The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will hold a public hearing May 22 (Monday) at 10 a.m. in Baton Rouge to receive public comment on two amendments adopted by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) at its April meeting regarding the proposed 2017-18 Hunting Season Rules and Regulations.
The meeting will be held in the Louisiana Room of the LDWF headquarters building, 2000 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge.
The LWFC voted to adopt two amendments to the proposed notice of intent for the 2017-18 hunting seasons, rules and regulations during its monthly meeting on April 6.
The commission voted to move a portion of Deer Area 8 into Deer Area 3 in portions of Allen, Beauregard and Vernon parishes and to expand the limited access areas on the Atchafalaya Delta Wildlife Management Area.
The amendments read, in part:
- Change that portion in Allen Parish east of Louisiana Highway 113 from the parish line to U.S. Highway 190, north of U.S. Highway 190 eastward to Kinder, west of U.S. Highway 165 northward to Louisiana Highway 10 at Oakdale and south of Louisiana Highway 10 from Oakdale westward to parish line, and in Beauregard Parish that portion east of Louisiana Highway 113, and in Vernon Parish that portion east of Louisiana Highway 113 from the parish line northward to Pitkin and south of Louisiana Highway 10 from Pitkin southward to the parish line; to become a portion of Deer Area 3, with the same seasons as Deer Area 3, Except to include allowing hunting with or without dogs during the last segment of the Firearms Deer Season (Dec. 3, 2017-Jan. 8, 2018) within this new portion of Deer Area 3.
- To expand the Atchafalaya Delta Wildlife Management Area (WMA) Limited Access Areas on the Main Delta and Wax Delta approximately 25 percent. Access would be allowed within the active passes within those areas but once out of the passes, it reverts to limited access.
(To see maps of the affected areas in the amendments please click on the corresponding links: Main Delta, Wax Delta, current deer area map, amended and proposed deer area map.)
Deer Area 3 season dates will now reflect still hunt only and with or without dog season dates with only the portion of former Deer Area 8 being open for with or without dogs. There will be no impacts to user groups beyond the change in Deer Area designation.
The expansion of limited access areas on Atchafalaya Delta WMA will increase from approximately 5.5 percentage of the huntable acreage on the Main Delta and 7.1 percent on the Wax Delta to 25 percent on both deltas. Operation of internal combustion engines inside the limited access areas boundaries is prohibited from Sept. 1-Jan. 31.
However, hunters and fishermen may access and navigate limited access areas via use of paddles, push poles or electric trolling motors. Any vessel with a movable outdrive system may enter a limited access area as long as the boat’s internal combustion engine is trimmed up out of the water in an inoperable position. Vessels with fixed propellers must adhere to the no operation rule. See maps for accessible passes adjacent to limited access areas.
To view the full notices of intent and all proposed hunting season dates and regulations changes, visit http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/action-items.
For more information, contact Steve Smith at 225-765-2359 or ssmith@wlf.la.gov.