Field Guide / Waterfowl
The Guide to the Louisiana Hunting Season 2024
If you love duck hunting, Louisiana is known as the duck hunters’ paradise. Whether you live here or are thinking about more places to hunt waterfowl this year, get to the Pelican State! It’s one of the most critical areas for ducks to spend the winter in the U.S.
However, if ducks aren’t your target, Louisiana offers plenty of hunting for deer, turkey, and wild hogs. So, before you make plans and grab your gear, make sure you know when the season starts for the game you’re after. You’ll also need to know the details for getting a hunting license and how many ducks (or deer) you can bring home.
In this resource, we’ve gathered the details you need to hunt Louisiana – no matter the game you’re after. Plus, we highly recommend downloading the HuntWise app to find the best spots to hunt and plan our days in the field for the game you’re after this season.
Why Do Hunters Hunt in Louisiana?
As we mentioned, the big draw for hunting in Louisiana is duck hunting. It’s an ideal landscape for waterfowl hunting through swamps, marshes, coastal bays, inland lakes, and rivers.
The state also provides plenty of opportunities to bring home a buck, whether you hunt with a bow or firearm.
Still, if neither ducks nor deer are on your list this year, the state also offers open seasons for turkey, quail, rabbit, and year-round opportunities to hunt bobcats.
Where Should I Hunt?
Louisiana is, well, flat.
Be prepared to slog through marshes, dense trees, flatlands, and coastal plains in pursuit of game. While you’ll find a few hills near the Arkansas border, “hills” is the keyword to keep in mind. You will not experience any mountainous terrain in the state.
To learn more about the terrain related to where your game of choice roosts, use HuntWise to find and mark the best hunting areas to tag out. Our map layers, satellite imagery, and land boundaries help you understand different terrains so you can plan accordingly. With these insights, hunters can bring the right for a successful hunt.
When Can I Hunt?
Knowing when and where you can hunt in Louisiana takes research and time, so we’ve pulled together some good information for you to help you get out in the field faster this season.
However, be sure to research on your own and check with state agencies to confirm the latest information about bag limits, regulations, season dates, and bag limits before heading out for your next hunt!
Duck, Coot, Merganser
Duck seasons are divided into zones (East and West). Louisiana also provides separate dates for extended falconry.
East Zone
- Regular Season: November 18 – December 3 and December 16 – January 28
- Youth and Veterans (Only): September 21 – January 20
West Zone
- Regular Season: November 11 – December 3, December 11 – January 7, and January 13-21
- Youth and Veterans (Only): November 4 – 5
- Extended Falconry (All Zones): November 3 – January 31
Dove
These dates apply to mourning, white-winged, fully-dressed Eurasian, and collard doves. Like duck seasons in Louisiana, dove hunting is planned by zones (north and south).
North Zone
- September 2 – 24
- October 7 – November 12
- December 23 – January 21
South Zone
- September 2 – 17
- October 14 – November 26
- December 16 – January 14
Deer Season
Dates for Louisiana deer season 2024 vary by how you hunt (archery vs. firearms with or without dogs) and the type of deer (buck vs. either sex). For details to plan your hunt, visit the Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries website.
- Archery: Dates start as early as September 16 and run through February 15
- Primitive Firearms: Dates start as early as October 14 and run through January 31
- Firearms (Still-Hunt Only): Dates start as early as October 21 and run through January 21
- Firearms (With or Without Dogs): Dates start as early as November 27 and run through January 21
- Youth and Honorably Charged Veterans: Dates start as early as October 14 and run through November 3
Turkey Season
Hunters can go after gobblers in the Spring based on open seasons dates for three different areas.
- Area A: April 6 – May 5
- Area B: April 6 – 28
- Area C: April 6 – 21
Rabbit
October 7 – February 29
Quail
November 18 – February 29
Squirrel
- Fall: October 7 – February 29
- Spring: May 4 – 26
Bobcat, Raccoon, Opossum, Crow
Year-round
For additional information on these and other species, visit the Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries website. You can also find more details about species and season dates through eRegulations.
What Do I Need to Know About Hunting Licenses?
All hunters in Louisiana need a license. The state offers several types of licenses, including a lifetime license for the most avid hunters. However, if you’re not ready to commit to the cost of a lifetime license, you can purchase a basic hunting license or licenses specific to what you plan to hunt, like deer or turkey.
If you also love to fish, consider a combination sportsman’s license for both outdoor activities.
What Are the Bag Limits for Louisiana Hunting?
How many ducks, turkeys, or deer can you bring home this season? To comply with Louisiana’s hunting regulations, follow the bag limits for everything you plan to hunt.
| Duck | 6 per day (18 in possession) |
| Dove | 15 in aggregate (45 in aggregate in possession) |
| Deer | 1 antlered, 1 antlerless (6 in possession per season) |
| Turkey | 1 per day (spring), 2 per season (fall) |
| Quail | 10 per day (30 in possession) |
| Rabbit | 8 per day (24 in possession) |
| Squirrel | 8 per day in the Fall (24 in possession), 3 per day in the Spring (9 in possession) |
| Bobcat | 1 per calendar year |
For more details on bag limits, visit the Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries website.
What Else Do I Need Before I Can Hunt?
Hunters born after September 1, 1969, need a hunter safety certification before hunting.. However, you can hunt without a license if accompanied by a certified and licensed hunter born before September 1, 1969. You can also hunt without a safety certification if you are active-duty military, a veteran, or a law enforcement officer with an exemption.
Along with the right documents, you also need the right gear! Take advantage of discounts on gear as a HuntWise subscriber. You can save hundreds on gear like binoculars, calls, scopes, clothing, and more from our partners.
HuntWise Helps You Have a Successful Louisiana Hunting Season
HuntWise is here to help you tag out this season! We hope the information in this guide is helpful as you plan your hunts for ducks, deer, or doves.
Before you head out into the field, make sure you also download the HuntWise app. The app provides access to current information on hunting in Louisiana, including season dates, regulations, and license information.
Plus, with species-specific, real-time information, you can target the best hunt areas and conditions to reach the bag limit for everything you plan to hunt this year.
Start your free trial now! You’ll be ready to get out ahead of other hunters on opening day.
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