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Deer Areas
Louisiana Deer Area 4
Season limit, dates by segment and the parish list for Deer Area 4.
Photo: Nick Shields (CC BY 2.0)
The short version for Deer Area 4
Private-land deer hunting in Deer Area 4 opens October 1, 2026 and the last segment closes January 31, 2027, across 7 dated rows. Deer Area 4 caps the season at 4 deer: 2 antlered at most and 2 antlerless at most. One antlered and one antlerless a day, if the day is either-sex.
From the 2026-2027 pamphlet deer pages, checked November 4, 2026.
When each Deer Area 4 segment opens
Read the deer column: Deer Area 4 switches between bucks-only and either-sex days.
| Segment | Opening | Closing | Span | Sex rule | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 123 | Either-sex | |
| Youth and veterans | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | 7 | Either-sex | |
| Primitive Firearms | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | 7 | Either-sex | |
| Still-hunt firearms | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 11, 2026 | 21 | Either-sex | |
| Firearms, dogs allowed | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | 23 | Either-sex | |
| Still-hunt firearms | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 24, 2027 | 21 | Either-sex | |
| Primitive Firearms | Jan 25, 2027 | Jan 31, 2027 | 7 | Either-sex |
What the pamphlet adds for Deer Area 4
- Still hunting only in listed portions of East Feliciana/East Baton Rouge, St.
- Helena, Tangipahoa and Washington/St.
Segment gear is statewide: archery tackle, primitive firearms, then centerfire rifles, shotguns with buckshot or slugs and handguns (full deer gear rules).
From the 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 20 and the LDWF seasons and regulations page, checked November 4, 2026.
Deer Area 4 parishes, whole and split
Deer Area 4 covers all of St. Helena and Washington. Lines between Deer Area 4 and its neighbours follow roads and rivers; near one, the LDWF map is the reference.
| Parish | Inside | GIS share | Shared with | Turkey | Ducks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Helena Parish | Whole | 100% | – | A | East |
| Washington Parish | Whole | 100% | – | A | East |
| East Baton Rouge Parish | Part | 88% | 6 | A | East |
| East Feliciana Parish | Part | 98% | 6 | A | East |
| Livingston Parish | Part | 42% | 9 | A | East |
| St. Tammany Parish | Part | 79% | 9 | A | West and East |
| Tangipahoa Parish | Part | 72% | 9 | A | East |
Parish lists from the 2026-2027 pamphlet; GIS shares from the LDWF DeerManagementAreas layer; checked November 4, 2026.
Harvest numbers for Deer Area 4
Raw survey answers for Deer Area 4, 2025-26: 2,125 days hunted and 83 deer.
LDWF publishes top-20 parish tables only, and no Deer Area 4 parish is in the 2024-25 list.
From the LDWF Big and Small Game Harvest Survey 2025-26 and the Annual Louisiana Deer Report 2024-25, checked November 4, 2026.
Public deer land, Deer Area 4
Public ground in Deer Area 4: 8 areas, each with its own schedule and rules.
| Area | Type | Parishes | Acres | Deer archery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pearl River WMA | WMA | St. Tammany | 35,619 | Oct 1 – Jan 31 |
| Bogue Chitto NWR | Refuge | St. Tammany, Washington | 28,846 | – |
| Big Branch Marsh NWR | Refuge | St. Tammany | 18,928 | – |
| Sandy Hollow WMA | WMA | Tangipahoa | 4,655 | Oct 1 – Jan 31 |
| Bogue Chitto WMA | WMA | Washington | 1,643 | Oct 1 – Jan 31 |
| Tangipahoa Parish School Board WMA | WMA | Tangipahoa | 1,643 | – |
| Lake Ramsay WMA | WMA | St. Tammany | 796 | Oct 1 – Jan 31 |
| Hutchinson Creek WMA | WMA | St. Helena | 129 | Oct 1 – Jan 31 |
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.
Rules beside the Deer Area 4 dates
- The Deer Area 4 youth and veteran days are October 31 to November 6, 2026 on private land.
- October 3 to October 4, 2026 is set aside for physically challenged permit holders across Deer Area 4 and the rest of the state.
- Hunter orange: On privately owned land a hunter orange or blaze pink cap or hat may be worn instead; not required in elevated stands on private land (but required walking to and from stands where firearms are allowed) or for archers where the landowner bars firearm hunting.
- Validate: Before moving a harvested deer or turkey, attach the carcass tag (or tag electronically), record date and parish, and validate within 72 hours by text-to-tag (225-267-9988), the LouisianaOutdoors.com web portal (also through LA Wallet) or phone 225-267-9998; Tags stay attached at camp and in transit to home or cold storage; Tags may not be shared; lost tags can be reprinted free online.
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.
St. Helena Parish hours on key season dates
Deer, bear, turkey, squirrels, rabbits and other quadrupeds may be hunted from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; ducks, geese and doves stop at sunset.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer and turkey | Ducks and doves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Area 4 archery opens | 6:55 a.m. | 6:49 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 7:19 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 6:49 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Area 4 gun opens | 6:34 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 6:04 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. | 6:04 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. |
| Dec 5, 2026 | Bear lottery hunt opens | 6:46 a.m. | 5:01 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Area 4 dog season | 6:51 a.m. | 5:02 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 5:32 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 6:56 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Apr 3, 2027 | Spring turkey opens | 6:51 a.m. | 7:22 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 7:52 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 7:22 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.
White-tailed deer buck in the trees. Photo: USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0)
White-tailed buck at the edge of autumn woods beside a pond. Photo: jeffreyw (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 4, in short answers
Is my parish in Deer Area 4?
Whole: St. Helena and Washington. Part: East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Livingston, St. Tammany and Tangipahoa. Deer Area 4 lines in split parishes run along roads and waterways.
Is there a dog season in Deer Area 4?
The dog segments of Deer Area 4: December 12, 2026 to January 3, 2027.
Do refuges in Deer Area 4 use these dates?
WMA dates differ. Deer Area 4 holds 8 public areas with schedules of their own.
Is there a youth season in Deer Area 4?
October 31 to November 6, 2026 on private land in Deer Area 4, either-sex, for youths 17 and under and honorably discharged veterans.
How many bucks can I take in Deer Area 4?
Deer Area 4 caps the season at 4 deer: 2 antlered at most and 2 antlerless at most. One antlered and one antlerless a day, if the day is either-sex.
Is there a CWD season in Deer Area 4?
No Deer Area 4 parish is on the CWD Management Zone map list. Deer Area 4 hunters inside the zone must debone or quarter before leaving it.
What are the Deer Area 4 still-hunt days?
Still-hunt firearms November 21 to December 11, 2026; Firearms, dogs allowed December 12, 2026 to January 3, 2027; Still-hunt firearms January 4 to January 24, 2027.
How long is bow season in Deer Area 4?
October 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027 (either-sex).
Other photos on this page: USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); jeffreyw (CC BY 2.0); Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Public Domain Mark 1.0).