Shooting Range Safety Zones Established on Louisiana DWF Wildlife Management Areas

Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries 11.25.13

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ Wildlife Division has established and enhanced safety zones surrounding shooting ranges on three Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs).

The affected WMAs include Bodcau, Pearl River and Sherburne WMAs. The Woodworth Shooting Range within Alexander State Forest WMA already had a designated safety zone established.

The Department wants to remind the public to consult with your local LDWF field office for hours of operation and rules on all WMA ranges and rules. Information and maps for individual ranges as well as the associated safety zones may also be found at http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/hunting/shooting-ranges.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Wildlife Management Area Program is charged with providing necessary habitats to manage and protect both game and non-game wildlife, as well as to provide quality outdoor recreation for the public.

For more information: visit us at www.wlf.louisiana.gov, at www.facebook.com/ldwffb; on Twitter @LDWF; or by contacting Steve Smith at ssmith@wlf.la.gov or 225-765-2359; or Fred Kimmel at fkimmel@wlf.la.gov or 225-765-2355.

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.