La. Admin. Code tit. 76 § V-305
Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024
Section V-305 - Hunting Preserve RegulationsA. As provided by R.S. 56:651, the department may issue a license to operate hunting preserves. Hunting preserves are to be operated under the following regulations. 1. Application Requirements a. Application shall be made in writing on forms provided by the department.b. Applicant must provide proof of ownership or verification of exclusive hunting rights from the landowner of the property the hunting preserve is to be operated. This is to be returned with the application.c. All applicants, including applicants for renewal as required by the department, must provide a written operational plan detailing the type(s) of birds to be released, the methods(s) and time of release, and location(s) of release. A description of hunting activities that occur or are likely to occur on the preserve and surrounding property must also be included. In the case of hunting preserves approved to utilize mallards, a map must be included in the operational plan which indicates the release site, water areas, and shooting areas. A license will not be issued until the operational plan has been approved by the department. Deviation from the approved operational plan is permitted only with written consent of the department.d. The department may revoke/deny any hunting preserve license for failure to comply with any fish or wildlife laws, for reasons relating to disease or public health, for deviation from an approved operational plan, or for failure to abide by the rules and regulations established for this hunting preserve program. Revocation/denial shall be for a minimum of one entire hunting preserve season.e. New applications must be received prior to August 1 for operation during the forthcoming hunting preserve season.2. Suitability of Area for Use as a Hunting Preservea. No license for a hunting preserve shall be issued until an on-site investigation has been completed by the department and the department has determined that the property is suitable for the purpose of the proposed hunting preserve. The department shall base its determination on whether or not the proposed shooting area will cause conflicts with wild migratory game bird hunting, or be in violation of state and federal regulations concerning the feeding of migratory waterfowl or the use of live decoys, that the establishment of the shooting area will be in the public interest, and that the operation of a hunting preserve at the location specified in the application will not have a detrimental effect upon wild migratory or resident game birds.b. No license shall be issued for any hunting preserve situated on a marsh, lake, river or any other place where there are concentrations of wild waterfowl or if its operations are likely to result in attracting such concentrations of wild waterfowl.c. No hunting preserve using mallards shall be located within five miles of any wildlife area with significant waterfowl concentrations owned or leased by the state or federal government or by non-profit conservation organizations.d. Licenses for hunting preserves using mallards will not be issued in the coastal zone, defined as that area south of I-10 from the Texas state line to Baton Rouge, south of I-12 from Baton Rouge to Slidell and south of I-10 from Slidell to the Mississippi state line.e.i. No license shall be issued for the use of pheasants on any hunting preserve situated within areas with medium to high turkey populations. Except, a conditional license for the use of pheasants may be issued provided the applicant/licensee agrees to and adheres to the following.(a). The pheasant flock must be free of Heterakis gallinarum, the vector for Histomonas meleagridis which can cause blackhead disease in wild turkeys.(b). Department biologists or other authorized personnel must be granted access to all pheasant pens without advance notice to collect biological samples for Heterakis gallinarum testing.(c). If greater than 10 percent of the samples indicate the presence of Heterakis gallinarum, pheasant releases must immediately stop and cannot resume until the flock is treated and subsequent testing by the department indicates that no greater than 10 percent of the samples are positive for Heterakis gallinarum.(d).Use of drugs to control Heterakis gallinarum must adhere to drug withdrawal times as established under federal guidelines.ii. In areas with low turkey populations and low potential for expansion, pheasants may be used without condition. This determination will be made at the local level by a department biologist in consultation with the wild turkey program leader.f. The licensee is responsible for notifying the department of changes in activities or conditions that may affect the suitability of the property for a hunting preserve. If at any time, the department determines that activities or conditions on the hunting preserve or surrounding property make the property unsuitable for a hunting preserve, or that continued operation of the hunting preserve is not consistent with these regulations, the department may immediately revoke the hunting preserve license, or require modification of the operational plan.g. Applicants and licensees are advised that hunting preserve licenses are issued following a review and recommendations by department staff. Licenses are issued on an annual basis for a 12-month term only. Changing conditions, including those such as climatic, biological, and land use, which may be beyond the control of the applicant/licensee, may result in certain applications not being granted, or licenses not being renewed. Annual renewal of hunting preserve licenses cannot be assured and applicants/licensees are cautioned to take these factors into consideration when making any investments or commitments which may relate to the continued issuance of a hunting preserve license.3. Types of Releases Allowed a. The use of mallards on hunting preserves is limited to those operations whereby domestic mallards are released in a controlled fashion to proceed over positioned shooters in their flight path. No direct releases of any species of domesticated waterfowl into the wild for any sporting purposes or for any reasons are permitted within the state.b. Quail may be released after September 1 on hunting preserves for the purpose of providing coveys for hunting. Pheasants and chukars may not be released on hunting preserves more than one day prior to a scheduled hunt. No direct releases of domesticated game birds, including but not limited to quail, pheasants and chukars, into the wild for purpose of population establishment are permitted within the state.c. All quail and mallards must be banded in accordance with R.S. 56:654(4) prior to release.4. Inspection of Permitted Areas and Domesticated Game Birds a. Applicant must provide proof that the birds to be released originated from a source flock participating in the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) within 365 days prior to release and have not been in contact with birds from non-NPIP sources.b. The premises of game bird production facilities and/or holding pens may be inspected by the department or by a designated agent for assessment of health of birds and sanitation of facilities. General pen requirements must conform to those adopted by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission for game breeders.c. Accurate records of animal husbandry and mortality must be maintained at production/holding facilities and will be subject to periodic inspection by the department.d. Every person who brings or causes to be brought into this state live domestically reared game birds for shooting purposes must comply with Livestock Sanitary Board regulations on livestock, poultry, and wild animals (R.S. 7:11705, 11767 and 11789). A copy of the health certificate must also be forwarded to the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries within 10 days for each shipment of birds. Any shipment of birds not accompanied by a health certificate shall be destroyed or returned to the place of origin by the importer at his sole cost and responsibility.5. Hunting Licenses Requirements. A basic hunting license or hunting preserve license is required of all persons hunting on hunting preserves. In addition, a Louisiana Waterfowl Hunting License (formerly known as a state duck stamp) is required as provided by law of all persons taking or hunting mallards on any hunting preserves.6. Season Dates. The season during which shooting will be permitted shall be set by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission. The current season is fixed for the period of October 1 through April 30.7. Shooting Hours. Shooting hours for hunting preserves shall be set by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission. The current hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.8. Methods of take: a. shotguns 10 gauge or smaller capable of holding no more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined; nontoxic shot is required for hunting mallards on hunting preserves approved for use of mallards;b. muzzle-loading shotguns;B. Existing state laws R.S. 56:651-659 and federal law 50 CFR 21:13 address bird banding, bird identification, bird transportation, reports and records and other issues. Compliance with these state and federal laws are mandatory. Hunting and taking of wild migratory and wild resident game birds on licensed hunting preserves must conform to all state and federal hunting regulations, including, but not limited to: non-toxic shot requirements, federal duck stamp requirements, live decoy prohibition, seasons and bag limits.C. Changes in Rules. The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may from time to time make changes in these rules and it is the responsibility of the licensee to apprise himself of any changes and to abide by them.La. Admin. Code tit. 76, § V-305
Promulgated by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, LR 18:1136 (October 1992), amended LR 28:1033 (May 2002), LR 36:2291 (October 2010).AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 56:651-659.