Home › Louisiana › Parishes › Caddo Parish
Minden area parish
Caddo Parish Hunting
Caddo Parish hunting in one page: Deer Area 2, Turkey Area B, West duck zone, North dove zone, public acres, processors and contacts.
Photo: Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau (CC BY 2.0)
Caddo Parish basics for hunters
For wildlife staff, Caddo Parish belongs to the Minden field office of LDWF, a district covering the northwest corner: Caddo Lake, the Red River valley, the Kisatchie hills of Claiborne and Webster and the pine and hardwood country around Shreveport. Parish government sits in Shreveport. Census counted an estimated 224,893 people in 2024, 5.4% down from the 2020 base of 237,823.
The parish covers 880 square miles of land and 58 square miles of water, so water makes up 6% of its total area. The parish shares lines with Bossier Parish, De Soto Parish and Red River Parish and, beyond Louisiana, with Cass (TX), Harrison (TX), Marion (TX), Miller (AR) and Panola (TX).
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.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Caddo Parish
Caddo Parish deer dates by area
LDWF lists Caddo Parish among the whole parishes of Deer Area 2, so there is a single deer schedule here. Expect different dates on public tracts, which LDWF schedules one by one.
| Area | Parish coverage | Share | Season cap | Max antlered | Max antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area 2 | Whole parish | 100% | 6 | 3 | 4 |
When each deer segment opens in Caddo Parish
| Area | Archery | Primitive | Still-hunt gun | 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 |
The daily limit is one antlered plus one antlerless deer; across the season the cap is 6 deer, with at most 3 antlered and 4 antlerless. Velvet bucks are new this season: velvet antlers of three inches or more now make a deer legal as antlered. Carcass tags go on before the deer is moved, and validation is due within 72 hours through text, web, LA Wallet or a phone call. Any legal weapon may be used in primitive segments by youths, seniors 65 and up and qualifying disabled hunters. WMA deer are not extra: they come off the same season limit.
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.
Public land in and near Caddo Parish
About 1.4% of Caddo Parish, near 7,773 acres, is mapped public hunting land, the largest part WMA land. Map-measured acres differ from the acres an agency publishes, so use the area pages for official numbers.
| Kind | Acres mapped |
|---|---|
| WMA land | 5,938 |
| Refuge land (USFWS) | 1,835 |
Caddo Parish WMAs, refuges and forest land
Red River NWR
Species listed: waterfowl, dove, snipe, woodcock and rail.
John Franks WMA
Species listed: small game, deer, waterfowl, squirrel and rabbit. The John Franks WMA property was acquired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as mitigation for impacts from the J. Bennett Johnston Waterway Project.
Soda Lake WMA
Species listed: deer, waterfowl, small game and furbearer trapping. Soda Lake WMA was historically a seasonal lake that flooded during late winter and spring.
Wallace Lake (Corps)
Corps of Engineers land.
Caddo Parish neighbours with public ground
- Bodcau WMA28 miles, WMA, Bossier Parish
Every WMA visit needs the free daily Self-Clearing Permit, and adults also carry the WMA Access Permit, $20 yearly or $5 for five days. WMA rules ban bait, open the gates at 4 a.m. at the earliest and end waterfowl hunting at noon.
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.
Every dated season in Caddo Parish
Ducks follow East or West zone splits and doves the North or South zone, which is why one parish can show two sets of bird dates.
| Quarry | Season part | Zone | Begins | Ends | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 B | Apr 3, 2027 | Apr 25, 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.
Caddo Parish harvest record
The deer reports name just 20 parishes a year, and Caddo Parish misses both published lists, so this page shows no parish harvest.
| Year | Deer rank | Total deer | Forest acres per deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Not in top 20 | — | Not in top 20 |
| 2022-23 | Not in top 20 | — | Not in top 20 |
Across the state, reported deer reached 143,527 in 2024-25, while survey estimates for 2025-26 run to 276,200 deer.
Survey respondents broke their effort down by Deer Area for 2025-26: Area 2: 7,207 days and 382 deer. LDWF does not expand these raw figures.
The 2026 turkey report maps validated harvest by parish: 8 for Caddo Parish against 4,024 in all, read from the image.
Caddo Parish holds a state record line in the Big Game Records Program: muzzleloader, non-typical antlers (203 5/8, 2007).
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.
Bear, alligator and CWD in Caddo Parish
CWD in Caddo Parish
Caddo Parish lies beyond the CWD Management Zone, which sits in northeast and central Louisiana. Anywhere in Louisiana, out-of-state deer must arrive as deboned meat, quarters without spine or head, antlers or cleaned parts. Caddo Parish has no CWD detection on record; the 55 Louisiana cases come from four other parishes.
Caddo Parish black bear season
Only lottery permit holders may take a bear in Bear Area 6, which covers Caddo Parish, between December 5 and 20, 2026 (Area 6: 2 general permits). Expect a $50 lottery application, a $25 Bear License and required training if drawn. Bait is legal for permit holders from November 1; dogs are not, and cubs or females with cubs are protected.
Caddo Parish alligator rules
The parish falls in Recreational Zone A (500 opportunities), alongside De Soto, Bossier, Red River, Bienville, Webster and Claiborne. The recreational season runs October 1 to 31, 2026; each winner gets two hide tags per zone, and tags must be reported within 72 hours. Licensed commercial hunters work East or West zones through 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.
Birds in Caddo Parish: turkey, waterfowl, doves
Caddo Parish turkey rules
Gobbler hunters in Caddo Parish follow Turkey Area B: April 3 to April 25, 2027. The special youth hunt is March 26 to March 28, 2027, and no hunter may tag more than two gobblers. A baited spot is off-limits for turkeys within 200 yards, and stays so 15 days after removal.
Caddo Parish waterfowl zone
The West Zone regular season comes in two splits, November 14 to December 6, 2026 and December 19, 2026 to January 24, 2027. Youth and veteran days: November 7, 2026 and January 30, 2027. The early teal season is September 19 to September 27, 2026; whistling ducks had their first season October 3 to October 11, 2026, by free permit.
Caddo Parish dove zone
North Zone dove segments run September 5 to September 27, 2026, October 10 to November 15, 2026 and December 19, 2026 to January 17, 2027, 15 birds a day.
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.
What Caddo Parish has on the calendar
Held within the Parish: 1 date still ahead and 1 published result, namely SRS championship.
On the way
| Scheduled | Event | Where held | Link | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 29–Nov 6, 2026 | SRS Crown Championship 2026 · SRS championship, Shreveport | Shreveport | Event details | Source |
Results on file
| Date | Event | Winners | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2–8, 2025 | SRS Crown Championship 2025 · SRS championship, Shreveport | 1st: Feliciana Geaux Big or Go Home (“Rip”) 2nd: Lobo de Cruz (“Lobo”) 3rd: Murky Creek's Insane Hurricane (“Kane”) | Source |
Caddo Parish offices, towns and shops
Captain Kenneth Balkom heads Region 1 in Minden, which covers Caddo Parish. Measured from the centre of the parish, the closest LDWF office is Minden Field Office, Minden, roughly 28 miles away.
Caddo Parish base towns
| Town | Population | Land within 10 mi | Land within 25 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shreveport | 176,578 | 1 | 7 |
| Blanchard | 3,371 | 2 | 5 |
More communities in Caddo Parish:
- Greenwood3,091
- Vivian2,922
- Oil City866
- Mooringsport703
- Belcher237
- Hosston235
- Ida209
- Rodessa184
- Gilliam117
- Lakeview
Inside the parish we found 1 deer processor, 2 taxidermists and 7 gun and outdoor stores but no guides and preserves. Sources are LDWF processor maps, Hunters for the Hungry, chain store locators and Yellow Pages, so phone first.
Deer cut and wrap, Caddo Parish area
Mounts, Caddo Parish area
Sporting goods, Caddo Parish area
Guide services, Caddo 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.
Caddo Parish shooters: ranges and match dates
Caddo Parish lists 3 ranges, all clubs, shops or private grounds.
Bodcau Shooting Range is the LDWF range nearest Caddo Parish, 23 miles away, open to WMA permit holders. See the range
Dates in this parish
Ranges from the LDWF shooting ranges page, ranges’ own sites and directory listings, checked November 4, 2026.
Sunrise, sunset and legal hours in Caddo Parish
Whistling ducks in the October season may be taken only from sunrise to sunset in Caddo Parish.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer and turkey | Ducks and doves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Area 2 archery opens | 7:08 a.m. | 7:02 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 7:02 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Area 2 gun opens | 7:31 a.m. | 6:27 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 6:57 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 6:27 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | West zone ducks open | 6:44 a.m. | 5:16 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 5:46 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. |
| Dec 5, 2026 | Bear lottery hunt opens | 7:03 a.m. | 5:10 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. |
| Dec 10, 2026 | Area 2 dog season | 7:06 a.m. | 5:10 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:13 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. |
| Apr 3, 2027 | Spring turkey opens | 7:02 a.m. | 7:36 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 8:06 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 7:36 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.
Caddo Parish FAQ
Where do I check CWD rules for Caddo Parish?
The LDWF CWD page and the June 2, 2026 zone map.
Who can enter the alligator lottery for Caddo Parish?
Louisiana residents 16 and older with hunter education.
How many public hunting areas are in Caddo Parish?
4 areas on our list.
How do I reach LDWF agents in Caddo Parish?
Region 1 office in Minden, (318) 371-3049.
How much hunter orange is required in Caddo Parish?
400 square inches of orange or blaze pink in firearm deer seasons; a cap is enough on private land.
Has Caddo Parish produced a record deer?
Yes: 203 5/8 (2007).
Which processor is nearest Caddo Parish?
Cotten's Grocery.
Which LDWF deer area includes Caddo Parish?
Deer Area 2, the whole parish.
Do WMA deer count toward the Caddo Parish limit?
Yes, WMA deer count toward the Deer Area season limit.
What is the turkey limit in Caddo Parish?
Two gobblers a season, one a day.
How many bear permits cover Caddo Parish?
Area 6: 2 general permits.
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.
Caddo Parish season reminders
Validate every deer and turkey tag within 72 hours, and keep proof of sex with the carcass until it is tagged.
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: Chris Bowman (CC BY 2.0); Frank.Vassen (CC BY 2.0).