COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES
EXCEPT for licensed activities otherwise allowed by law, commercial ac-
tivities are prohibited without a permit issued by the Secretary of LDWF.
COMMERCIAL FISHING
Commercial fishing is prohibited year-round on the following
WMAs: Salvador/Timken, Pointe-aux-Chenes WMAs, EXCEPT com-
mercial fishing on Pointe-aux-Chenes is allowed in Cutoff Canal.
Permits are required of all commercial fisherman using the fol-
lowing WMAs: Grassy Lake, Pomme de Terre and Spring Bayou
WMAs. Non-compliance with permit regulations will result in
revocation of commercial fishing privileges for the period the li-
cense is issued and one year thereafter.
Drag seines (EXCEPT minnow and bait seines) are prohibited
EXCEPT experimental bait seines allowed on Dewey Wills WMA
north of LA 28 in diversion canal.
No commercial fishing activity shall impede navigation and no un-
attended vessels or barges will be allowed.
VEHICLES
ATV (definition): An All-Terrain Vehicle is a wheeled or tracked off-
road vehicle (not legal for highway use) not to exceed the following:
weight - 750 lbs; length - 85 inches; width - 48 inches. ATV tires are
restricted to those no larger than 26 x 12 with a maximum 1-inch lug
height and a maximum allowable tire pressure of 12 psi as indicated
on the tire by the manufacturer. Use of all other ATVs or ATV tires are
prohibited on a WMA.
UTV (definition): A Utility Type Vehicle (or Utility Terrain Vehicle)
is any recreational motor vehicle other than an ATV, wheeled or
tracked, not legal for highway use, designed for and capable of travel
over designated unpaved roads, traveling on four or more low-pres-
sure tires not to exceed the following: weight - 1900 lbs; length - 128
inches; width - 68 inches. UTV tires are restricted to those no larger
than 27 x 12 with a maximum 1-inch lug height and a maximum
allowable tire pressure of 12 psi. UTVs are commonly referred to as
“side-by-sides” and may include golf carts.
Personal Water Craft (definition): A vessel which uses an inboard
motor powering a water jet pump as its primary source of propul-
sion and is designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing or
kneeling on the vessel rather than in the conventional manner of
sitting or standing inside the vessel.
ATV AND ATV/UTV TRAILS SIGNAGE AND MARKING
All trails will be marked with signage and the following:
Entrances to ATV trails will be marked with peach colored paint.
Entrances to ATV/UTV trails will be marked with orange colored paint.
Entrances to Physically Challenged Only trails will be marked with
blue colored paint.
Entrances to ATV trails that are open year-round will be marked
with purple paint.
The end of all trails will be marked with red paint.
THE FOLLOWING ARE PROHIBITED ON WMAS
Vehicles having wheels with a wheel-tire combination radius of 17
inches or more (measured from the center of the hub and hori-
zontal to ground).
The testing, racing, speeding or unusual maneuvering of any type
of vehicle.
Tractor or implement tires with farm tread designs R1, R2 and R4
known commonly as spade or lug grip types.
Use of airboats, aircraft, personal water craft, “mud crawling vessels”
(commonly referred to as crawfish combines which use paddle wheels
for locomotion) and hover craft, and EXCEPT type A personal water
craft, model year 2003 and beyond, which are eight feet in length and
greater, may be operated within WMAs, EXCEPT Bussey Brake WMA,
from April 1 until the Monday of Labor Day weekend, from sunrise
to sunset only, and EXCEPT personal water craft are allowed on des-
ignated portions of Alexander State Forest WMA year-around, and
EXCEPT airboats are allowed on designated waterways within Maure-
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS
Commercial fishing is allowed on Pass-a-Loutre and Atchafalaya
Delta WMAs. See Pass-a-Loutre for additional commercial fishing
regulations on mullet.
HUNTING GUIDES/OUTFITTERS
No person or group of persons may act as a hunting guide, outfit-
ter or in any other capacity for which they are paid or promised to
be paid directly or indirectly by any other individual or individuals
for services rendered to any other person or persons hunting on
any WMA, regardless of whether such payment is for guiding, out-
fitting, lodging or club memberships. This provision does not apply
to properly licensed and insured charter fishing guides operating
on WMAs unless specifically prohibited on WMAs identified by the
Department. Any person performing for-hire fishing guide activity
within a WMA shall possess a valid state charter boat fishing guide
license, a valid captain’s license issued by the United States Coast
Guard, proof of commercial marine insurance, a valid state recre-
ational fishing license that grants fishing privileges appropriate for
his charter activity, and a valid state WMA Access Permit.
pas Swamp WMA. See WMA map for details. No person shall operate
such watercraft at a speed greater than “slow/no wake” within 100
feet of an anchored or moored vessel, shoreline, dock, pier or persons
engaged in angling or any other manually powered vessel.
Driving or parking vehicles on food or cover plots and strips.
Blocking the entrance to roads and trails.
Operation of licensed motorized vehicles (LMVs) legal for highway
use, including motorcycles, off of designated roads as indicated
on WMA maps.
Operation of ATVs or UTVs off of designated, marked ATV or ATV/
UTV trails, EXCEPT that those UTVs in which the manufacturer’s
specifications do not exceed the weight, length, width, and tire
restrictions for ATVs are allowed on ATV trails, and EXCEPT when
WMA roads are closed to LMVs. ATVs and/or UTVs may then be
operated on those roads when allowed. NOTE: Only ATV and UTV
trails marked with signs and/or paint, AND depicted on WMA
maps are open for use.
Operation of electric bicycles off of designated roads and ATV/
UTV trails as indicated on WMA maps.
Leaving of ATVs and motorcycles overnight on WMAs, EXCEPT on
designated camping areas.
Use of ATVs/UTVs from two hours after sunset to 4 a.m., EXCEPT
raccoon hunters may use ATVs during nighttime raccoon take sea-
sons only.
Use of ATVs/UTVs from March 1 - Aug. 31 EXCEPT squirrel hunters
are allowed to use ATV trails during the spring squirrel season on
certain WMAs, and EXCEPT certain trails may be open during this
time period to provide access for fishing or other purposes, and
EXCEPT allowed on Year-Round ATV/UTV Trails.
Operation of internal combustion powered vessels within desig-
nated Limited Access Areas (LAAs) prohibited during the months
of September through January. Trolling motors may be used to
access and navigate within LAAs. A trolling motor is defined as a
self-contained unit that includes a completely submerged elec-
tric motor at the end of the shaft, propeller and controls, and is
affixed to a vessel, either at the bow or stern. Vehicles prohibited
November through January. LAAs are on Atchafalaya Delta, Boeuf,
Dewey W. Wills, Joyce, Manchac, Pass-A-Loutre, Pomme de Terre,
Pointe-Aux-Chenes and Russell Sage WMAs. See WMA maps for
specific locations.
Operation of vessels beyond bare steerage speed (the slowest
speed a vessel can travel while maintaining directional control)
in no wake zones.
Operation of a powercraft with an altered muffler or muffler cut-
out or in a manner that bypasses or reduces the effectiveness of
the muffler system.
www.wlf.louisiana.gov
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