Furbearers
Muskrat in Louisiana: 2026-27 trapping, hunting and limits
Muskrat in Louisiana: every 2026-27 season row with its source.
Photo: brian gautreau (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Muskrat: the short version for 2026-27
Between November 20, 2026 and March 31, 2027 Louisiana hunters get 1 separate window for muskrats. Limit in one line (muskrat): No limit stated.
- In short (muskrat): Trapping Nov 20-Mar 31.
- Take (muskrat): No limit stated.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana trapping regulations, checked November 4, 2026.
GearHeading out for a hunt? Hunting gear checklists by season →
Muskrat: statewide or local rules
One statewide trapping season covers muskrats, and parish governments may close or curtail seasons for a year by ordinance with LDWF consent.
Parish rules: 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 trapping regulations and Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 56, checked November 4, 2026.
Every muskrat season row
1 row for muskrats from the 2026-27 LDWF tables; the status column compares each with November 4, 2026.
| Window | Zone or area | Begins | Through | Days | Right now | Take |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trapping | Statewide | Nov 20, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | 132 | No limit stated. |
Footnotes for muskrats
- Muskrat note: WMA trapping seasons differ (see the WMA table in the trapping regulations).
From 2026-2027 Louisiana trapping regulations, checked November 4, 2026.
Muskrat harvest and best parishes
LDWF has not published a muskrat harvest estimate.
From LDWF Big and Small Game Harvest Survey 2025-26, checked November 4, 2026.
Muskrat limits in Louisiana
The muskrat limits come from the pamphlet and the LDWF season pages, with each row's own bag after them.
| Applies to | Rule |
|---|---|
| Trapping | No limit stated. |
From 2026-2027 Louisiana trapping regulations, checked November 4, 2026.
License costs for muskrats
Licenses (or license numbers) and physical ID must be carried; driver's license endorsements for lifetime license and hunter education are accepted.
| License | Holder | Fee | Lasts | 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 | – |
| Trapper | Resident | $40 (fee list: $25) | Through June 30 | – |
| Trapper | Nonresident | $160 (fee list: $200) | Through June 30 | – |
| Youth Hunt and Trap | Resident | $5 | Through June 30 | – |
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 8, LDWF hunting licenses page and LDWF fee list, checked November 4, 2026.
Public areas open to muskrats
The largest of 31 public areas that name muskrats.
| Public land | Kind | Parish | Acres | Lottery hunts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | – |
| Fort Polk-Vernon WMA | WMA | Vernon | 105,545 | Yes |
| Kisatchie NF, Kisatchie District | Forest district | Natchitoches | 102,489 | – |
| Fort Polk North WMA | WMA | Natchitoches, Sabine +1 | 74,309 | Yes |
| Richard K. Yancey WMA | WMA | Concordia | 70,872 | Yes |
| Dewey W. Wills WMA | WMA | Catahoula, LaSalle +1 | 63,984 | Yes |
| West Bay WMA | WMA | Allen | 59,189 | Yes |
| Clear Creek WMA | WMA | Vernon | 52,559 | Yes |
| Russell Sage WMA | WMA | Caldwell, Morehouse +2 | 38,208 | Yes |
| Red Dirt NWMP | Forest preserve | Natchitoches | 38,000 | – |
| Catahoula NWMP | Forest preserve | Grant, Winn | 36,000 | – |
| Pearl River WMA | WMA | St. Tammany | 35,619 | Yes |
From this site’s public land records (LDWF area pages, the 2026-27 WMA schedules and federal rules), checked November 4, 2026.
Muskrat gear and method rules
| Row | May use | May not use |
|---|---|---|
| Trapping | Muskrat: Traps and snares; nutria by rifle sunrise-sunset for licensed trappers; firearms to dispatch. | Not for muskrat: traps with teeth (Title 56, section 121.1); traps set more than one day before the season or left after it. |
- Night-vision, laser and IR sights (muskrat): Prohibited for game, except private-land nighttime take of outlaw quadrupeds, nutria and beaver and permitted visually impaired hunters.
Drones are banned on WMAs for all hunting, including for muskrats.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana trapping regulations and 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 30, checked November 4, 2026.
Muskrat: orange, tags and transport
- Muskrat tagging: LDWF sets no tag or check-in for muskrats; on WMAs the daily Self-Clearing Permit still records the trip.
- Hunter education (muskrat): 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.
Long highway bridge crossing a calm swamp in golden evening light. Photo: Ray Devlin (CC BY 2.0)
Fog in a quiet bottomland swamp with bare trees. Photo: Trey Matula (CC BY 2.0)
Moss-hung cypress around a dark swamp lake under a blue sky. Photo: Iryna Kuchma (CC BY 2.0)
Questions about muskrats in Louisiana
Where can I hunt muskrats on public land in Louisiana?
31 areas, led by Kisatchie NF, Kisatchie NF, Calcasieu District and Kisatchie NF, Winn District. WMAs need the Access Permit and a Self-Clearing Permit.
Can I use a rifle on muskrats in Louisiana?
Trapping rules for muskrats: Traps and snares; nutria by rifle sunrise-sunset for licensed trappers; firearms to dispatch.
Can muskrats be hunted seven days a week?
No statewide Sunday restriction appears in the 2026-27 pamphlet or Title 56, so muskrat seasons run seven days a week outside some WMA schedules.
Is there a check-in for muskrats?
LDWF sets no tag or check-in for muskrats; on WMAs the daily Self-Clearing Permit still records the trip.
What does a trapping license cost for muskrats?
The trapping regulations list $40 for resident adults, $5 for youths and $160 for nonresidents trapping muskrats; the fee list page gives $25, $5 and $200 instead.
How long is the muskrat trapping season?
Licensed trappers take muskrats November 20, 2026 to March 31, 2027; Traps and snares only (no toothed traps; check daily; set no earlier than one day before opening); nutria also by rifle sunrise-sunset by licensed trappers.
How much does it cost to hunt muskrats in Louisiana?
For muskrats: Basic Hunting $20 resident, $200 nonresident; Trapper $40 (fee list: $25) (resident); Youth Hunt and Trap $5 (resident). Everyone 18 or older who hunts muskrats carries a Basic Hunting License or one that includes it.
When can I hunt muskrats in Louisiana?
Opening November 20, 2026, closing March 31, 2027, with the rows by area or zone in the table. Still to come: a row opening November 20, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Ray Devlin (CC BY 2.0); Trey Matula (CC BY 2.0); Iryna Kuchma (CC BY 2.0).