Louisiana › Species › Wilson's Snipe
Doves, snipe, rails, gallinules, woodcock and crows
Wilson's snipe in Louisiana: 2026-27 seasons, limits and where to hunt
Oct 31–Feb 28; limits, harvest, licenses and places to hunt snipe.
Photo: Susan Young (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Wilson's Snipe: the short version for 2026-27
LDWF prints 2 season lines for snipe this year, spread from October 31, 2026 to February 28, 2027. How many: daily 8, possession 24.
- Season outline (snipe): Oct 31-Jan 10 and Jan 25-Feb 28.
- Allowed (snipe): Daily 8, possession 24.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 35, checked November 4, 2026.
GearHeading out for a hunt? Hunting gear checklists by season →
Wilson's Snipe across the parishes
Snipe are hunted on statewide dates; no zone line changes the calendar.
Under La. R.S. 56:114, 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.
Wilson's Snipe calendar statewide
Read the second column first: it says which part of Louisiana each snipe row covers.
| Season | Where | Opens | Closes | Days | Today | Bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Statewide | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | 72 | Daily 8; possession 24. | |
| Season | Statewide | Jan 25, 2027 | Feb 28, 2027 | 35 | Daily 8; possession 24. |
Fine print for snipe
- Snipe note: snipe shooting at Spanish Lake Recreation Area (Iberia) ends at 2 p.m.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 35, checked November 4, 2026.
Wilson's Snipe harvest and best parishes
The snipe figures are survey estimates, not counts, and the wide ranges reflect small samples.
| Survey row | Hunters | Harvest 2025-26 | 95% range | 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snipe | 2,600 | 15,900 | 4,200 to 27,600 | 29,400 |
From LDWF Big and Small Game Harvest Survey 2025-26, checked November 4, 2026.
Daily and season limits for snipe
What one hunter may take and keep of snipe, row by row, from the 2026-27 rules.
| Limit for | Limit text |
|---|---|
| Snipe | Daily 8; possession 24. |
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 35, checked November 4, 2026.
License costs for snipe
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.
| License | Buyer | Cost | Term | 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.
Wilson's Snipe on WMAs, refuges and federal land
Pick from 27 public areas with snipe; each land page has maps, contacts and area rules.
| Area | Land type | In | Acres | Draw |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tensas River NWR | Refuge | Madison, Tensas | 80,904 | Yes |
| Richard K. Yancey WMA | WMA | Concordia | 70,872 | Yes |
| Upper Ouachita NWR | Refuge | Morehouse, Union | 56,553 | – |
| Boeuf WMA | WMA | Caldwell, Catahoula | 51,110 | – |
| Delta NWR | Refuge | Plaquemines | 49,389 | – |
| Sherburne WMA | WMA | Iberville, Pointe Coupee +1 | 43,637 | Yes |
| Russell Sage WMA | WMA | Caldwell, Morehouse +2 | 38,208 | Yes |
| Salvador WMA | WMA unit | St. Charles | 36,447 | – |
| Biloxi WMA | WMA | St. Bernard | 35,644 | – |
| Pearl River WMA | WMA | St. Tammany | 35,619 | Yes |
| Pointe-aux-Chenes WMA | WMA | Lafourche, Terrebonne | 33,488 | Yes |
| 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 | – |
From this site’s public land records (LDWF area pages, the 2026-27 WMA schedules and federal rules), checked November 4, 2026.
Weapons and field rules for snipe
| Weapon rule | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Migratory birds | Snipe: Shotgun 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells; non-toxic shot for ducks, geese and coots. | Not for snipe: rifles, pistols, traps, nets, sink boxes, motor vehicles/aircraft, moving boats, live decoys, recorded calls (except light-goose Conservation Order), bait. |
- Baiting (snipe): 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 (snipe): 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.
Moving vehicles and aircraft are off limits for taking snipe.
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.
Wilson's Snipe: orange, tags and transport
- Orange and snipe: The orange or blaze pink rule follows the firearm deer season and deer-type ammunition, so a snipe hunter with bird shot on private land is outside it; WMAs exempt waterfowl and dove hunters.
- Wilson's Snipe: reporting: Nothing to validate for snipe, but federal tagging rules for birds left with others; HIP certification annually.
- No bait: Federal rule: no hunting migratory birds over bait; area stays baited 10 days after removal.
- Hunter education: 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.
Wilson's Snipe: sunrise, sunset and legal time
Each row applies the LDWF hour rule for snipe to sunrise and sunset at a parish centre, in Central Time.
Rule that sets snipe hours: 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.
| When | Event | Parish | Sunrise | Sunset | Shooting hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 31, 2026 | First day | Caddo Parish | 7:31 a.m. | 6:27 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 6:27 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | First day | Ouachita Parish | 7:24 a.m. | 6:20 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 6:20 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | First day | Rapides Parish | 7:24 a.m. | 6:23 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 6:23 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | First day | Calcasieu Parish | 7:26 a.m. | 6:28 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 6:28 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | First day | St. Tammany Parish | 7:13 a.m. | 6:14 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 6:14 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Closes | Caddo Parish | 6:46 a.m. | 6:11 p.m. | 6:16 a.m. to 6:11 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Closes | Ouachita Parish | 6:39 a.m. | 6:04 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 6:04 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Closes | Rapides Parish | 6:39 a.m. | 6:07 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 6:07 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Closes | Calcasieu Parish | 6:42 a.m. | 6:11 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 6:11 p.m. |
| Feb 28, 2027 | Closes | St. Tammany Parish | 6:29 a.m. | 5:57 p.m. | 5:59 a.m. to 5:57 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)
Late light on cypress trunks and duckweed in a Louisiana swamp. Photo: jc.winkler (CC BY 2.0)
Cypress knees and moss-draped trees reflected in still swamp water. Photo: Tim Wilson (CC BY 2.0)
Answers about snipe
How long is the snipe season in Louisiana?
The first snipe row opens October 31, 2026 and the last closes February 28, 2027. Another row opens January 25, 2027.
What is the Louisiana snipe harvest?
Snipe 2025-26: about 15,900 taken by 2,600 hunters (survey estimate, 95% interval plus or minus 11,700).
Do nonresidents need a special license for snipe?
Licenses for snipe: Basic Hunting $20 resident, $200 nonresident; HIP certification Free. Hunting licenses for snipe run 365 days from purchase; trapping licenses end June 30.
How many snipe may one hunter keep?
Daily 8; possession 24.
Does the orange rule apply to snipe hunting?
The orange or blaze pink rule follows the firearm deer season and deer-type ammunition, so a snipe hunter with bird shot on private land is outside it; WMAs exempt waterfowl and dove hunters.
Is archery legal for snipe?
Migratory birds rules for snipe: Shotgun 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells; non-toxic shot for ducks, geese and coots.
What time does snipe hunting end?
For snipe, legal hours run one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. For example, East Baton Rouge Parish sees sunrise at 7:17 a.m. and sunset at 6:19 p.m. on October 31, 2026, worked out with the NOAA solar formula.
What public areas list snipe?
27 public areas in this guide list snipe, the largest being Tensas River NWR, Richard K. Yancey WMA and Upper Ouachita NWR. Area rules come from the 2026-27 pamphlet.
Is Sunday open for snipe?
Snipe may be hunted on Sundays in season; check the WMA schedule, since some public areas hunt only on listed days.
Does LDWF require a harvest report for snipe?
Nothing to validate for snipe, but federal tagging rules for birds left with others; HIP certification annually.
Can I hunt snipe over a baited field?
Federal rule: no hunting migratory birds over bait; area stays baited 10 days after removal.
Other photos on this page: brian gautreau (CC BY-SA 2.0); jc.winkler (CC BY 2.0); Tim Wilson (CC BY 2.0).