Special black-bellied whistling duck season announced by Louisiana

Louisiana waterfowl hunters will get something extra waterfowl hunting This coming October, a new Black-bellied Whistling Duck special season. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) has announced a special season for these ducks from October 3-11 across the state. The special, experimental season was approved after justification was shown in a proposal presented to and supported by the Mississippi Flyway Council and the USFWS Service Regulations Committee. Originally from Central and South America, the range of the black-bellied whistling duck has been expanding northward over the past few decades. Breeding populations were first established in South Texas, and they later moved to Louisiana about 20 years ago.

News coverage on OutdoorHub

• 2026 Florida Python Challenge Dates Announced – Registration Open
• Bureau of Land Management canceled the “Public Land Rule”
• Missing hiker killed by bear in Glacier National Park
• The 4000-acre Okefenokee Swamp will become a new wildlife management area.

”We felt that with the increasing abundance of the species in the state, it made sense to offer a special season to our hunters,” said LDWF Secretary Tyler Bosworth. ”This is a chance for our state’s duck hunters to enjoy additional opportunities during the time between the September teal season and the regular duck season, which opens in November. We are pleased to provide this opportunity to our hunters and thank the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their approval.

Louisiana waterfowl hunters should be aware of the rules if participating in a black-bellied whistling duck hunt this fall.

• Shooting time will be from sunrise to sunset
• The daily bag limit for Whistling Ducks is 4 ducks
• The possession limit for Whistling Ducks is 12 ducks.
• All hunters participating in the season are required to obtain a free Black-bellied Whistling Duck hunting permit from LDWF.
• Harvest of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks must be reported within 15 days of the closure of the Black-bellied Whistling Duck season.
• Black-bellied whistling duck harvest will be legal only during special seasons
• All licensing requirements normally required for waterfowl hunting apply

Eugene L.

Writer for All Outdoors.com and OutdoorHub.com Lifelong fisherman who will fish for anything that swims, firearms enthusiast and hunter. Instagram – mrfish49