Louisiana’s D.W.F. Providing Public Dove Hunting Opportunities on Private Land Leases and WMAs

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will provide public dove hunting opportunities for the Sept. 1 season opening on leased private land and state wildlife management areas around the state. All hunting sites listed below are subject to closure however, due to Tropical Storm Isaac impacts on habitat which will have to be determined once the storm has moved through the state.

The 2012-13 dove season opens Saturday, Sept. 1 in the north and south zones and hunters have multiple options available. LDWF has leased private land in the following parishes for Sept. 1 only, from noon to sunset:

• Beauregard Parish, DeRidder — 500 acres harvested corn and milo. Directions: Take Hwy190 West from DeRidder. The field is approximately 5 miles West of DeRidder on the North side of Hwy 190 just past Hwy 3226. Check in will be at the rice dryers. Contact Kori Legleu at 337-491-2575 for more information. Maps will be available at the Lake Charles Office.
• Franklin Parish — 110 acres harvested milo. East of Gilbert at the intersection of Hwy 4 and Hwy 572. No ATV’s.
• Grant Parish — 180 acres harvested milo. Directions: 5 miles north of Boyce on La. Hwy 8. No ATV’s.
• Jefferson Davis Parish, Welsh — 290 acre harvested rice field. Directions: Take I-10 to Exit 59 (Roanoke). Head North on Hwy 395, then turn West (left) on Blanchard Rd. Follow Blanchard Rd to Compton Rd. Field located on Southwest corner of Blanchard and Compton roads. Contact Kori Legleu at 337-491-2575 for more information. Maps will be available at the Lake Charles Office.
• Rapides Parish – 90 acres harvested milo. Directions: 2 miles east of Lecompte on Hwy 457. No ATV’s.

The leased fields will be open to public dove hunting on Sept. 1 only and LDWF personnel will be present at the field to issue permits and monitor the hunt.  Hunters 16 years of age and older are charged $10 to hunt, while hunters 15 years of age and younger hunt for free. All hunters are required to obtain a permit on site. Permits will be issued at each site on a first come, first serve basis until each field is filled.

Hunters 16 years of age and older must also have an appropriate hunting license with HIP certification. HIP certification is available from hunting license vendors at no charge.

Additionally, LDWF provides public dove hunting opportunities on state wildlife management areas including: Bayou Pierre WMA, northwest Red River Parish; Big Colewa WMA, West Carroll Parish; Boeuf WMA, Caldwell Parish; Clear Creek WMA, Vernon Parish; Elbow Slough WMA, southeastern Rapides Parish; Floy McElroy WMA, Richland Parish; Fort Polk WMA, Vernon Parish; Loggy Bayou WMA, Bossier Parish; Red River WMA, Concordia Parish; and West Bay WMA, Allen Parish.

For more information about public dove hunting opportunities, go to http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/hunting/dove or contact Jeff Duguay at 225-765-2353 or jduguay@wlf.la.gov .

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.