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Gallinules in Louisiana: 2026-27 seasons, limits and where to hunt
Seasons, limits, license prices and where to hunt purple and common gallinules in 2026-27.
Photo: PEHart (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Gallinules at a glance
Louisiana opens purple and common gallinules on September 19, 2026 and the final gallinule window closes on January 6, 2027, with 2 dated rows in the 2026-27 LDWF tables. Gallinule limit summary: Daily 15, possession 45.
- Methods and dates (gallinule): Sept 19-27 and Nov 7-Jan 6.
- Bag (gallinule): Daily 15, possession 45.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 35, checked November 4, 2026.
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Gallinules by parish and land type
Statewide rows cover purple and common gallinules; WMAs may close days for lottery hunts or deer gun days.
Parish ordinances matter too. A parish governing authority may, with the secretary's consent, close or curtail open seasons for up to one year by ordinance.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 35 and Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 56, checked November 4, 2026.
Gallinules dates, 2026-27
2 season lines for purple and common gallinules, opening to closing.
| Hunt | Applies to | Start | End | Days | Open now? | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 9 | Ended | Daily 15; possession 45. |
| Season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 6, 2027 | 61 | Daily 15; possession 45. |
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 35, checked November 4, 2026.
Harvest figures for purple and common gallinules
LDWF estimates gallinule harvest statewide from an email survey of licensed hunters; there is no parish table, so the best places below come from land listings rather than harvest.
| Species | Hunters | Taken | 95% interval | Prior year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gallinule | 2,100 | 20,000 | 3,300 to 36,700 | 13,900 |
From LDWF Big and Small Game Harvest Survey 2025-26, checked November 4, 2026.
The Louisiana gallinule bag
Bag and possession rules for purple and common gallinules, first as LDWF sums them up and then any season row with a bag of its own.
| Covers | Bag and possession |
|---|---|
| Gallinules | Daily 15; possession 45. |
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 35, checked November 4, 2026.
Licenses and permits for purple and common gallinules
Bona fide resident: lived in Louisiana continuously for 6 months before applying and domiciled here (Louisiana voter registration, driver's license, vehicle registration and state tax return as applicable); resident licenses from another state disqualify. Honorably discharged veterans with a Louisiana driver's license or ID count as residents. Active-duty military, their spouses and dependents pay resident fees.
| License | Residency | Price | Period | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Hunting | Resident | $20 | 365 days from purchase | – |
| Basic Hunting | Nonresident | $200 | 365 days from purchase | – |
| Basic Hunting | Native nonresident, 10 days | $20 | 10 consecutive days | – |
| Basic Hunting | Nonresident, 5 days | $65 | 5 days | – |
| HIP certification | All | Free | Season | – |
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 8, LDWF hunting licenses page and LDWF fee list, checked November 4, 2026.
Public land for purple and common gallinules in Louisiana
Public land for purple and common gallinules: 21 WMAs, refuges and federal areas, sorted by acres.
| Area | Category | Parishes | Acreage | Lottery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sabine NWR | Refuge | Cameron | 123,103 | – |
| Tensas River NWR | Refuge | Madison, Tensas | 80,904 | Yes |
| Upper Ouachita NWR | Refuge | Morehouse, Union | 56,553 | – |
| Delta NWR | Refuge | Plaquemines | 49,389 | – |
| Sherburne WMA | WMA | Iberville, Pointe Coupee +1 | 43,637 | Yes |
| Salvador WMA | WMA unit | St. Charles | 36,447 | – |
| Biloxi WMA | WMA | St. Bernard | 35,644 | – |
| Pointe-aux-Chenes WMA | WMA | Lafourche, Terrebonne | 33,488 | Yes |
| Lacassine NWR | Refuge | Cameron | 32,822 | – |
| Bogue Chitto NWR | Refuge | St. Tammany, Washington | 28,846 | – |
| Bayou Sauvage Urban NWR | Refuge | Orleans | 27,460 | – |
| Cameron Prairie NWR | Refuge | Cameron | 24,039 | Yes |
| Big Branch Marsh NWR | Refuge | St. Tammany | 18,928 | – |
| Red River NWR | Refuge | Natchitoches, Red River +3 | 18,440 | – |
| D'Arbonne NWR | Refuge | Union, Ouachita | 17,881 | – |
From this site’s public land records (LDWF area pages, the 2026-27 WMA schedules and federal rules), checked November 4, 2026.
How purple and common gallinules may be taken
| Weapons row | Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Migratory birds | Gallinule: Shotgun 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells; non-toxic shot for ducks, geese and coots. | Not for gallinule: rifles, pistols, traps, nets, sink boxes, motor vehicles/aircraft, moving boats, live decoys, recorded calls (except light-goose Conservation Order), bait. |
- Baiting (gallinule): Banned on WMAs, for turkey (200 yd) and migratory birds; restricted seasonally in CWD Management Zones; allowed for bear permit holders Nov 1 to close.
- Vehicles and aircraft (gallinule): No taking game from aircraft or moving land vehicles; no deer from a boat with motor attached in operating position (amputees excepted); no swimming deer.
Suppressors are legal for purple and common gallinules with ATF registration, unless the hunter has a recent class four or higher violation.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 42, 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 52 and 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 25, checked November 4, 2026.
What LDWF asks of gallinule hunters
- Gallinules and hunter orange: LDWF ties hunter orange to firearm deer dates and to buckshot, slugs, primitive and centerfire guns; off WMAs, gallinule hunters with bird shot are not covered, and on WMAs waterfowl and dove hunters are exempt.
- After the shot: purple and common gallinules: For purple and common gallinules there is no harvest tag; federal tagging rules for birds left with others; HIP certification annually.
- Federal baiting: Federal rule: no hunting migratory birds over bait; area stays baited 10 days after removal.
- Course requirement: Anyone born on or after Sept 1, 1969 must complete an LDWF-approved hunter education course before hunting, unless under direct supervision (voice and sight) of a licensed hunter born before Sept 1, 1969 or an 18+ adult with proof of hunter education.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 26, 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 24 and 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 12, checked November 4, 2026.
Gallinules shooting light on key dates
Each row applies the LDWF hour rule for purple and common gallinules to sunrise and sunset at a parish centre, in Central Time.
Hour rule (purple and common gallinules): one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
New for 2026-27: waterfowl hunting closes at 12 noon on all WMAs and public lands except Atchafalaya Delta and Pass-a-Loutre WMAs.
| Date | Point | Parish | Sunrise | Sunset | Legal window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Opening | Caddo Parish | 7:01 a.m. | 7:18 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 7:18 p.m. |
| Sep 19, 2026 | Opening | Ouachita Parish | 6:54 a.m. | 7:11 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 7:11 p.m. |
| Sep 19, 2026 | Opening | Rapides Parish | 6:56 a.m. | 7:12 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 7:12 p.m. |
| Sep 19, 2026 | Opening | Calcasieu Parish | 6:59 a.m. | 7:15 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. |
| Sep 19, 2026 | Opening | St. Tammany Parish | 6:46 a.m. | 7:02 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 7:02 p.m. |
| Jan 6, 2027 | Last day | Caddo Parish | 7:18 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. |
| Jan 6, 2027 | Last day | Ouachita Parish | 7:11 a.m. | 5:17 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. |
| Jan 6, 2027 | Last day | Rapides Parish | 7:09 a.m. | 5:21 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. |
| Jan 6, 2027 | Last day | Calcasieu Parish | 7:10 a.m. | 5:27 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. |
| Jan 6, 2027 | Last day | St. Tammany Parish | 6:57 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. |
Rules from the 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations and La. R.S. 56:116.1; sunrise and sunset worked out with the NOAA solar formula (Central Time); checked November 4, 2026. Legal hours for all 64 parishes.
Open marsh pond with ducks and golden grass under a deep blue sky in south Louisiana. Photo: brian gautreau (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Lone cypress trees in open water under a cloudy sky in the Atchafalaya Basin. Photo: NatalieMaynor (CC BY 2.0)
Orange sunset behind silhouetted cypress trees in the Atchafalaya Basin. Photo: Kevin Crosby (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Gallinules questions
Which licenses cover purple and common gallinules?
Costs for purple and common gallinules: Basic Hunting $20 resident, $200 nonresident; HIP certification Free. Carry the gallinule license, or its number, with a photo ID.
What are the daily and possession limits for purple and common gallinules?
Daily 15; possession 45.
Is hunter orange needed for purple and common gallinules on a WMA?
LDWF ties hunter orange to firearm deer dates and to buckshot, slugs, primitive and centerfire guns; off WMAs, gallinule hunters with bird shot are not covered, and on WMAs waterfowl and dove hunters are exempt.
What weapons are legal for purple and common gallinules?
Migratory birds rules for purple and common gallinules: Shotgun 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells; non-toxic shot for ducks, geese and coots.
What is legal light for purple and common gallinules in Louisiana?
The gallinule day lasts one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. Sun times on this page use the NOAA solar formula: 6:50 a.m. sunrise, 7:06 p.m. sunset in East Baton Rouge Parish on September 19, 2026.
Which public places are best for purple and common gallinules?
Sabine NWR, Tensas River NWR and Upper Ouachita NWR lead a list of 21 WMAs, refuges and federal lands. Each WMA keeps its own schedule.
Can purple and common gallinules be hunted seven days a week?
Louisiana has no statewide Sunday ban, so private-land gallinule rows run every day; WMA schedules can name specific days.
Do I have to report purple and common gallinules I take?
For purple and common gallinules there is no harvest tag; federal tagging rules for birds left with others; HIP certification annually.
Does LDWF publish gallinule harvest numbers?
Gallinule 2025-26: about 20,000 taken by 2,100 hunters (survey estimate, 95% interval plus or minus 16,700).
What is the bait rule for purple and common gallinules?
Federal rule: no hunting migratory birds over bait; area stays baited 10 days after removal.
What are the 2026-27 gallinule dates in Louisiana?
September 19, 2026 to January 6, 2027, in 2 dated rows. The next opener after November 4, 2026 is November 7, 2026.
Other photos on this page: brian gautreau (CC BY-SA 2.0); NatalieMaynor (CC BY 2.0); Kevin Crosby (CC BY-SA 2.0).