2012-2013 Migratory waterfowl and bird seasons

SHOOTING HOURS

• One-half hour before sunrise to sunset on all species, except noon to sunset Sept. 1, opening day of dove season, and the Conservation Order on geese (blue, snow and Ross’) when hunting hours are extended to one-half hour after sunset.
• Harvest Information Permit (no fee) required to take all migratory birds and waterfowl.
• Waterfowl hunters 16 and older are required to have a Federal Waterfowl Stamp. A Louisiana Waterfowl Stamp is required for resident hunters age 16-59 and all nonresidents 16-and-older (including special teal season).

DUCKS

WEST ZONE: Nov. 10-Dec. 9, Dec. 22- Jan. 20. Youth weekend, Nov. 3-4.

EAST ZONE: Nov. 17-Dec. 2, Dec. 15-Jan. 27.
Youth weekend, Nov. 10-11.

COASTAL ZONE: Nov. 10-Dec. 2, Dec. 15-Jan. 20. Youth weekend, Nov. 3-4.

• Daily limit is 6. Possession limit is 12 after opening day of all splits. Daily bag limit can include no more than four mallards of which only two can be mallard hens, four scaup (dos gris), three wood ducks, two redhead ducks, two pintails, one mottled duck, one canvasback and one black duck.

MERGANSERS-COOTS

Same dates as duck season.

• Merganser daily limit is 5, of which 2 can be hooded mergansers.
• Coots (poule d’eau) daily limit is 15.
• Possession limit is twice the daily limit after opening days of all splits. The take of these species is “in addition” to the daily duck limit.

GEESE

EAST ZONE: Nov. 3-Dec. 2, Dec. 15-Jan. 27.

WEST ZONE: Nov. 10-Dec. 9, Dec. 22-Feb. 3.

COASTAL ZONE: Nov. 10-Dec. 2, Dec. 15-Feb. 3.

• Daily limit on specklebelly geese is 2 with a possession limit of 4 after opening days of all splits.
• Daily limit on blue, snow and Ross’ geese is 20 with no possession limit.

CANADA GOOSE

EAST ZONE: Nov. 3-Dec. 2, Dec. 15-Jan. 27.

WEST ZONE: Nov. 10-Dec. 9, Dec. 22-Jan. 31.

COASTAL ZONE: Nov. 10-Dec. 2, Dec. 15-Jan. 31.

• Season closed in portions of Vermilion and Cameron parishes.
• Daily limit is three. Possession limit is six. During the open Canada goose season hunters are allowed to take speckledbelly geese, but hunters cannot take more than two specklebellies in the three-per-day limit.

CONSERVATION ORDER

Blue, snow and Ross’ geese only.

EAST ZONE: Dec. 3-14, Jan. 28-March 9.

WEST ZONE: Dec. 10-21, Feb. 4-March 9.

COASTAL ZONE: Dec. 3-14, Feb. 4-March 9.

• No daily nor possession limits. Hunters allowed to use electronic calls and shotguns capable of holding more than three shells.
• Hunting hours extended from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

SPECIAL TEAL SEASON

STATEWIDE: Sept. 15-30.

• Bluewing, greenwing and cinnamon teal only.
• Daily limit is 4. Possession limit is 8.

RAILS/GALLINULES

STATEWIDE: Sept. 15-30,
Nov. 10-Jan. 2.

• Daily limit for king and clapper rails is 15 in the aggregate. Possession limit is 30 after opening days of the two splits.
  n Daily and possession limit on sora and Virginia rails is 25 in the aggregate.
  n Daily limit on gallinules is 15. Possession limit is 30 after splits’ opening days.

DOVES

SOUTH ZONE: Sept. 1-9, Oct. 13-Nov. 25, Dec. 22-Jan. 7.

NORTH ZONE: Sept. 1-16, Oct. 6-Nov. 4, Dec. 15-Jan. 7.

• Take of mourning, white-winged, Eurasian collared and ringed-turtle doves allowed.
• Daily limit is 15. Possession limit is 30.
• There is no bag limit on Eurasian collared-doves nor ringed turtle-doves provided that a fully feathered wing and head remain attached to the carcass of the bird. Fully dressed Eurasian-collared and ringed turtle-doves must be included in the daily bag.

SNIPE

WEST ZONE: Nov. 3-Dec. 10, Dec. 22-Feb. 28.

EAST ZONE: Nov. 3-Dec. 3, Dec. 15-Feb. 28.

COASTAL ZONE: Nov. 3-Dec. 3, Dec. 15-Feb. 28.

• Daily limit is 8. Possession limit is 16.

WOODCOCK

STATEWIDE: Dec. 18-Jan. 31.

Daily limit is 3. Possession limit is 6.