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Gray fox in Louisiana: 2026-27 trapping, hunting and limits
The 2026-27 LDWF rules for gray foxes, with public land and computed legal light.
Photo: jc.winkler (CC BY 2.0)
Gray Fox in Louisiana, 2026-27
Gray foxes may be hunted on any day of the 2026-27 license year, from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. The bag for gray foxes, as LDWF sums it up: trapping only. Also on record: Protected quadruped outside trapping.
- How and when (gray fox): Trapping Nov 20-Mar 31; chase only for hunters.
- Bag summary (gray fox): Trapping only.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana trapping regulations and 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 30, checked November 4, 2026.
GearHeading out for a hunt? Hunting gear checklists by season →
Where the gray fox rows apply
The gray fox rows are statewide; WMAs and refuges may keep shorter windows.
A note on parishes: a parish governing authority may, with the secretary's consent, close or curtail open seasons for up to one year by ordinance.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana trapping regulations and Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 56, checked November 4, 2026.
Every gray fox season row
Each gray fox row with its zone, length in days and limit, as LDWF printed it.
| Segment | Area | First day | Last day | Length | Status | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foxes (chase), chase only (hunting) | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | Year-round | None (chase only). | |
| Gray fox, trapping | Statewide | Nov 20, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | 132 | No limit stated. |
Notes on the gray fox rows
- Gray fox note: foxes are protected quadrupeds; they may be killed only by licensed trappers in the trapping season.
- Gray fox note: WMA trapping seasons differ (see the WMA table in the trapping regulations).
From 2026-2027 Louisiana trapping regulations and 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 30, checked November 4, 2026.
What LDWF publishes on gray fox harvest
No gray fox harvest table exists in the LDWF data, so the best places below come from public land listings.
From LDWF Big and Small Game Harvest Survey 2025-26, checked November 4, 2026.
Daily and season limits for gray foxes
LDWF writes the gray fox limits as below; lottery hunts may set their own.
| Rule for | Limit |
|---|---|
| Trapping | No limit stated. |
| Chase only (hunting) | None (chase only). |
From 2026-2027 Louisiana trapping regulations, checked November 4, 2026.
Licenses and permits for gray foxes
Hunting licenses run 365 days from the day of purchase; the prices below are the 2026-27 fees for gray foxes.
| Item | For | Fee | Good for | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Hunting | Resident | $20 | 365 days from purchase | – |
| Basic Hunting | Nonresident | $200 | 365 days from purchase | – |
| Basic Hunting | Native nonresident, 10 days | $20 | 10 consecutive days | – |
| Basic Hunting | Nonresident, 5 days | $65 | 5 days | – |
| Trapper | Resident | $40 (fee list: $25) | Through June 30 | – |
| Trapper | Nonresident | $160 (fee list: $200) | Through June 30 | – |
| Youth Hunt and Trap | Resident | $5 | Through June 30 | – |
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 8, LDWF hunting licenses page and LDWF fee list, checked November 4, 2026.
Louisiana public land with gray fox seasons
31 public areas in this guide list gray foxes in their seasons or LDWF area pages; the 15 largest follow.
| Name | Type | Parishes | Acres | Lottery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kisatchie NF | Nat. forest | Grant, Natchitoches +5 | 607,483 | – |
| Kisatchie NF, Calcasieu District | Forest district | Rapides, Vernon | 183,020 | – |
| Kisatchie NF, Winn District | Forest district | Winn, Natchitoches +1 | 166,792 | – |
| Kisatchie NF, Catahoula District | Forest district | Grant, Rapides | 122,860 | – |
| Fort Polk-Vernon WMA | WMA | Vernon | 105,545 | Yes |
| Kisatchie NF, Kisatchie District | Forest district | Natchitoches | 102,489 | – |
| Fort Polk North WMA | WMA | Natchitoches, Sabine +1 | 74,309 | Yes |
| Richard K. Yancey WMA | WMA | Concordia | 70,872 | Yes |
| Dewey W. Wills WMA | WMA | Catahoula, LaSalle +1 | 63,984 | Yes |
| West Bay WMA | WMA | Allen | 59,189 | Yes |
| Clear Creek WMA | WMA | Vernon | 52,559 | Yes |
| Russell Sage WMA | WMA | Caldwell, Morehouse +2 | 38,208 | Yes |
| Red Dirt NWMP | Forest preserve | Natchitoches | 38,000 | – |
| Catahoula NWMP | Forest preserve | Grant, Winn | 36,000 | – |
| Pearl River WMA | WMA | St. Tammany | 35,619 | Yes |
From this site’s public land records (LDWF area pages, the 2026-27 WMA schedules and federal rules), checked November 4, 2026.
Legal weapons and methods for gray foxes
| Rule set | Legal | Not legal |
|---|---|---|
| Trapping | Gray fox: Traps and snares; nutria by rifle sunrise-sunset for licensed trappers; firearms to dispatch. | Not for gray fox: traps with teeth (Title 56, section 121.1); traps set more than one day before the season or left after it. |
- Dogs (gray fox): Deer may be hunted with dogs only in designated "with or without dogs" segments; archery and primitive seasons and still-hunt areas are dog-free; One leashed/GPS-collared tracking dog may trail wounded deer on private land; Coyote running with dogs banned in turkey areas during turkey season.
Night-vision and laser sights stay illegal for gray foxes unless a private-land night rule covers the species.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana trapping regulations and 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 27, checked November 4, 2026.
Rules in the field for gray foxes
- Harvest report (gray fox): There is no gray fox tag in Louisiana; WMA visitors check in and out with a Self-Clearing Permit.
- Education rule for gray fox hunters: Anyone born on or after Sept 1, 1969 must complete an LDWF-approved hunter education course before hunting, unless under direct supervision (voice and sight) of a licensed hunter born before Sept 1, 1969 or an 18+ adult with proof of hunter education.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 26, 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 24 and 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 12, checked November 4, 2026.
Lone cypress trees in open water under a cloudy sky in the Atchafalaya Basin. Photo: NatalieMaynor (CC BY 2.0)
Moss-hung cypress around a dark swamp lake under a blue sky. Photo: Iryna Kuchma (CC BY 2.0)
Flooded cypress woods draped in Spanish moss. Photo: Nick Shields (CC BY 2.0)
Answers about gray foxes
What is the trapper fee in Louisiana?
Gray foxes go on a trapper license: $40 for residents 18 and up, $5 for youths, $160 for nonresidents per the trapping regulations (fee list page: $25, $5, $200).
When is gray fox season in Louisiana for 2026-27?
Open all year.
What license do I need to hunt gray foxes in Louisiana?
The gray fox license set: Basic Hunting $20 resident, $200 nonresident; Trapper $40 (fee list: $25) (resident); Youth Hunt and Trap $5 (resident). Licenses for gray foxes sell at LouisianaOutdoors.com and at license vendors.
Is archery legal for gray foxes?
Trapping rules for gray foxes: Traps and snares; nutria by rifle sunrise-sunset for licensed trappers; firearms to dispatch.
Is there public land for gray foxes in Louisiana?
The biggest of 31 listed areas are Kisatchie NF, Kisatchie NF, Calcasieu District and Kisatchie NF, Winn District. WMA dates can differ from the statewide rows.
How do I validate a gray fox?
There is no gray fox tag in Louisiana; WMA visitors check in and out with a Self-Clearing Permit.
Can gray foxes be hunted seven days a week?
Yes. No statewide Sunday rule limits gray foxes; some WMA and federal schedules hunt only on set weekdays.
When does gray fox trapping open?
Gray foxes may be trapped from November 20, 2026 to March 31, 2027; Traps and snares only (no toothed traps; check daily; set no earlier than one day before opening); nutria also by rifle sunrise-sunset by licensed trappers.
Other photos on this page: NatalieMaynor (CC BY 2.0); Iryna Kuchma (CC BY 2.0); Nick Shields (CC BY 2.0).