AREA 6/9

Anybody else think Area 6 and 9 deer season dates need to change?

yes, i believe the season in area 6 & 9 is too early and needs to be pushed back at least a month, and they need to ban all dog hunting in that area too, but my opinion and your opinion and anyone else's opinion doesn't matter, LDWF has science and that is all that matters, just ask the duck hunters about opinions

Without a doubt. When I hunted Grosse Tete, we would have fawns, still with spots, in the middle of December. We wold also still see bucks chasing does in March and April. It will screw with your mind to see a buck dogging a doe while turkey hunting......

Tuff while i disagree with you about the dogs (i dont hunt with them anymore but know people who do )i do agree with you about the season being pushed back.JB i too have seen spotted fawns mid December.I think archery should open the last week of September and go to the last day of February with bucks only until mid October like it is currently setup. Rifle season should be open for the thanksgiving holidays and close until the week before or of Christmas (depending on when Christmas day is ) and go to the last day of February also. The so called primitive season should be abolished as this is only a way for the state to sale an additional license. These are just my thoughts on the matter. I would take less days during a more productive time if possible.

Tuff - you are correct. It is disheartening to hunt hard all year for nothing. Then when rabbit hunting after deer closes or when you are in the woods scouting for turkeys, bucks are chasing and there is a ton of sign that was not there during the open season. I wonder what other states would do if their season closed BEFORE the rut started? The last year I hunted in Grosse Tete, which was 5 years ago, we were getting pics of bucks still in groups in January.

I agree with above comments. The years I hunted Bens Creek (before it closed)and Maurepas Swamp the first rut activity occurred the week of or week after Christmas depending on when the full moon was. Then the season closed one or two weeks before the second rut. Starting the season later and letting it run through the end of January or a week into February would allow us to hunt the second rut.

Acorns everywhere! Another useless November and early December season on the way.

With all the talk about shorter seasons now is the time to get the season backed up. Area 6 is the only zone to never experience a gun hunt for the second rut. The rabbit hunters stopped the last attempt. I have hunted deer state wide 48 years now and have seen many changes. The squeaky wheel gets the grease get involved spread the word call your congressman start a petition. My favorite hunts are in February shooting at chasing bucks with my crossbow what a rush. Good luck to everyone this year.

Acorns everywehre is a GOOD thing! Deer don't survive on corn and rice bran. Means a healthy herd and more fawns the next year. Get out the box stand overlooking the corn feeder and actually HUNT the deer. Find the acorns and enjoy actually hunting

Bayou Wild i rarely sit in a box stand. I was simply stating that with a bumper acorn crop it is basically impossible to single out a feed tree. I agree it is good for the deer but IMO the month of November and the first two weeks of December are useless for hunting in my neck of the woods. To each his own good luck this season!! Changes to the season dates hopefully coming soon.

Back when LDWF changed the deer dates in Area 3 to move Archery into September, primitive to first week in October and rifles to mid-October to give rifle hunters the benefit of the mid-October hunt, I looked at the rut data they were using and asked the biologist in Opelousas why they couldn't change the dates in Area 6 to coincide with the rut. Move the archery to November 1, primitive arms to December 1 and rifle to mid December until mid January and let Archery last until Feb. 28.
He said 'We've never done that before.'

Yes I agree

Yes. Archery: Nov 1 - Feb 28
Primitive: Dec 15 -Dec 31
Rifle: Jan 1 - Feb 28
Private and Public lands but all public is done by lottery only.