NEWS
FROM THE LA. DEPT. OF WILDLIFE & FISHERIES
The Public Information Section of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife
and Fisheries is responsible for the distribution of LDWF news
releases and the department's biweekly newsletter.
008-240 August 21, 2008
JOHN K. KELLY - GRAND BAYOU RESERVOIR SCHEDULED FOR DRAWDOWN
BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 2
The John K. Kelly - Grand Bayou Reservoir Commission has requested
a third in a series of up to five consecutive drawdowns to help
control hydrilla in the 2,500-acre lake.
The drawdown
is scheduled to begin on Sept. 2, 2008, with the lake being lowered
4 to 6 inches per day until it reaches the target level of 7
feet below normal pool stage. This level will
be maintained until Jan. 31, 2009, at which time the gates will
be closed and the lake allowed to refill.
Hydrilla was
covering approximately 30 percent of the lake and was found as
deep as 10 feet when the series of drawdowns began in 2006. Hydrilla
was hindering boating access and recreational opportunities in
many areas of the lake.
The first two
drawdowns accounted for a significant reduction in the hydrilla
coverage on the lake, but a third drawdown is necessary to further
reduce the underground tubers from which the plant sprouts.
Hydrilla was first found in Grand Bayou in 1999 and has steadily
expanded its coverage until the series of drawdowns was initiated,
despite herbicide treatments when the plant was first documented
in the reservoir.
Personnel from the Inland Fisheries Division of the Louisiana
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will monitor the hydrilla
in the reservoir during the drawdown and herbicide applications
may be made if warranted.
2008-239 August 21, 2008
D’ARBONNE
LAKE SPILLWAY GATES TO OPEN IN SEPTEMBER FOR FALL DRAWDOWN
Through the
cooperative management efforts of the Bayou D’Arbonne
Lake Watershed District and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and
Fisheries, D’Arbonne Lake in Union Parish will be lowered
5 feet below normal pool stage beginning Sept. 2, 2008 and ending
Jan. 15, 2009.
Drawdowns of
D’Arbonne Lake have been conducted every four
years to allow for shoreline maintenance. This year, the
drawdown will also help to control aquatic vegetation and allow
for repair work to the spillway.
The last drawdown was in the fall of 2004.
008-236 August 19, 2008
L.D.W.F. REMINDS HUNTERS OF DEER TAGGING REGULATIONS
IN EFFECT FOR 2008-09 HUNTING SEASON
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will
enforce deer tagging regulations during the 2008-09 hunting season
and urges hunters to become familiar with the steps in the process
before the season begins.
“The tagging of deer taken by hunters was voluntary last
season and we wanted hunters to become familiar with the process,” said
Jimmy Anthony, assistant secretary for LDWF’s Office of
Wildlife. “This season tagging is mandatory and we
are very interested in collecting the valuable harvest information
the program will provide.”
Prior to hunting deer this season in
Louisiana, all deer hunters, regardless of age or license
status, must obtain deer tags and carry them when hunting
deer. Deer tags
will be issued as follows:
* At the point of sale, when purchasing a Big Game license from
a license vendor.
* La. Lifetime Hunting license holders: License vendors will
issue tags free of charge when the Lifetime Hunting license is
presented.
* Resident Senior Hunt/Fish license holder: License vendors
will issue tags free of charge when the Resident Senior Hunt/Fish
license is presented.
* Resident Seniors (not required to carry a hunt/fish
license): License vendors will issue tags free of charge when
a Louisiana driver’s license or state-issued picture
I.D. is presented.
* Hunters 15 years of age and under: License vendors will issue
tags free of charge to youth hunters providing a Social Security
number and date of birth.
NOTE: Additional to license purchase and deer tag options at
license vendor outlets, LDWF offices issuing licenses and deer
tags include:
Region 2 – 368 Century Tel Drive, Monroe 71203;
ph. 318-343-4045
Region 3 – 1995 Shreveport Hwy., Pineville 71360;
ph. 318-487-5885
Region 5 – 1213 N. Lakeshore Drive, Lake Charles 70601;
ph. 337-491-2575
Region 6 – 5652 Hwy. 182, Opelousas 70570; ph. 337-948-0255
Baton Rouge – 2000 Quail Drive, B.R. 70808; ph. 225-765-2887
When in the field, and immediately upon harvesting a
deer, the hunter must:
* Tag the deer with the appropriate Carcass Tag from the license
before it is moved and document the kill on the Harvest Report
Card portion of the deer tag.
* Record the date of kill and the parish of kill on the Carcass
Tag.
When transporting the harvested deer:
* The tag must remain attached to the deer while kept at camp,
or while it is transported to the domicile of the hunter or
to a cold storage facility.
* Hunters who keep the carcass or meat at their
camp must also comply with game Possession Tag regulations. Possession
Tags are printed within the back of the of the 2008-09 Louisiana
Hunting Regulations booklet, or can be downloaded via the
LDWF Web site, and document the identification of the hunter
who harvested the deer. Correctly completed Possession Tags identify
the hunter responsible for the dressed deer meat and allow anyone
to transport the meat legally.
Within 72 hours of the harvest of each deer, the hunter
must:
* Validate the kill by toll-free phone at 866-484-4805 or via
the Internet at
https://www4.wildlifelicense.com/la/start.php
* Record the validation number obtained by phone or Internet
on the Harvest
Report Card.
Additionally:
Hunters harvesting deer on Deer Management Assistance Program
(DMAP) properties and Landowner Antlerless Deer Tag (LADT)
properties receive separate tags specific to properties within
each program and should follow the instructions provided to
them by LDWF. Hunters on state wildlife management areas
can validate harvested deer during mandatory deer check hunts,
when deer check stations are in operation.
Hunters are advised not to remove the Carcass
Tags from the Deer Harvest Report Card until a deer is harvested. Single
tags are automatically voided if detached from the license prematurely,
not placed on a harvested animal, and then lost by a hunter. Duplicate
tags will be available to replace lost tags at a charge to the
hunter. Hunters who have harvested deer prior to losing
their remaining tags will have to remove and discard the duplicate
tags to account for the original tags that have been used and
validated. Hunters must record these validated deer on
the duplicate deer tag.
Anyone purchasing a license by phone or the Internet
will be given both an authorization number and a LDWF identification
number that will serve as their temporary license until the actual
license arrives by mail. Hunters will tag deer with Possession
Tags using the authorization number and LDWF identification number
for the required license numbers recorded on the Possession Tag. Hunters
will maintain documentation of these harvested deer and will
validate harvested deer as required by law when the hunter’s
actual license is received. The hunter will validate the license
information from these harvested deer and will discard the license
tags for these validated deer.
NOTE: Hunting license purchases by phone or the Internet will
include a handling fee, as will deer tag requests by Lifetime
license holders, Resident Seniors and hunters 15 years of age
and younger.
A complete listing of all rules pertaining to deer season and
tagging is provided in the 2008-09 Louisiana Hunting Regulations booklet,
or those same rules can be downloaded via the LDWF Web site at
www.wlf.louisiana.gov. To view an instructional video
on deer tagging via the LDWF Web site, go to www.wlf.louisiana.gov/hunting/regulations/deerhunting/.
2008-237 August 19, 2008
L.D.W.F. REMINDER CONCERNING DISTRIBUTION OF FEDERAL
FISHERIES ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
is reminding qualified commercial resident fishermen, certain
commercial fishing vessel license holders, wholesale/retail
seafood dealers and charter boat fishing guides that the deadline
for submitting the required forms for participation in the
federal fisheries economic assistance program is Oct. 31, 2008.
LDWF is providing $28.2 million in assistance
to the state’s
commercial fishing and charter boat industries through a $41.3
million federal fisheries economic assistance grant from the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration through the Gulf
States Marine Fisheries Commission. Louisiana resident
commercial fishermen, certain commercial fishing vessel license
holders and wholesale/retail seafood dealers with trip ticket
recorded sales or purchases of seafood during the 12-month period
(Sept. 1, 2004 – Aug. 31, 2005) prior to Hurricane Katrina
as well as Louisiana resident charter boat operators who held
a LDWF charter boat fishing guide license in the qualifying period
(Sept. 1, 2004 – Aug. 31, 2005) qualify for some level
of personal assistance. LDWF requires trip tickets
to collect commercial landings and associated information by
trip.
LDWF is administering the distribution of personal
assistance payments to qualified resident charter boat fishing
guides, commercial resident shrimp, oyster, crab, and saltwater
finfish fishermen and certain commercial fishing vessel license
holders in the shrimp, oyster, saltwater fish and menhaden
fisheries and wholesale/retail seafood dealers and freshwater
finfish and wild crawfish fishermen who resided in the 27 LDWF
defined hurricane impacted parishes using trip ticket report
records. Trip tickets dated during
the eligible period but submitted after Sept. 1, 2007 will not
be considered.
Approximately
8,837 information packets were mailed during May and June to
qualified participants that LDWF identified from pre-storm trip
ticket and license records. LDWF
urges anyone who has received a packet and not submitted the
required forms to do so immediately.
The South Central Planning and Development Commission
(SCPDC) and affiliated planning districts are receiving and
processing all information about this assistance program and
anyone who is qualified to receive assistance and has not received
a packet should contact the SCPDC as soon as possible by calling
1-800-630-3791 (toll-free) or 985 655-1051 (local) or mailing
SCPDC at P.O. Box 1240, Gray, LA 70359-9902 or visiting the
SCPDC Web site at www.scpdc.org/fisheriesassistance. Any
questions concerning eligibility, requests for information,
etc. should also be directed to the SCPDC.
To date, forms from approximately 5,400 qualified
participants have been received and payments totaling $7,334,291
have been made to 1,677 eligible participants. The process
of reviewing and verifying remaining forms and issuing payments
is moving as rapidly as possible; however, LDWF is concerned
over the large number of non-responses.
Many eligible participants have moved or been
displaced by the hurricanes of 2005 and have not renewed their
fishing licenses, leaving LDWF with out-dated address information. LDWF
is examining all available databases in order to contact non-respondents
and suggests that anyone in touch with these qualifying participants
urge them to contact the SCPDC as soon as possible.
2008-235 August 19, 2008
WHITE LAKE W.C.A. YOUTH WATERFOWL HUNT DATE ANNOUNCED
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
(LDWF) will hold youth waterfowl hunts on the White Lake Wetlands
Conservation Area (WCA) near Gueydan on Nov. 1 and 2. LDWF
will sponsor the hunts to provide a quality experience for
young waterfowl hunters.
The participants in the hunts will be determined
by a lottery drawing. Applications for the lottery should be submitted
to LDWF before close of business on Sept. 25, 2008. One
applicant will be selected from each of the seven geographic
LDWF regions in the state and one participant will be selected
from the state at large.
Applicants must be 15 years of age and younger. Selected
hunters must be accompanied in the blind by a parent or guardian,
though the youth will be the only one permitted to possess a
firearm.
Applications may be obtained by contacting LDWF’s regional
offices or by visiting the LDWF Web site at www.wlf.louisiana.gov. Completed
applications may be delivered in person to Room 461 of the LDWF
Building in Baton Rouge, or by mail. The mailing address
is: Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Attention: White Lake
Youth Waterfowl Hunt at P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898.
2008-234 August 19, 2008
YOUTH ANGLERS ALLOWED TO TAKE UNDERSIZED BASS DURING
LABOR DAY WEEKEND
In an effort to increase participation in freshwater
fishing by the state's youth, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries
Commission (LWFC) will allow the take of undersized black bass
by anglers 15 years of age and younger during the Labor Day
weekend on select waterways.
The dates of the suspension of bass size restrictions
for youth anglers are August 30-September 1. This suspension
will take place in the Atchafalaya Basin, Lake Verret-Palourde
Area and Lake Fausse Point-Dauterive Area.
The normal 10 bass per day limit from these areas
will still apply to all anglers during the Labor Day weekend. Anglers
16-years-old and older will still be required to observe the
14-inch minimum size limit during this special youth fishing
weekend.
For more information on these areas and questions about the
youth fishing weekend, contact Mike Wood at 318-343-4045 or by
email at mwood@wlf.louisiana.gov.
2008-225 - August 12, 2008
L.O.W.A. ANNOUNCES YOUTH HUNTERS OF THE YEAR
The recipients of the inaugural Louisiana Outdoors
Writers Association's (LOWA) 2007 Youth Hunters of the Year
Award both have something in common – both were prominently
featured in outdoor publications in 2008.
The 2007 Male Youth Hunter of the Year, Chris "Green" Campbell,
of Shreveport and 14 at the time of his hunt, was in the February
2008 issue of North American Whitetail for his record
breaking Louisiana non-typical whitetail. The 2007 Female
Youth Hunter of the Year, Anna Helm, of Baton Rouge and also
14 at the time of her hunt, graced the cover of the Louisiana
2008 Turkey Regulations pamphlet with her 17-pound Eastern
wild turkey. They also received media attention across
the state in the Baton Rouge Advocate, Opelousas
Daily World and Louisiana Sportsman magazine.
LOWA Board Chairman Gordon Hutchinson and LOWA
member and retired Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
(LDWF) Wildlife Biologist and Wildlife Division Administrator
Dave Moreland were on hand to present the awards at the Louisiana
Wildlife and Fisheries Commission's Aug. 7 meeting. Both
youth hunters received plaques as rewards of their achievement
and gift certificate to Bowie Outfitters in Baton Rouge.
"LOWA is always interested in ways to involve the youth in outdoor
related activities," said Hutchinson. "We feel this will
be another contest we can build to the level of the successful
Youth Outdoor Journalism contest."
After seeing the record breaking deer from pictures
captured by his motion sensing camera near his stand in Caddo
Parish, Campbell was finally able to cross paths with the 265
pound deer on Oct. 23, 2007. Campbell said he was very nervous before
finally being able to get a clear shot, dropping the deer to
the ground with his grandfather's .45 CVA muzzleloader rifle. However,
after hearing Campbell scream in excitement, the deer got back
up and ran away down a trail. Campbell was able to track
the deer and find his final resting place and then call his family
and friends about his record-breaking hunt.
Helm, daughter of retired LDWF Waterfowl Biologist
Robert Helm, was on a youth turkey hunt with her father on
the Sherburne Wildlife Management Area when she spotted a gobbler
her father couldn't see yet. She raised her gun and took aim, but said she
couldn't hold it steady so her father placed his hand under the
barrel to provide some stability. Her father, now being
able to see what his daughter had found, said to fire and she
did with a perfect shot. Helm's turkey sported an 8 3/8
inch beard.
Campbell's buck scored a 203 5/8 in the non-typical
category based on the Boone & and Crockett scoring system. The
deer is officially listed in the All-Time Boone and Crockett
Record Book and the National Muzzleloading Rifle Association
Big Game Records Program and it is the new Louisiana state record
for non-typical whitetail deer taken with a muzzleloader rifle.
These awards stem from the Youth Hunter Registry
Program started in 2007 by LDWF and LOWA. This program was designed to
recognize youth hunters 15 years of age and younger in Louisiana
providing them with an opportunity to share their deer and turkey
hunts with the hunting community. Youths are issued certificates
and published in the Louisiana Big Game Newsletter. To
see the big game newsletter or to register for next years youth
hunter program, visit www.wlf.louisiana.gov/hunting/biggamehunts.
"This past February, the department and LOWA decided to take
the program to another level by recognizing male and female youth
hunters of the year," Moreland said. "The goal of this
annual recognition is to help promote hunting and recruitment
of young hunters across the state."
The two winners will also be recognized at LOWA's annual conference
in Morgan City in October.
Sponsors of the program include: Bayou State Bowhunters Association,
Louisiana National Wild Turkey Federation, South Louisiana Branch
of the Quality Deer Management Association, and Bowie Outfitters.
2008-228 August 12, 2008
L.D.W.F. ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR
GROUP HUNTS ON
WHITE LAKE WETLANDS CONSERVATION AREA
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and
Fisheries (LDWF) is now accepting applications for waterfowl
group hunts for up to 12 hunters per group on the White Lake
Wetlands Conservation Area (WCA). The cost of the hunts
will be $25,000 for each group, and applications will be available
from the LDWF Web site at www.wlf.louisianag.gov on Wednesday,
Aug. 13, 2008 and accepted through close of business Thursday,
Aug. 28, 2008.
Interested groups must select one, two-day
group hunt per application. When selecting dates from
the dates offered (example: Nov. 08-09), it is understood that
arrival will be the afternoon before (example: Nov. 7). The
two consecutive days of hunting do not include the arrival
day, which will be the day before from 3-5 p.m.
LDWF will then select one application by
random lottery drawing for each hunt offered. Applicants
must be at least 18 years old and must submit a separate application
for each two-day group hunt they wish to reserve.
Applications must be accompanied by a bank
draft, money order or other liquid instrument made payable
to Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in the amount
of $2,000. If the application is selected, the deposit
is non-refundable, and the applicants will be notified by mail
and required to submit the final payment of $23,000 no later
than 14 days prior to arrival.
The fee covers up to 12 hunters and includes
the following: transportation to and from the airport
(Jennings and Lake Charles), all food and beverages, two-night
stay at the White Lake Lodge, professional hunting and fishing
guides, hunting and fishing licenses, steel shot shotgun shells
for waterfowl hunts and lead shot for skeet range, the use
of shotguns and fishing gear, bird and fish cleaning and packaging.
On the arrival day, hunters will watch a
safety film and then be issued hunting and fishing licenses.
If time allows they will shoot skeet in the late afternoon
hours. Day two starts with a morning waterfowl hunt from
6-9:30 a.m. After the hunt, the group can fish or shoot
clay targets on the skeet range or sporting clays course. On
day three a morning waterfowl hunt is scheduled from 6-9:30
a.m., and checkout is no later than noon after lunch.
Applications must be mailed to Louisiana
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Attention: White Lake
Group Hunt, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898 (Physical
Address: 2000 Quail Drive, Room 461, Baton Rouge, LA 70808). Contact
Wayne Sweeney, hunt coordinator, for more information at 337-479-1894.
2008-224 August 11, 2008
L.D.W.F. INVESTIGATION CONTINUES FOLLOWING AUG. 9 BOAT
ACCIDENT THAT CLAIMED FIVE LIVES
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement
Division personnel are continuing their investigation into the
cause of the collision on Aug. 9 of two boats on Blind River
that resulted in five fatalities and left one passenger in critical
condition.
The accident,
involving a 30-foot cabin cruiser and 20-foot runabout, occurred
at approximately 5 p.m. near Alligator Bayou in St. John Parish. There were six passengers on board
each watercraft, including the operators. Early reports,
based on eyewitness accounts, indicate that the two operators
apparently maneuvered to miss each other as they approached from
opposite directions, rounding a bend in the river.
The deceased
accident victims include: Ken Michael Horzelski, LaPlace, 22;
Joshua William McNulty, LaPlace, 20; Chance Michael Millet, Lutcher,
25; Patrick Timothy McTopy, Jr., LaPlace, 23; and Stanley Borne,
Jr., Reserve, 22. Brandon Charles Prudhomme,
LaPlace, 21, was hospitalized due to injuries sustained in the
collision. All six were on board the 20-foot runabout.
Two of the six boaters in the 30-foot vessel were treated for
minor injuries.
The
operator of cabin cruiser was given a field sobriety and Intoxilyzer
test at the scene and cleared of alcohol impairment. Results
of toxicology tests on the (presumed) deceased operator of the
runabout are not yet available.
LDWF
and the Ascension, Livingston and St. John Parish Sheriffs Offices
all participated in the search and recovery efforts following the
accident.
