Bowhunting and bowfishing in Louisiana are regulated.
The state of Louisiana oversees archery as it applies to the sports of hunting and fishing. A person bowhunting or bowfishing in Louisiana must conform to the law as outlined in Federal Laws, the Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 56, and to the rules and regulations of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Commission. Game wardens and park rangers enforce these laws.
Required Education and License for Bowhunting
Bowhunters are required to attend education classes.
A person planning to bowhunt and who was born on or after September 1, 1969, must attend a required hunter education course. A hunter who wishes to bowhunt on federal lands in Louisiana, such as on a national wildlife refuge, must take a specific bowhunting class. These classes are free and are offered in many of the parishes in Louisiana (see Resources). A person must also hold a Louisiana hunting license unless he is a Louisiana resident who turned 60 years old before June 1, 2000. Children under the age of 16 may bowhunt without the above requirements as long as they are under the direct supervision of a person over the age of 18 who has met the requirements.
Bowhunting Season in Louisiana
There is a bowhunting season in Louisiana.
The state of Louisiana allows bowhunting only during specific seasons of the year. For example, the 2010 to 2011 archery deer season begins in hunting areas 3 and 8 (southwest Louisiana) on September 18 and ends January 15. In the rest of Louisiana, the season begins October 1 and ends January 31. All types of bows drawn, held or released by mechanical means are allowed. This includes cross bows, compound bows and long bows.
Bowfishing
Bowfishers are not allowed to shoot game fish in Louisiana.
You must acquire a Louisiana basic recreational fishing license before you use a bow and arrow to catch fish in the state. However, people under the age of 16 and people born before June 1, 1940, are exempt from this requirement. A bowfisherman may only catch nongame fish, with the exception of red drum fish. Game fish in Louisiana include bream, black or white crappie, yellow bass, striped bass, largemouth bass, shadow bass, hybrid striped bass, white bass, spotted bass, red drum, sailfish, black marlin, hatchet marlin, striped marlin, blue marlin and white marlin.
Illegal Arrows
The state of Louisiana prohibits the use of poisoned or drugged arrows.
The law prohibits the use of arrows that are poisoned or drugged, as well as arrows with an explosive element. Hunting with a bow that has less than a 30-pound pull or is fitted with a laser, infrared, electric or night vision sight is also illegal.
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