Furbearers
Red fox in Louisiana: 2026-27 trapping, hunting and limits
Dates, limits, licenses, legal hours and public land for red foxes.
Photo: Jenni (CC BY-SA 2.0)
What LDWF allows for red foxes
LDWF keeps red foxes open all year, so the rules that matter are methods, land and hours rather than dates. Red fox limit summary: Trapping only.
- Methods and dates (red fox): Trapping Nov 20-Mar 31; chase only for hunters.
- Bag (red fox): Trapping only.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana trapping regulations and 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 30, checked November 4, 2026.
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Red Fox by parish and land type
Red foxes are trapped statewide on one calendar; WMA trapping dates differ and are printed in the trapping regulations.
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 trapping regulations and Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 56, checked November 4, 2026.
Red Fox calendar statewide
2 season lines for red foxes, opening to closing.
| Hunt | Applies to | Start | End | Days | Open now? | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foxes (chase), chase only (hunting) | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | Year-round | None (chase only). | |
| Red fox, trapping | Statewide | Nov 20, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | 132 | No limit stated. |
Footnotes for red foxes
- Red fox note: foxes are protected quadrupeds; they may be killed only by licensed trappers in the trapping season.
- Red fox note: WMA trapping seasons differ (see the WMA table in the trapping regulations).
From 2026-2027 Louisiana trapping regulations and 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 30, checked November 4, 2026.
Red Fox: the harvest record
Harvest totals for red foxes are not published.
From LDWF Big and Small Game Harvest Survey 2025-26, checked November 4, 2026.
Red Fox bag and possession limits
Bag and possession rules for red foxes, first as LDWF sums them up and then any season row with a bag of its own.
| Covers | Bag and possession |
|---|---|
| Trapping | No limit stated. |
| Chase only (hunting) | None (chase only). |
From 2026-2027 Louisiana trapping regulations, checked November 4, 2026.
What red fox hunters buy in Louisiana
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 | – |
| 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 land for red foxes in Louisiana
Public land for red foxes: 31 WMAs, refuges and federal areas, sorted by acres.
| Area | Category | Parishes | Acreage | Lottery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
How red foxes may be taken
| Weapons row | Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Trapping | Red fox: Traps and snares; nutria by rifle sunrise-sunset for licensed trappers; firearms to dispatch. | Not for red fox: traps with teeth (Title 56, section 121.1); traps set more than one day before the season or left after it. |
- Dogs (red fox): 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.
Suppressors are legal for red foxes with ATF registration, unless the hunter has a recent class four or higher violation.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana trapping regulations and 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 27, checked November 4, 2026.
What LDWF asks of red fox hunters
- After the shot: red foxes: Hunters report nothing for red foxes, apart from the WMA Self-Clearing Permit on state land.
- 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.
Dense stand of cypress trunks in a duckweed swamp. Photo: Nick Shields (CC BY 2.0)
Late light on cypress trunks and duckweed in a Louisiana swamp. Photo: jc.winkler (CC BY 2.0)
Aerial view of the Intracoastal Waterway cutting through the Atchafalaya Basin swamp. Photo: Louisiana Sea Grant College Program Louisiana State University (CC BY 2.0)
Red Fox FAQ for Louisiana
Which licenses cover red foxes?
Costs for red foxes: Basic Hunting $20 resident, $200 nonresident; Trapper $40 (fee list: $25) (resident); Youth Hunt and Trap $5 (resident). Carry the red fox license, or its number, with a photo ID.
How long is the red fox season in Louisiana?
Any day of the year.
Which public places are best for red foxes?
Kisatchie NF, Kisatchie NF, Calcasieu District and Kisatchie NF, Winn District lead a list of 31 WMAs, refuges and federal lands. Each WMA keeps its own schedule.
What gear is legal for red fox hunting?
Trapping rules for red foxes: Traps and snares; nutria by rifle sunrise-sunset for licensed trappers; firearms to dispatch.
Does Louisiana restrict Sunday red fox hunting?
Louisiana has no statewide Sunday ban, so private-land red fox rows run every day; WMA schedules can name specific days.
Do I have to report red foxes I take?
Hunters report nothing for red foxes, apart from the WMA Self-Clearing Permit on state land.
How much is a trapping license?
To trap red foxes: resident trapper (18+) $40, youth $5 and nonresident $160 in the trapping regulations; the LDWF fee list page shows $25, $5 and $200.
How long is the red fox trapping season?
Trapping for red foxes runs 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.
Other photos on this page: Nick Shields (CC BY 2.0); jc.winkler (CC BY 2.0); Louisiana Sea Grant College Program Louisiana State University (CC BY 2.0).