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2026-27 parish guide
Bossier Parish Hunting
What a hunter needs before driving to Bossier Parish: which Deer Area applies, how many deer may be tagged, every dated season, mapped public land and the closest LDWF office to Benton.
Photo: Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau (CC BY 2.0)
Bossier Parish at a glance
Bossier Parish is worked by the LDWF Minden field office, whose area takes in the northwest corner: Caddo Lake, the Red River valley, the Kisatchie hills of Claiborne and Webster and the pine and hardwood country around Shreveport. The 2024 Census estimate for the parish is 131,102 people (1.8% up from the 2020 base of 128,764); government offices are in Benton.
Water accounts for 3% of the parish: 27 square miles, next to 840 square miles of land. Next door are Bienville Parish, Caddo Parish, Red River Parish and Webster Parish, plus Lafayette (AR) and Miller (AR) on the far side of the state border.
Population from the Census Vintage 2024 estimates; area from the 2024 Census gazetteer; neighbours from Census adjacency; seat from the list of Louisiana parishes; LDWF offices from the LDWF Contact Us page. Checked November 4, 2026.
Bossier Parish Deer Areas and limits
Bossier Parish lies wholly within Deer Area 2; no area line crosses it. The area dates stop at the boundary of any WMA or federal tract, which sets its own.
| Deer Area | Extent | Approx. share | Season bag | Antlered limit | Antlerless limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 2 | Whole parish | 100% | 6 | 3 | 4 |
Bossier Parish deer calendar by Deer Area
| Area | Bow season | Primitive season | Still gun | Dogs allowed | Youth and veterans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 2 | Oct 1–Jan 31 | Oct 24–Oct 30 Jan 18–Jan 24 | Oct 31–Dec 9 | Dec 10–Jan 17 | Oct 10–Oct 16 |
Hunters may take one antlered and one antlerless deer a day, and the season total in Deer Area 2 is 6, of which no more than 3 may be antlered or 4 antlerless. A legal antlered deer has at least one visible hard antler, and for 2026-27 velvet antlers three inches or longer also qualify. Tag the deer before moving it and validate the tag within 72 hours by text, the LouisianaOutdoors.com portal, LA Wallet or phone. The primitive-season weapon rule now exempts hunters 65 and older and qualifying disabled hunters, in addition to youths. A deer killed on a wildlife management area counts against the same Deer Area season total.
Areas and limits from the 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, deer and the LDWF Deer Area map; segment dates from the area schedules (Area 2); shares from the LDWF Deer Management Areas layer; tag and weapon rules from pamphlet p. 22 and p. 23. Checked November 4, 2026.
Bossier Parish public land map
Public land here adds up to about 33,058 acres on the GIS layers (6.2% of the land area), mainly wildlife management areas. Starred lines are context only: those acres are refuges, parks or military land, not open public hunting ground. Polygon measures are approximate; official acreage is on each area page.
| Category | Acres in parish |
|---|---|
| Wildlife management areas | 32,564 |
| National wildlife refuges | 495 |
| Military land* | 24,478 |
Public hunting areas in Bossier Parish
Bodcau WMA
Open for: small game, deer, turkey, waterfowl and raccoon. Bodcau WMA gets its name from Bodcau Bayou, the major bayou that bisects it from its northernmost point at the Arkansas-Louisiana state line to its southernmost tip nearly 30 miles to the south. LDWF counted 37 deer from its 2024 managed hunts.
Red River NWR
Open for: waterfowl, dove, snipe, woodcock and rail.
Loggy Bayou WMA
Open for: deer, waterfowl, small game, raccoon and squirrel. Loggy Bayou WMA lies between Loggy and Red Chute Bayous and Lake Bistineau in the Red River Alluvial Valley in northwestern Louisiana. LDWF counted 90 deer from its 2024 managed hunts.
Hunting areas close to Bossier Parish
- John Franks WMA12 miles, WMA, Caddo Parish
- Soda Lake WMA15 miles, WMA, Caddo Parish
- Kisatchie National Forest – Caney Ranger District21 miles, Kisatchie ranger district, Claiborne Parish
- Wallace Lake (Corps)27 miles, Corps of Engineers land, DeSoto Parish
Hunters 18 and older need a WMA Access Permit ($20 a year or $5 for five days) on any WMA, plus the free Self-Clearing Permit each day, filled in at the station or in the LDWF app. No bait is allowed on WMAs, hunters may enter from 4 a.m., and public-land duck hunting stops at noon this season.
Acres from the LDWF WMA layer, USFS ownership, USFWS refuge layer and LDWF federal layers; areas from the LDWF WMA, refuge and conservation area list and each area page; permits from pamphlet p. 6 and WMA rules. Checked November 4, 2026.
Bossier Parish openers and closers
These are private-land dates; wildlife management areas and refuges near Bossier Parish run their own shorter schedules.
| Species | Hunt | Where | First day | Last day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | CWD zone archery | Area 2 | Aug 29, 2026 | Sep 6, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Area 2 | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth and veterans | Area 2 | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Primitive Firearms | Area 2 | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Still-hunt firearms | Area 2 | Oct 31, 2026 | Dec 9, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms, dogs allowed | Area 2 | Dec 10, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Primitive Firearms | Area 2 | Jan 18, 2027 | Jan 24, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Challenged hunters | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Lottery permit hunt | Bear Area 6 | Dec 5, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth and challenged | Turkey A, B, C | Mar 26, 2027 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring | Turkey Area A | Apr 3, 2027 | May 2, 2027 | |
| Feral hogs | Night take, private land | Private land | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Feral hogs | Year-round, daylight | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Alligator | Recreational lottery | Zones A-H | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| Squirrels | Youth (private lands only) | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Squirrels | Fall | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Squirrels | Spring | Statewide | May 1, 2027 | May 23, 2027 | |
| Rabbits | Season | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Quail | Season | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Season | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Doves | Segment 1 | North zone | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Doves | Segment 2 | North zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Doves | Segment 3 | North zone | Dec 19, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Teal | September teal | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Whistling ducks | Special season | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Youth and veteran day | West zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 7, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Split 1 | West zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Split 2 | West zone | Dec 19, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | |
| Ducks and coots | Youth and veteran day | West zone | Jan 30, 2027 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Snow and blue geese | Regular season | West zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Snow and blue geese | Conservation Order | West zone | Dec 7, 2026 | Dec 18, 2026 | |
| Snow and blue geese | Regular season | West zone | Dec 19, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | |
| Snow and blue geese | Conservation Order | West zone | Feb 8, 2027 | Mar 7, 2027 | |
| Specklebellies | Regular season | West zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Specklebellies | Regular season | West zone | Dec 19, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | |
| Canada geese | Regular season | West zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Canada geese | Regular season | West zone | Dec 19, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | |
| King and clapper rails | Season | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| King and clapper rails | Season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 6, 2027 | |
| Sora and Virginia rails | Season | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Sora and Virginia rails | Season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 6, 2027 | |
| Gallinules | Season | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Gallinules | Season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 6, 2027 | |
| Snipe | Season | Statewide | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Snipe | Season | Statewide | Jan 25, 2027 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Season | Statewide | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Crows | Season | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Year-round, daylight | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Armadillo | Year-round, daylight | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Nutria | Recreational hunting | Private land | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Year-round hunting | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Year-round, day and night | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Year-round, day and night | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Foxes (chase) | Chase only (hunting) | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 |
From the LDWF seasons and regulations and the 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting and WMA Regulations (Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries), checked November 4, 2026.
What Bossier Parish hunters take
In the 2024-25 Annual Louisiana Deer Report, Bossier Parish ranks 7th among parishes with 4,293 deer reported. Its 2022-23 total was 3,089, rank 11. Reported deer grew by 39% across those two seasons.
| Season | Parish rank | Reported deer | Acres/deer rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | #7 | 4,293 | Not in top 20 |
| 2022-23 | #11 | 3,089 | Not in top 20 |
For scale, Louisiana hunters reported 143,527 deer in 2024-25; the newer 2025-26 survey puts the harvest near 276,200.
In the 2025-26 survey, respondents who hunted the areas covering Bossier Parish reported Area 2: 7,207 days and 382 deer; these are raw respondent totals, not estimates.
Deer from Bossier Parish WMA hunts
| WMA hunt | Hunter efforts | Total | Antlered | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bodcau | 241 | 37 | 26 | 11 |
| Loggy Bayou | 265 | 90 | 61 | 29 |
Spring 2026 tagging, as printed on the LDWF turkey map, credits Bossier Parish with 72 birds; LDWF published no table, so this is map-read.
Parish deer from the Annual Louisiana Deer Report 2024-25 and 2022-23 (top-20 tables only; the 2023-24 report link is dead); statewide and WMA figures from the 2024-25 report; survey from the 2025-26 harvest survey; turkey from the 2026 Wild Turkey Program report (Figure 5 map, read by eye); records from the Big Game Records page. Checked November 4, 2026.
Bossier Parish zone rules beyond deer
Bossier Parish carcass and feeding rules
No part of Bossier Parish is in the CWD Management Zone shown on the June 2, 2026 map. Statewide, deer carcasses from other states may enter Louisiana only as boned or cut meat, clean quarters, antlers, cleaned skulls, capes, hides, mounts or teeth. No CWD-positive deer has been reported from Bossier Parish; all 55 Louisiana detections are from Tensas, Catahoula, Concordia and Ouachita.
Bear permits covering Bossier Parish
For bears, Bossier Parish falls in Bear Area 6; the permit-only season is December 5-20, 2026 and the permits are Area 6: 2 general permits. Bear permits need a $50 application, a $25 license and a training class before the hunt. Permit holders may hunt over bait from November 1, must still-hunt without dogs, and may not take cubs of 75 pounds or less or females with cubs.
Gator season for Bossier Parish
Bossier Parish sits in alligator Zone A with De Soto, Caddo, Red River, Bienville, Webster and Claiborne, a zone allotted 500 lottery opportunities. The new season is October 1 to 31, 2026, with two alligators per winner per zone and a 72-hour report. Separate commercial seasons in the East and West zones last until December 31.
CWD from the June 2, 2026 CWD map, pamphlet p. 12 and the LDWF CWD page; bear from the LDWF black bear lottery page and lottery hunts page; alligator from the LDWF recreational alligator page. Checked November 4, 2026.
Bossier Parish turkey, ducks and doves
Spring gobblers in Bossier Parish
Spring turkey dates for Bossier Parish, in Turkey Area A, are April 3 to May 2, 2027. Before the opener, private land hosts a youth and physically challenged hunt (March 26 to March 28, 2027); two gobblers is the season cap. Bait within 200 yards makes turkey hunting illegal, for 15 days after the bait is gone.
Bossier Parish ducks and geese
Ducks, coots and mergansers in the West Zone are open November 14 to December 6, 2026 and December 19, 2026 to January 24, 2027. Youth and veteran dates: November 7, 2026 and January 30, 2027. Two early seasons reach every parish: teal September 19 to September 27, 2026 and black-bellied whistling ducks October 3 to October 11, 2026 (free permit, four daily).
Doves around Bossier Parish
In the North Zone, dove hunters get September 5 to September 27, 2026, October 10 to November 15, 2026 and December 19, 2026 to January 17, 2027.
Turkey from pamphlet pp. 30-31 and the LDWF turkey map; waterfowl from pamphlet p. 34 and p. 36; doves from p. 34; baiting from p. 12. Checked November 4, 2026.
Dates and results in Bossier Parish
Parish total as of November 3, 2026: 2 dates still ahead.
Still ahead
| Date | Title | Location | Sign-up or details | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 7, 2026 | N La Wheelin Sportsmen Deer Hunt/BPSO · Wheelin’ Sportsmen hunt, Plain Dealing | Plain Dealing | Event details | Source |
| Mar 19, 2027 | North LA Wheelin Sportsman Banquet · NWTF banquet, Bossier | Bossier | Buy tickets | Source |
Bossier Parish LDWF contacts, towns and services
For wildlife law, Bossier Parish falls under Region 1 (Minden), where Kenneth Balkom is captain. The nearest LDWF office in a straight line is the Minden Field Office in Minden, about 15 miles from the parish centre.
Town pages in Bossier Parish
| Town | People (2024) | Areas within 10 mi | Within 25 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benton | 2,099 | 2 | 5 |
| Bossier City | 63,218 | 2 | 8 |
Other Census places in Bossier Parish:
- Haughton4,574
- Plain Dealing876
- Eastwood
- Red Chute
Our directory lists 2 deer processors, 2 taxidermists and 19 gun and outdoor stores inside Bossier Parish, and no guides and preserves; neighbouring parishes fill the gaps below. Listings come from LDWF processor layers, the Hunters for the Hungry list, store locators and Yellow Pages; call ahead, because hours change in season.
Where to process deer, Bossier Parish area
Taxidermists nearby, Bossier Parish area
Guns, ammo and gear, Bossier Parish area
Guides and preserves nearby, Bossier Parish area
Offices from the LDWF Contact Us page and LDWF local law enforcement page; towns and places from the 2024 Census gazetteer and Census population estimates; services from LDWF processor layers, Hunters for the Hungry, store locators and Yellow Pages listings. Checked November 4, 2026.
Bossier Parish: gun clubs, clay fields and LDWF lines
Up to six Bossier Parish ranges show as cards, with any others in a table.
| Range or club | Location | Set up for | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Caddo Shooting Club gun club | Bossier City | rifle, archery | Members only |
Red Chute Shotgun Sports Club gun club | Barksdale AFB | trap, skeet, 5-stand, archery | Members only |
Local shoot calendar
| Date, shoot | Format | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 7-8, 2026 | Gun show | Listing |
| Dec 5-6, 2026 | Gun show | Listing |
| Jan 16-17, 2027 | Gun show | Listing |
Ranges from the LDWF shooting ranges page, ranges’ own sites and directory listings, checked November 4, 2026.
Bossier Parish hours on key season dates
Big game light near Bossier Parish begins 30 minutes before sunrise and ends 30 minutes after sunset; migratory birds end at sunset.
| Day | Moment | First sun | Last sun | Deer hours | Duck hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Area 2 archery opens | 7:07 a.m. | 7:01 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 7:31 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 7:01 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Area 2 gun opens | 7:30 a.m. | 6:26 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 6:56 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 6:26 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | West zone ducks open | 6:43 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. |
| Dec 5, 2026 | Bear lottery hunt opens | 7:02 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Dec 10, 2026 | Area 2 dog season | 7:06 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:12 a.m. | 5:12 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 5:42 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. |
| Apr 3, 2027 | Spring turkey opens | 7:01 a.m. | 7:35 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 8:05 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 7:35 p.m. |
Hours rules from the 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting and WMA Regulations and La. R.S. 56:116.1; sunrise and sunset worked out for this location with the NOAA solar formula (Central Time); checked November 4, 2026. Legal hours for every parish.
Bossier Parish, answered
Does Bossier Parish have CWD archery?
No, that segment is only for zone parts of Areas 1, 2 and 6.
Which dove zone is Bossier Parish in?
North.
What is the biggest public area in Bossier Parish?
Bodcau WMA, 33,766 acres.
How many gator tags does a Bossier Parish winner get?
Two hide tags per zone.
Can a tracking dog trail a wounded deer in Bossier Parish?
Yes on private land, one leashed or GPS-collared dog.
Which LDWF field office covers Bossier Parish?
The Minden field office, (318) 371-3050.
Is there a Hunters for the Hungry processor near Bossier Parish?
Check the tags on the processor cards above.
Is Bossier Parish a top deer parish?
Yes, 7th in 2024-25 with 4,293 reported deer.
Are velvet bucks legal in Bossier Parish?
Yes, from 2026-27 velvet antlers of three inches or more count as legal antlered deer.
Does one deer calendar cover all of Bossier Parish?
Yes, Deer Area 2 covers the whole parish.
Can I hunt black bears in Bossier Parish?
Only with a lottery permit for Bear Area 6, December 5-20, 2026.
Answers from the 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, LDWF seasons and regulations, hunter orange rule, tagging rules, Sunday hunting, hunter education, the Annual Louisiana Deer Report and the sources above. Checked November 4, 2026.
Bossier Parish before opening day
Dates here are for 2026-27; LDWF publishes a new pamphlet every year.
Sources: 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, LDWF hunting, Census and the sources in each section. Checked November 4, 2026.
Other photos on this page: NPS Natural Resources (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).