Louisiana Department of Wildlife Fisheries (LDWF)

OVER 2,000 DEER TAKEN ON W.M.A. MANAGED HUNTS TO DATE

Deer hunters have harvested over 2,000 deer on either-sex managed deer hunts on state owned Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) through Dec. 3.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife Fisheries (LDWF) has reported that a total of 21,224 hunter efforts were recorded on these managed hunts.  Those efforts resulted in 2,298 deer being taken for an average of about one deer being taken for every nine hunter efforts.

"WMA managed hunts have been excellent across the state so far this year with several great deer harvested," said LDWF's Deer Study Leader Scott Durham.  "Efforts per deer harvested have been in the four to five range on many daily hunts and this kind of success rate is good on any tract of land - public or private."

Last year LDWF collected harvest data on over 3,000 deer taken during the managed hunts on about 800,000 acres, and this is the primary method used by LDWF deer managers to monitor herd health conditions.

Durham points out that hunter turn out on the Sherburne WMA managed hunt this year may have been lower than usual due to the closure of Interstate 10, which created slow travel on Highway 190.

"Deer hunting on WMAs is one of the ways for families to spend vacations and holidays together by hunting and putting up their annual venison supply.  These managed hunts are big tradition across the state," said Durham.  "This low-cost hunting opportunity is important for many Louisianans."

Durham states that most deer harvested during the recent Thanksgiving hunts were taken the first day with cold and clear weather conditions.  These conditions quickly deteriorated through Saturday and Sunday with rain soaking much of the state.  However, many hunters hunted through the tough conditions.

The following shows some of the hunts to date:

WMA    Harvest Efforts Harvest Efforts Per Deer 

Loggy Bayou   450*   67  6.7 
Jackson Bienville (17-18 Nov) 933   123  7.6 
Tunica Hills (muzzleloader)  279   14  19.9 
Ben's Creek   369   22  16.8 
Sandy Hollow   105   2  52.5 
Maurepas Swamp (self clearing)  512  66  7.8 
Pearl River   318   8  39.8 
Attakapas    351   38  9.0 
Grassy Lake    1,111   87  13.0 
Pomme de Terre  363   33  11.0 
Sherburne    1179   138  8.0 
Spring Bayou   371   35  11.0 
Thistlewaite   787   62  13.0 
Peason Ridge    600   37  16.0 
Clear Creek(27-28 Oct) 1727   92  10.0 
Clear Creek    654   37  18.0 
West Bay (27-28 Oct) 1155   119  10.0 
West Bay    438   14  26.0 
Peason Ridge 27-28 Oct) 147   14  10.0 
Fort Polk    1337   79  17.0 
Fort Polk (27-28 Oct) 941   193  5.0 
Ouachita   355   80  4.4 
Russel Sage   535   83  6.4 
Boeuf    1538   253  6.1 
Red/Three Rivers  3662   346  10.6 
Buckhorn   534   89  6.0 
Big Lake   720   122  5.9 
Sicily Island   203   45  4.5 
 
Totals:    21224   2298  9.2 
    
* estimate 

For more information, contact Scott Durham at 225-765-2351 or sdurham@wlf.louisiana.gov.

2007-296