West Bay Wildlife Management Area hunting guide

West Bay WMA habitat and ownership

Size on file: 59,189 acres (LDWF area page). Of 52 wildlife management areas, only 7 are larger. Owner and manager on the LDWF page: Owned by Manulife Investment Management, Roy O. Martin, Ag Victus, and Rayonier; LDWF manages wildlife and public recreation.. Pamphlet owner line: Manulife Investment Management, Roy O. Martin, AgVictus Capital Management, and Rayonier (59,189 acres, Lake Charles Office). LDWF records 1999 as the year it was set up.

Area description (LDWF): West Bay WMA is bounded by Louisiana Highway 10 on the north, Louisiana Highway 26 on the south, Turner Road on the west, and River Road on the east. The terrain on this WMA is generally flat. About one-third of the area can be considered a baygall habitat and is poorly drained. The remaining area has fairly good drainage. Mill Creek is the only major flowing stream. The forest cover is composed of pine plantations with scattered hardwoods along streambeds. There are some pine-hardwood stands on the edge of the baygall areas. The most common hardwood species are water, white, red, willow, and cow oak; blackgum; beech; and hickory. Important overstory species include flowering dogwood, redbay, sweetleaf, and sweetgum.

The understory varies with the timber type. In the baygall areas, some of the more common and valuable species are yaupon, rattan, arrowwood, smilax, and deciduous holly. The understory in the pine plantations is primarily blackberry, dewberry, huckleberry, smilax, and numerous annual legumes and grasses.

What LDWF says about hunting: Available game species are squirrel, rabbit, deer, dove, woodcock, and turkey. There are youth deer and squirrel seasons as well as youth and general turkey lottery hunts . Furbearer trapping is allowed during trapping season. Physically challenged wheelchair-confined deer hunting areas are also available by reservation on West Bay.

Game listed for the area: White-tailed deer, Wild turkey, Ducks and geese, Small game, Raccoon, Squirrels, Rabbits, Woodcock, Doves, Furbearer trapping.

From the area page, 2026-27 regulations (Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries); checked November 4, 2026.

Other hunting ground near West Bay WMA

Nearest neighbour: Marsh Bayou WMA, 13 miles east.

Point: LDWF WMA/Refuge/Conservation Area boundary shapefile (09/26/2025) (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.

Other spots if West Bay WMA is crowded

Last checks before West Bay WMA

Validate deer and turkey tags within 72 hours, and keep your permits on you while hunting West Bay WMA.

Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4 · source 5 · source 6; seasons from the 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting and WMA Regulations. Checked November 4, 2026.