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Deer Areas
Louisiana Deer Area 2
Every Deer Area 2 deer segment for 2026-27, the 6-deer limit and its 25 parishes.
Photo: Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau (CC BY 2.0)
Deer Area 2 at a glance
For 2026-27, Deer Area 2 carries 7 season rows between August 29, 2026 and January 31, 2027. Hunters in Deer Area 2 may take 6 deer a season, up to 3 antlered and 4 antlerless. Daily: one antlered deer plus one antlerless on either-sex days.
From the 2026-2027 pamphlet deer pages, checked November 4, 2026.
Every Deer Area 2 segment
Every Deer Area 2 row in date order; either-sex and bucks-only days alternate inside the firearm and primitive segments.
| Segment | Start | End | Days | Either-sex? | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CWD zone archery | Aug 29, 2026 | Sep 6, 2026 | 9 | Bucks only | Over |
| Archery | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 123 | Either-sex | |
| Youth and veterans | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 | 7 | Either-sex | Over |
| Primitive Firearms | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | 7 | Either-sex | Over |
| Still-hunt firearms | Oct 31, 2026 | Dec 9, 2026 | 40 | Either-sex | |
| Firearms, dogs allowed | Dec 10, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | 39 | Either-sex | |
| Primitive Firearms | Jan 18, 2027 | Jan 24, 2027 | 7 | Either-sex |
Notes printed for Deer Area 2
- New for 2026-27: limited to private lands inside the LDWF CWD Management Zone.
- Kisatchie National Forest has its own regulations (Caney, Corney and Middlefork tracts: Area 2 rules, still hunting only).
- Still hunting only in parts of Ouachita, Rapides and Vernon.
Legal weapons for each Deer Area 2 segment are the statewide ones; the deer page methods table has them in full.
From the 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 18 and the LDWF seasons and regulations page, checked November 4, 2026.
Deer Area 2 by parish
Whole parishes: Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, De Soto, Jackson, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Red River, Sabine, Union, Webster and Winn. A split parish follows the printed road or river boundary, so hunters near the edge of Deer Area 2 should open the LDWF map.
| Parish | Whole or part | Share | Also in | Turkey Area | Waterfowl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bienville Parish | Whole | 100% | – | A | West and East |
| Bossier Parish | Whole | 100% | – | A | West |
| Caddo Parish | Whole | 100% | – | B | West |
| Caldwell Parish | Whole | 100% | – | A, C | East |
| Claiborne Parish | Whole | 100% | – | A | West and East |
| De Soto Parish | Whole | 100% | – | B | West |
| Jackson Parish | Whole | 100% | – | A | West and East |
| Lincoln Parish | Whole | 100% | – | A | East |
| Natchitoches Parish | Whole | 100% | – | A | West |
| Red River Parish | Whole | 100% | – | B | West |
| Sabine Parish | Whole | 100% | – | A | West |
| Union Parish | Whole | 100% | – | A | East |
| Webster Parish | Whole | 100% | – | A | West |
| Winn Parish | Whole | 100% | – | A | West and East |
| Allen Parish | Part | 33% | 3 | A | West |
| Avoyelles Parish | Part | 1% | 6 | C | East |
| Catahoula Parish | Part | 22% | 1 | A, C | East |
| Evangeline Parish | Part | 96% | 6 | A | West and East |
| Grant Parish | Part | 91% | 1 | A | West and East |
| Jefferson Davis Parish | Part | 1% | 3, 10 | A | West |
| LaSalle Parish | Part | 82% | 1 | A | East |
| Morehouse Parish | Part | 45% | 1 | A | East |
| Ouachita Parish | Part | 73% | 1 | A | East |
| Rapides Parish | Part | 64% | 1, 6, 3 | A | West and East |
| Vernon Parish | Part | 30% | 3 | A | West |
Parish lists from the 2026-2027 pamphlet; GIS shares from the LDWF DeerManagementAreas layer; checked November 4, 2026.
Deer Area 2 harvest picture
Deer Area 2 drew 7,207 hunting days and 382 deer from 2025-26 survey respondents (raw answers, not an estimate).
Deer Area 2 parishes that made the 2024-25 top-20 harvest list:
| Parish | Rank | Deer 2024-25 | Whole or part |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union Parish | 1 | 6,686 | Whole |
| Vernon Parish | 2 | 5,896 | Part |
| Bienville Parish | 3 | 5,625 | Whole |
| Claiborne Parish | 4 | 5,552 | Whole |
| Winn Parish | 5 | 4,913 | Whole |
| Natchitoches Parish | 6 | 4,775 | Whole |
| Bossier Parish | 7 | 4,293 | Whole |
| Jackson Parish | 8 | 4,252 | Whole |
| Rapides Parish | 9 | 4,240 | Part |
| Webster Parish | 10 | 4,138 | Whole |
| Catahoula Parish | 11 | 3,659 | Part |
| Sabine Parish | 13 | 3,504 | Whole |
| Ouachita Parish | 14 | 3,468 | Part |
| Grant Parish | 15 | 3,420 | Part |
| LaSalle Parish | 16 | 3,152 | Part |
| Avoyelles Parish | 17 | 3,128 | Part |
| Lincoln Parish | 19 | 3,118 | Whole |
A split parish's figure is for all of it, across every area it touches.
CWD detections in these parishes since 2021-22: Catahoula 1 and Ouachita 1.
From the LDWF Big and Small Game Harvest Survey 2025-26 and the Annual Louisiana Deer Report 2024-25 and the LDWF CWD page, checked November 4, 2026.
Where to hunt public ground in Deer Area 2
25 WMAs, refuges and federal tracts fall in Deer Area 2; none follow the private-land rows above.
| Area | Type | Parishes | Acres | Deer archery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | – |
| Kisatchie NF, Kisatchie District | Forest district | Natchitoches | 102,489 | – |
| Fort Polk North WMA | WMA | Natchitoches, Sabine +1 | 74,309 | Sept 19 – Jan 15, either-sex when bucks only firearms is closed |
| West Bay WMA | WMA | Allen | 59,189 | Sept 19 – Jan 15, either-sex when bucks only firearms is closed |
| Upper Ouachita NWR | Refuge | Morehouse, Union | 56,553 | – |
| Boeuf WMA | WMA | Caldwell, Catahoula | 51,110 | Oct 1 – Jan 31 |
| Russell Sage WMA | WMA | Caldwell, Morehouse +2 | 38,208 | Oct 1 – Jan 31 |
| Bodcau WMA | WMA | Bossier, Webster | 33,766 | Oct 1 – Jan 31 |
| Kisatchie NF, Caney District | Forest district | Claiborne, Webster | 32,322 | – |
| Red River NWR | Refuge | Natchitoches, Red River +3 | 18,440 | – |
| D'Arbonne NWR | Refuge | Union, Ouachita | 17,881 | – |
| Alexander State Forest WMA | WMA | Rapides | 8,158 | Oct 1 – Jan 31, EXCEPT (bucks only) Nov 27-29 |
| Sabine WMA | WMA | Sabine | 7,571 | Oct 1 – Jan 31, EXCEPT (bucks only) Nov 2-25 and Dec 5-13 |
| Loggy Bayou WMA | WMA | Bossier | 6,558 | Oct 1 – Jan 31 |
| Little River WMA | WMA | Grant, LaSalle +1 | 6,045 | Oct 1 – Jan 31, EXCEPT (bucks only) Oct 31 – Nov 15 |
From this site’s public land records (LDWF area pages, the 2026-27 WMA schedules, federal rules and the LDWF Deer Area layer), checked November 4, 2026.
Before you hunt Deer Area 2
- CWD early season: August 29 to September 6, 2026. New for 2026-27: bucks-only (velvet legal) archery seasons on private land inside the CWD Management Zone in Deer Areas 1 (Sept 12-20), 2 (Aug 29-Sept 6) and 6 (Sept 12-20).
- CWD overlap: Caldwell, Jackson, Lincoln, Union, Avoyelles, Catahoula, LaSalle and Ouachita (map-read, partly inside). For the 2026-27 season, baiting and supplemental feeding are allowed in all CWD Management Zones Sept 1-March 31 and prohibited April 1-Aug 31.
- Kids and veterans have Deer Area 2 to themselves on private land October 10 to October 16, 2026.
- PCHP permit holders hunt Deer Area 2 private land on October 3 to October 4, 2026, a statewide either-sex season.
- Hunter orange rule: Blaze pink is legal everywhere hunter orange is required. Anyone hunting any wildlife during the open firearms deer season and possessing buckshot, slugs, a primitive firearm or a centerfire firearm must display at least 400 square inches of hunter orange or blaze pink on the head, chest and/or back.
- Tagging: All deer and turkey hunters, regardless of age or license, must obtain deer/turkey tags (paper or electronic) before hunting.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 14, 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 28, 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 26, 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 24 and LDWF CWD Management Zone map, checked November 4, 2026.
Bienville Parish hours on key season dates
Big game light near Bienville Parish begins 30 minutes before sunrise and ends 30 minutes after sunset; migratory birds end at sunset.
| Date | Opener or close | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer | Ducks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Area 2 archery opens | 7:05 a.m. | 6:58 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 7:28 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 6:58 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Area 2 gun opens | 7:28 a.m. | 6:24 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 6:54 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 6:24 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | West zone ducks open | 6:40 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 6:10 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. |
| Dec 5, 2026 | Bear lottery hunt opens | 6:59 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. |
| Dec 10, 2026 | Area 2 dog season | 7:02 a.m. | 5:08 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 5:38 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:09 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. |
| Apr 3, 2027 | Spring turkey opens | 6:59 a.m. | 7:33 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 8:03 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 7:33 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.
Clouds reflected in the calm lake at Cypress Black Bayou in Bossier Parish. Photo: Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau (CC BY 2.0)
Long fishing pier reaching into cypress-dotted Caddo Lake at Oil City, Caddo Parish. Photo: Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau (CC BY 2.0)
White-tailed buck walking through coastal pine scrub. Photo: Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Louisiana Deer Area 2 FAQ
When is gun season in Deer Area 2?
Still-hunt firearms October 31 to December 9, 2026; Firearms, dogs allowed December 10, 2026 to January 17, 2027.
What is the Deer Area 2 archery season?
August 29 to September 6, 2026 (bucks only (with or without velvet)); October 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027 (either-sex).
Which parishes are in Deer Area 2?
Whole: Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, De Soto, Jackson, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Red River, Sabine, Union, Webster and Winn. Part: Allen, Avoyelles, Catahoula, Evangeline, Grant, Jefferson Davis, LaSalle, Morehouse, Ouachita, Rapides and Vernon. Use the LDWF map where Deer Area 2 cuts a parish.
Is Deer Area 2 still-hunt only?
Yes. Deer Area 2 with-dogs dates: December 10, 2026 to January 17, 2027.
Do WMAs in Deer Area 2 follow these dates?
Public land in Deer Area 2 (25 areas) runs on WMA and federal schedules, not the area rows.
When can veterans hunt in Deer Area 2?
The Deer Area 2 youth season is October 10 to October 16, 2026; veterans share it.
What season limit applies in Deer Area 2?
Hunters in Deer Area 2 may take 6 deer a season, up to 3 antlered and 4 antlerless. Daily: one antlered deer plus one antlerless on either-sex days.
Are there CWD rules in Deer Area 2?
Partly: Caldwell, Jackson, Lincoln, Union, Avoyelles, Catahoula, LaSalle and Ouachita are at least partly inside the zone (map-read). CWD archery runs August 29 to September 6, 2026. Deer from the zone leave Deer Area 2 only as deboned meat or cleaned parts.
Other photos on this page: Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau (CC BY 2.0); Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau (CC BY 2.0); Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Public Domain Mark 1.0).