The more than 50,000 Louisiana duck hunters will have the same zones and similar splits as they've had for the past five seasons.
During Thursday's meeting in Baton Rouge the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission approved two zones, labeled East and West, with the option of having as many as three open-season segments in each zone.
State waterfowl study leader Jason Olszak made a point to note the word "segment" in the presentation as opposed to the more familiar name of "splits" used in past years. The "splits" will be the days between the "segments."
The vote was needed to forward the state's preference for the 2026-30 waterfowl hunting seasons to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The 2025-2026 duck and goose seasons were set earlier this year.
Olszak's presentation included the recommendation for the two-zone/three-segment seasons based on responses to this year's Waterfowl Hunter Survey.
There was an objection to the recommendation from guide Ryan Lambert, who asked the commission to consider a third zone, a Coastal Zone. Lambert hunts areas east of the Mississippi River near his base in Buras. He said winter's negative tides reduce the number of days hunters can access blinds in tidal areas.
Snapper count
Through July 27, the LA Creel estimate of this year's recreational red snapper catch stands at 576,261 pounds, leaving 318,694 pounds remaining in our state's annual 894,955-pound allocation.
Red grouper
While offshore anglers don't catch too many red grouper, deep-water fishermen can take note of the Gulf Council's request to extend the catch of red grouper through Dec. 31.
The council noted a recent population assessment to show an increased catch of this species can be taken "without harming the population."
On CWD
When a deer taken earlier this year on private land in Catahoula Parish was found to be infected by Chronic Wasting Disease, it triggered an emergency declaration to expand the CWD Control Area throughout Tensas Parish and parts of seven other parishes.
State deer study leader Johnathan Bordelon outlined the expanded control area which now includes portions of Caldwell, Catahoula, LaSalle, Ouachita, Richland, Madison, Franklin and Concordia parishes.
The commission voted Thursday to accept the notice to replace the emergency declaration.
CWD was found first in 2022 near Tensas Parish, and the deer found in Catahoula Parish this year means some 40 whitetail deer have tested position for the fatal disease.
For deer hunters, the notice bans supplemental feeding, baiting, placement of bait and hunting over bait in the control area labeled the "Enhanced Mitigation Zone."
Supplemental feeding and baiting will be allowed in a part of the control area identified as the "Buffer Zone, but only by non-stationary, mechanical or electronic broadcast methods."
And, the move bans the movement of any deer carcass or part of a deer carcass taken inside the control area including head and spinal column, except for cut-and-wrapped, boned-out meat and quarters meat along with clean skull plates with antlers, cleaned/tissue-free skulls, capes, tanned hides, cleaned teeth and finished taxidermy mounts.
Rahab changes
Despite objections from as many as 10 wildlife rehabilitators, the commission approved a notice to change regulations in the Wildlife and Fisheries' Wildlife Rehabilitation Program.
Objections centered around including coyotes and armadillos in the "Outlaw" species category. Rehab folks said they see few coyotes in any year and coyotes are vital to in Louisiana outdoors.
The Louisiana Farm Bureau countered with the statistics showing the numbers of livestock killed by coyotes annually.
The notice will be open to public comment through Oct. 1, and can be sent to Bradley Breland, LDWF, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA, or by email to bbreland@wlf.la.gov.
Spiny lobsters
Knowing of an increasing number of Louisiana divers who venture to Florida to take the tasty crustaceans, the Sunshine State has opened the season Wednesday and will keep it open March 31 next year.
Rules and regulations can be found on website: GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, and there's FishRulesApp.com.
Think you're good?
Registration is open for the Sept. 30-Oct. 4 NRA World Shooting Championship, a competition that takes in 12 stages of all shooting sports disciplines.
It's set for Camp Atterbury in Indiana. The registration website: competitor.nra.org.