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QUADRUPEDS & RESIDENT GAME BIRDS
CROWS
SEASON: Sept. 1 - Jan. 1.
DAILY LIMIT
No limit
PHEASANT
SEASON: Open concurrently with Quail Season.
DAILY LIMIT
No limit
METHODS OF TAKING QUADRUPEDS & RESIDENT GAME BIRDS
LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
Basic Hunting License for persons 18 and older is required of all
persons hunting quadrupeds and resident game birds. Additional
licenses are required for deer and turkey. See page 8 for excep-
tions and exemptions.
PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES
Import, sell, use or possess scents or lures that contain natural
deer urine or other bodily fluids, except natural deer urine prod-
ucts produced by manufacturers or entities that are actively en-
rolled and participating in the Responsible Hunting Scent Associ-
ation or the Archery Trade Association Deer Protection Program,
which has been tested using real-time quaking induced conver-
sion (RT-QuIC) and certified that no detectable levels of Chronic
Wasting Disease (CWD) are present and is clearly labeled as such.
Take of quadrupeds and resident game birds with a firearm fitted
with an infrared sight, laser sight or EXCEPT as provided in R.S.
56:116 (A) (8) any sighting device which projects a beam of light
to the target or otherwise electronically illuminates the target,
or device specifically designed to enhance vision at night [R.S.
56:116.1(B)(3)(a-b)]. Any person who has been convicted of a
class four or greater hunting violation for a period of five years
after the date of such conviction shall not use a firearm fitted with
a sound suppressor pursuant to R.S. 56:116.6.
Intentionally feeding, depositing, placing, distributing, exposing,
scattering, or causing to be fed, deposited, placed, distributed, ex-
posed, or scattered, raw sweet potatoes to wild game quadrupeds.
Use of shotguns larger than a 10 gauge or capable of holding
more than three shells.
Possession of shotguns in which the plug may be removed with-
out disassembly.
Take of game quadrupeds or birds from aircraft.
Hunting or take of squirrel or rabbit with a breech-loaded rifle or
handgun larger than .22 caliber, any centerfire rifle, or a muzzle-
loading firearm larger than .36 caliber.
LEGAL GEAR
Legal archery gear or a shotgun not larger than a 10 gauge fired
from the shoulder is legal for taking all resident game birds and
quadrupeds.
Handgun, rifle and falconry (special permit required) is legal for
taking all game species EXCEPT turkey.
Air rifles are legal for taking squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, opossum
and outlaw quadrupeds.
Refer to game schedules contained within these regulations for spe-
cific gear restrictions.
NUISANCE ANIMALS
Landowners or their designees may remove beaver and nutria
causing damage to their property without a special permit. Water
set traps and firearms may be used to remove beaver; nutria may
be removed by any means (see Nighttime Take of Nutria, Beaver
& Outlaw Quadrupeds).
Any nuisance beaver or nutria trapped or shot outside open trap-
ping season cannot be pelted or sold. A trapping license is re-
quired to sell or pelt nuisance beavers or nutria taken during open
trapping season. Squirrel found destroying commercial crops of
pecans may be taken year-round by permit issued by LDWF. Con-
tact the local LDWF field office for details.
OUTLAW QUADRUPEDS (COYOTES, ARMADILLOS & FERAL HOGS)
Holders of a hunting license may take coyotes, feral hogs and armadillos year round during legal daylight shooting hours (for information
on nighttime take see Nighttime Take of Nutria, Beaver & Outlaw Quadrupeds). The running of coyotes with dogs is prohibited in all turkey
hunting areas during the open turkey season. Coyote hunting is restricted to chase only when using dogs during still hunting segments of the
firearm and archery only seasons for deer. Foxes are protected quadrupeds and may be taken only with traps by licensed trappers during the
trapping season. Remainder of the year “chase only” allowed by licensed hunters.
Persons using cage or corral traps to capture feral hogs must have a basic hunting license. Hog traps must have an opening in the top measur-
ing at least 22 x 22 inches or 25 inches in diameter. Persons using snares to capture feral hogs must have a trapping license. Use of snares is
not recommended in areas that have bears.
2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting Regulations
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YOU CAN HELP
To report whooping crane sightings in Louisiana please contact Sara Zimorski (LDWF) at 337-536-7006.
Most birds have unique color bands and a transmitter, but not all birds are banded or have transmitters.