HUNTING LICENSES

Annual hunting and fishing licenses go on sale June 1 each year and expire June 30 of the following year.

Hunting licenses may be purchased online or by telephone using Visa or MasterCard. Call toll free 1-888-765-2602. An authorization number for immediate use will be provided and licenses will be mailed to the licensee.
A SERVICE FEE IS CHARGED.

HIP CERTIFICATION All persons hunting migratory game birds (mourning doves, ducks, geese, woodcock, rails, snipe, coots or gallinules) in Louisiana must be HIP certified in addition to their appropriate licenses.

LIFETIME HUNTING LICENSES are available only through the Baton Rouge Office. To expedite issuance make payment in the form of cash or money order. For additional information call (225)765-2887.

Duplicates: $2.00 per privilege - no duplicates are allowed for trip licenses

HUNTER CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

All persons born on or after September 1, 1969, must show proof of satisfactorily completing a Hunter Safety course approved by LDWF to purchase a Basic Hunting License. EXCEPT any active or veteran member of the United States armed services or any POST-certified law enforcement officer, application for the exemption shall be filed in person at the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries main office building in the city of Baton Rouge. However, a person younger than 16 years of age may hunt without such certificate if he is accompanied by and is under the direct supervision of a person 18 years of age or older EXCEPT during a statewide youth deer hunt, the youth must have satisfactorily completed a Hunter safety course approved by LDWF to participate. For course information, call (225)765-2932 or any Regional Office.

EXCEPTIONS AND EXEMPTIONS

A. The following recreational fishermen and hunters are not required to obtain a basic recreational fishing license, saltwater license, basic hunting license, big game license or migratory waterfowl conservation stamp, but must have proof of age in their possession whenever fishing or hunting:

1. Residents who reached age 60 prior to June 1, 2000. 
2. Residents and non-residents younger than 16 years of age

B.The following recreational fishermen and hunters, upon identification and proof of eligibility satisfactory to the Department, shall be issued a basic recreational fishing license, saltwater license, basic hunting license and big game license without payment of any fees:

1. A resident who is a VETERAN of the armed forces or Louisiana National Guard, having a permanent SERVICE CONNECTED disability classification of fifty percent (50%) or more. Must submit form signed by parish service officer.
2. A resident who is blind, paraplegic or is a multiple amputee shall upon identification and proof of disability satisfactory to the Department be issued licenses without the payment of any fees therefor. Must submit doctors statement.

For more information on recreational licenses and fees, click here.

Purchase your license online today.

2008-09 DEER TAGGING AND VALIDATION INSTRUCTIONS

To obtain Deer Tags

Prior to hunting deer, all deer hunters, regardless of age or license status, must obtain deer tags and have in possession when hunting deer.  Immediately upon harvesting a deer, the hunter must tag the deer with the appropriate carcass tag before it is moved from the kill site, and the hunter must document the kill on the harvest report card portion of the deer tag license.  The hunter must record the date of kill and the parish of kill on the carcass tag.  The tag must remain attached to the deer while kept at camp, or while it is transported to the domicile of the hunter or to a cold storage facility.  Hunters who keep the carcass or meat at the camp must also comply with game possession tag regulations.  Within 72 hours the hunter must validate the kill and record the validation number on the license.  Hunters harvesting deer on DMAP and LADT should follow the instructions provided to them by LDWF.  Hunters on wildlife management areas can validate deer during mandatory deer check hunts, when deer check stations are in operation.  Hunters may validate deer by calling the validation toll free number, 866-484-4805, or using the validation web site.

Note:  Do not remove the tags from the Deer Harvest Report Card until you have killed a deer; at that point the tag is removed from the Deer Harvest Report Card and attached to the animal.  Tags removed from the Deer Harvest Report Card prior to killing a deer are no longer valid and if lost by the hunter will not be replaced.

Deer Tagging Procedure for Licenses purchased via phone or internet

Hunters purchasing licenses by phone or internet will be given both an authorization number and a LDWF identification number that will serve as their license until such license arrives by mail.  Hunters will tag deer with possession tags, using the authorization number and LDWF identification number for the required license numbers recorded on the possession tag.  Hunters will maintain documentation of these harvested deer and will validate harvested deer as required by law when the hunter receives the original license and tags.  The hunter will validate the license information from these harvested deer and will discard the license tags for these validated deer.

Replacement of lost tags

Hunters should not remove tags from the license transaction until a deer has been killed and the hunter is ready to tag the carcass and move it from the kill site.  Single tags are automatically voided if detached from the license prematurely (not placed on a harvested animal) and then lost by the hunter.  These tags will not be replaced.  Hunters who lose their license and/or tag transaction (tags and deer license report card) can obtain duplicate tags at a charge to the hunter.  Hunters that have harvested and validated deer prior to losing their remaining tags will have to remove and discard the duplicate tags to account for the original tags that have been used and validated.  Hunters must update the duplicate deer tag harvest report card by recording the deer that he has already harvested.