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WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS
HUNTER ORANGE AND BLAZE PINK
All hunters (including archers and small game hunters) and trap-
pers, EXCEPT waterfowl hunters and mourning dove hunters on
WMAs must display 400 square inches of “Hunter Orange” or
“Blaze Pink” and wear a “Hunter Orange” or “Blaze Pink” hat or
cap during open firearms seasons for deer.
Quail and woodcock hunters and hunters participating in special
dog seasons for rabbit, squirrel and feral hogs are required to
wear a minimum of a “Hunter Orange” or “Blaze Pink” hat or cap.
All other hunters and archers (while on the ground), EXCEPT wa-
terfowl hunters, also must wear a minimum of a “Hunter Orange”
or “Blaze Pink” hat or cap during special dog seasons for rabbit
and squirrel.
FIREARMS
Firearms having live ammunition in the chamber and crossbows
cocked in the ready position are not allowed in or on vehicles,
boats under power, motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs, ATCs, WMA check
stations, or in camping areas on WMAs. Rifles, shotguns, pre-
charged pneumatic devices, and bows and arrows are not allowed
on WMAs during closed seasons except on designated shooting
ranges or as permitted for trapping and except as permitted pur-
suant to R.S. 56:109(C) and for purposes of transport pursuant
to R.S. 56:1691. Bows and broadhead arrows are not allowed on
WMAs except during deer archery season, turkey season or as
permitted for bowfishing. Any person who meets the qualifica-
tions of R.S. 14:95(M) may possess handguns on WMAs provided
these firearms are not used for any hunting purpose. Encased or
broken down firearms and any game harvested may be transport-
ed through the areas by the most direct route provided that no
other route exists EXCEPT as specified under WMA listing.
CAMPING
A WMA Camping Permit is required for each camping party utiliz-
ing a LDWF-operated campground on a WMA. A camping party is
defined as one to five individuals 18 or older. If any camping group
is over five individuals 18 or older, then multiple WMA Camping
Permits are required. Youths 17 and younger are exempt from the
WMA Camping Permit requirement. The WMA Camping Permit(s)
or camping permit number shall be displayed at each camping
party’s campsite. A campsite is defined as any tent, RV, camper,
vehicle or site occupied within a campground or vessel/house-
boat moored adjacent to a campground.
Camping on WMAs, including trailers, houseboats, vessels, rec-
reational vehicles and tents, is allowed only in designated areas
and for a period not to exceed 16 (EXCEPT Bodcau WMA is not to
exceed 14 days during a 30-day period) consecutive days, regard-
less of whether the camp is attended or unattended. At the end
of the 16-day period camps must be removed from the area for
at least 48 hours. Camping area use limited exclusively to outdoor
recreational activities. Camping on WMAs is available on a first-
come, first-serve basis unless otherwise specified.
Houseboats and vessels utilized for recreational activities are pro-
hibited from overnight mooring within WMAs EXCEPT on stream
banks adjacent to designated camping areas. Overnight mooring
of vessels that provide lodging for hire are prohibited on WMAs.
Houseboats and vessels shall not impede navigation. No refuse or
garbage may be dumped from these boats. Houseboat mooring
on Atchafalaya Delta WMA is allowed via permit only, in desig-
2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting Regulations
Hunters participating in special shotgun season for feral hogs on
Atchafalaya Delta, Pass-a-Loutre, Pointe-aux-Chenes and Salva-
dor WMAs must display 400 square inches of “Hunter Orange”
or “Blaze Pink” and wear a “Hunter Orange” or “Blaze Pink” cap.
Deer hunters hunting from concealed blinds must display a min-
imum of 400 square inches of “Hunter Orange” or “Blaze Pink”
above or around their blinds which is visible from 360 degrees.
ALSO, all persons afield during hunting seasons are encouraged to
display “Hunter Orange” or “Blaze Pink.”
Loaded firearms are not allowed near WMA check stations.
Hunting with the following firearms or ammunition on any WMA
is prohibited, except during modern or primitive firearm deer sea-
son, or a firearm season established on any WMA for feral hogs.
- Centerfire rifles
- Centerfire break-action and centerfire bolt action handguns,
centerfire scoped handguns, shotgun slugs or shot larger than
BB lead or F steel
- Pre-charged pneumatic rifles approved for deer hunting
Target shooting and other forms of practice shooting are prohib-
ited on WMAs EXCEPT as otherwise specified.
Any person entering or utilizing a LDWF designated shooting
range must comply with posted range rules and Range Safety Of-
ficer (if present) commands.
Discharging of firearms on or across, or hunting from designated
roads, ATV/UTV trails, nature trails, hiking trails, and their rights-
of-way is prohibited during open firearms seasons for deer.
nated areas, during hunting season. Permits for Atchafalaya Delta
WMA are available via annual lottery or by a five-year bid lease
program. Contact the Lafayette Field Office for details.
Discharge of human waste onto lands or waters of any WMA is
prohibited. In the event public restroom facilities are not avail-
able at a WMA, the following is required: anyone camping on a
WMA in a camper, trailer or other unit (other than a houseboat
or tent) shall have and shall utilize an operational disposal sys-
tem attached to the unit; tent campers shall have and shall utilize
portable waste disposal units and shall remove all human waste
from the WMA upon leaving; houseboats moored on a WMA shall
have a permit or letter of certification from the Health Unit (De-
partment of Health and Hospitals) of the parish within which the
WMA occurs verifying that it has an approved sewerage disposal
system on board. Further, that system shall be utilized by occu-
pants of the houseboats when on the WMA.
Firearms may not be kept loaded or discharged in a camping area
unless otherwise specified.
Campsites must be cleaned by occupants prior to leaving and all
refuse placed in designated locations when provided or carried
off by campers.
Trash must be contained at all times while camping.
Burning of trash is prohibited.
Glass containers and bottles prohibited on campgrounds.
Swimming is prohibited within 100 yards of boat launching ramps.
Only hunting dogs are allowed in WMA camping areas.