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Squirrels, rabbits, quail and pheasants
Pheasant in Louisiana: 2026-27 seasons, limits and where to hunt
Pheasant in Louisiana: every 2026-27 season row with its source.
Photo: ShenandoahNPS (Public domain)
Louisiana pheasant in brief
Counting every segment and zone, pheasants are legal game in Louisiana from November 21, 2026 to February 28, 2027. The bag for pheasants, as LDWF sums it up: no limit. Also on record: Pen-raised birds; no wild population noted.
- How and when (pheasant): Concurrent with quail season.
- Bag summary (pheasant): No limit.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 30, checked November 4, 2026.
GearHeading out for small game season? Small game gear checklist →
Where the pheasant rows apply
No zone applies to pheasants: the dates are the same in all 64 parishes.
A note on parishes: 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. 30 and Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 56, checked November 4, 2026.
Pheasant calendar statewide
These are the private-land and statewide rows for pheasants; WMA schedules can be shorter.
| Segment | Area | First day | Last day | Length | Status | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 100 | No limit. |
Pheasant season notes
- Pheasant note: open concurrently with quail season.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 30, checked November 4, 2026.
What LDWF publishes on pheasant harvest
No pheasant harvest table exists in the LDWF data, so the best places below come from public land listings.
From LDWF Big and Small Game Harvest Survey 2025-26, checked November 4, 2026.
Daily and season limits for pheasants
LDWF writes the pheasant limits as below; lottery hunts may set their own.
| Rule for | Limit |
|---|---|
| Crow, pheasant, outlaw quadrupeds | No limit. |
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 30, checked November 4, 2026.
What pheasant hunters buy in Louisiana
Hunting licenses run 365 days from the day of purchase; the prices below are the 2026-27 fees for pheasants.
| Item | For | Fee | Good for | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | – |
| Hunting Preserve | All | $15 | Oct 1-April 30 | In lieu of Basic Hunting (fee list: nonresident). |
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 8, LDWF hunting licenses page and LDWF fee list, checked November 4, 2026.
Pheasant: guns, bows and methods
| Rule set | Legal | Not legal |
|---|---|---|
| Small game and resident game birds | Pheasant: Archery; shotgun 10 ga or smaller from the shoulder (3 shells); rifles/handguns (except turkey); air rifles for squirrel, rabbit, raccoon, opossum and outlaw quadrupeds; falconry by permit. | Not for pheasant: squirrel/rabbit with centerfire rifles, breech-loaded rifles/handguns over .22 or muzzleloaders over .36; shotguns over 10 ga or holding more than 3 shells. |
- Dogs (pheasant): Deer may be hunted with dogs only in designated "with or without dogs" segments; archery and primitive seasons and still-hunt areas are dog-free; One leashed/GPS-collared tracking dog may trail wounded deer on private land; Coyote running with dogs banned in turkey areas during turkey season.
- Roads and rights-of-way (pheasant): No hunting, standing, loitering or shooting game from a public road or right-of-way, across a road, or on/across LMV roads; no spotlighting from public roads.
Night-vision and laser sights stay illegal for pheasants unless a private-land night rule covers the species.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 30, 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 27 and 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 31, checked November 4, 2026.
Pheasant checklist from LDWF
- Hunter orange for pheasants: During firearm deer dates: 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; On WMAs: On WMAs all hunters (including archers and small game hunters) and trappers, except waterfowl and mourning dove hunters, must display 400 square inches and wear an orange or pink cap during open firearms deer seasons; quail/woodcock hunters and special dog seasons need at least a cap; concealed deer blinds need 400 square inches visible 360 degrees.
- Harvest report (pheasant): There is no pheasant tag in Louisiana; WMA visitors check in and out with a Self-Clearing Permit.
- Education rule for pheasant hunters: 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.
Legal hours for pheasants
Read the legal window column for pheasants; it already applies the half-hour rule where there is one.
For pheasants, LDWF says one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
| Date | Season point | Parish | First sun | Last sun | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 21, 2026 | Season opens | Caddo Parish | 6:50 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Season opens | Ouachita Parish | 6:43 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Season opens | Rapides Parish | 6:42 a.m. | 5:10 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Season opens | Calcasieu Parish | 6:44 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Season opens | St. Tammany Parish | 6:30 a.m. | 5:01 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | End | Caddo Parish | 6:46 a.m. | 6:11 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 6:41 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | End | Ouachita Parish | 6:39 a.m. | 6:04 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 6:34 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | End | Rapides Parish | 6:39 a.m. | 6:07 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 6:37 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | End | Calcasieu Parish | 6:42 a.m. | 6:11 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 6:41 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | End | St. Tammany Parish | 6:29 a.m. | 5:57 p.m. | 5:59 a.m. to 6:27 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.
American woodcock camouflaged in leaves. Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain)
Ruffed grouse on the forest floor. Photo: GlacierNPS (Public domain)
Ruffed grouse walking on the ground. Photo: YellowstoneNPS (Public domain)
Common questions on pheasants
How early can I shoot pheasants?
Pheasants may be shot from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. LDWF prints no sun table; the NOAA formula gives 6:35 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. at Baton Rouge on November 21, 2026.
How do I validate a pheasant?
There is no pheasant tag in Louisiana; WMA visitors check in and out with a Self-Clearing Permit.
Are pheasants off limits on Sundays?
Yes. No statewide Sunday rule limits pheasants; some WMA and federal schedules hunt only on set weekdays.
What are the 2026-27 pheasant dates in Louisiana?
Dates run November 21, 2026 to February 28, 2027; the season table on this page lists every row. The next window starts November 21, 2026.
Is there a limit on pheasants in Louisiana?
No limit.
What license do I need to hunt pheasants in Louisiana?
The pheasant license set: Basic Hunting $20 resident, $200 nonresident; Hunting Preserve $15. Licenses for pheasants sell at LouisianaOutdoors.com and at license vendors.
Can I use a rifle on pheasants in Louisiana?
Small game and resident game birds rules for pheasants: Archery; shotgun 10 ga or smaller from the shoulder (3 shells); rifles/handguns (except turkey); air rifles for squirrel, rabbit, raccoon, opossum and outlaw quadrupeds; falconry by permit.
What should a pheasant hunter wear during gun deer dates?
During firearm deer dates: 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 sq. in. of hunter orange or blaze pink on the head, chest and/or back. On WMAs: On WMAs all hunters (including archers and small game hunters) and trappers, except waterfowl and mourning dove hunters, must display 400 sq. in. and wear an orange or pink cap during open firearms deer seasons; quail/woodcock hunters and special dog seasons need at least a cap; concealed deer blinds need 400 sq. in. visible 360 degrees.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); GlacierNPS (Public domain); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain).