March 20 at 6 p.m., Chalmette Elem. School Resource Center, 75 East Chalmette Circle, Chalmette
• March 21 at 6 p.m., USGS National Wetlands Research Center Conference Room, 646 Cajundome Blvd., Lafayette
• March 26 at 6:30 p.m., LSU Ag Center, 7101 Gulf Highway, Lake Charles
• March 27 at 6 p.m., Alexandria Convention Hall, 915 Third St., Alexandria
• March 27 at 6 p.m., Houma Municipal Auditorium, 880 Verret St., Houma
• March 28 at 6 p.m., Waddill Outdoor Education Center, 4142 N. Flannery Road, Baton Rouge

Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries – Enforcement Division(LDWF) is the fish & game regulatory agency of Louisiana. It has jurisdictionanywhere in the state, and in state territorial waters. The agency enforces both state and federal laws dealing with hunting, fishing, and boating safety. The agency also enforces criminal laws in rural areas including DWI enforcement both on highways and waterways. Most of the Department’s Wildlife Agents also carry Federal law enforcement commissions issued from the United States Department of the Interior - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and United States Department of Commerce - U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). These federal commissions allow these state officers to enforce federal migratory waterfowl laws and federal marine fisheries laws in state and federal waters off the coast of Louisiana. Besides their traditional role as a “game warden”, Louisiana Wildlife Enforcement Agents also have a number of other responsibilities, including conducting board of health inspections on some portions of the state’s commercial fishing industry. Agents are trained in and conduct numerous search and rescue operations, both in remote land areas and on the state’s waterways. Agents ensure that hunters, anglers, boaters, dealers, breeders, farmers, and transporters are in compliance with regulations governing equipment, quotas, licenses, and registrations. Agents also assist other State departments and law enforcement agencies in the coordination of educational and professional endeavors, as well as national and state emergency alerts by the Federal Office of Emergency Preparedness. In addition, agents perform search and rescue missions alone or in conjunction with other local, state, and federal agencies.