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Ducks, coots, mergansers and geese
White-fronted goose in Louisiana: 2026-27 seasons, limits and where to hunt
Dates, limits, licenses, legal hours and public land for white-fronted geese.
Photo: Alaska Region U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
White-fronted Goose in Louisiana, 2026-27
For 2026-27 the specklebelly calendar runs November 14, 2026 to February 7, 2027; LDWF splits it into 4 rows by segment, area or zone. The LDWF limit line for white-fronted geese: Daily 3, possession 9. Worth knowing: 2025-26 survey: 245,300 geese (all species).
- Season shape (specklebelly): Nov 14-Dec 6 and Dec 19-Feb 7.
- Limit (specklebelly): Daily 3, possession 9.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 35 and LDWF Big and Small Game Harvest Survey 2025-26, checked November 4, 2026.
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Zone lines for white-fronted geese
- Zone West (specklebelly): Texas state line to LA 79/LA 9/LA 147/US 167/US 90 line; 34 parishes all or in part.
- East (specklebelly): the rest of the state, 47 parishes all or in part.
- Split parishes (specklebelly): Bienville, Claiborne, Evangeline, Grant, Iberia, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lafourche, Orleans, Rapides, St. Charles, St. Landry, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Terrebonne and Winn.
- Noon rule (specklebelly): New for 2026-27: waterfowl hunting closes at 12 noon on all WMAs and public lands except Atchafalaya Delta and Pass-a-Loutre WMAs.
White-fronted geese follow the East or West dates; the parish lists come from the road line, so a split parish needs the line itself.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 36 and LDWF waterfowl FAQ, checked November 4, 2026.
White-fronted Goose calendar by zone
4 rows for white-fronted geese from the 2026-27 LDWF tables; the status column compares each with November 4, 2026.
| Season | Zone | From | To | Days | Now | Bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular season | East Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | 23 | Daily 3; possession 9. | |
| Regular season | East Zone | Dec 19, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | 51 | Daily 3; possession 9. | |
| Regular season | West Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | 23 | Daily 3; possession 9. | |
| Regular season | West Zone | Dec 19, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | 51 | Daily 3; possession 9. |
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 35, checked November 4, 2026.
Harvest figures for white-fronted geese
Survey estimates for white-fronted geese are statewide only, with 95% ranges; no parish breakdown exists.
| Row | Hunters | Harvest | Range | 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goose | 15,200 | 245,300 | 54,900 to 435,700 | 66,200 |
From LDWF Big and Small Game Harvest Survey 2025-26, checked November 4, 2026.
The Louisiana specklebelly bag
Louisiana sets the specklebelly limit in these rows; WMA schedules can be stricter on an area.
| Row | Limit |
|---|---|
| White-fronted goose | Daily 3; possession 9. |
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 35, checked November 4, 2026.
Paying to hunt white-fronted geese in Louisiana
Basic Hunting License for everyone 18+ hunting birds or quadrupeds; youths 17 and under need the $5 Youth License only for deer, turkey, trapping and lottery hunts; residents born before June 1, 1940 exempt (proof of age).
| Name | Who buys | Price | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | – |
| Waterfowl | Resident | $12 | 365 days from purchase | – |
| Waterfowl | Nonresident | $50 | 365 days from purchase | – |
| Waterfowl | Native nonresident, 10 days | $12 | 10 consecutive days | – |
| Waterfowl | Nonresident, 5 days | $35 | 5 days | – |
| Federal Duck Stamp (electronic) | All | $27.72 (pamphlet); LDWF web pages show $29.79 | Through June 30, 2027 | – |
| 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.
Louisiana public land with specklebelly seasons
83 public places carry white-fronted geese in their 2026-27 schedules or species lists; the biggest are below.
| Area | Type | Parishes | Acres | 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 | – |
| Atchafalaya Delta WMA | WMA | St. Mary | 137,695 | – |
| Sabine NWR | Refuge | Cameron | 123,103 | – |
| Kisatchie NF, Catahoula District | Forest district | Grant, Rapides | 122,860 | – |
| Pass-a-Loutre WMA | WMA | Plaquemines | 115,000 | – |
| Maurepas Swamp WMA | WMA | Ascension, Livingston +2 | 112,615 | – |
| Fort Polk-Vernon WMA | WMA | Vernon | 105,545 | Yes |
| Kisatchie NF, Kisatchie District | Forest district | Natchitoches | 102,489 | – |
| Tensas River NWR | Refuge | Madison, Tensas | 80,904 | Yes |
| Fort Polk North WMA | WMA | Natchitoches, Sabine +1 | 74,309 | Yes |
| White Lake WCA | Conservation area | Vermilion | 71,905 | Yes |
| Richard K. Yancey WMA | WMA | Concordia | 70,872 | Yes |
| Dewey W. Wills WMA | WMA | Catahoula, LaSalle +1 | 63,984 | Yes |
From this site’s public land records (LDWF area pages, the 2026-27 WMA schedules and federal rules), checked November 4, 2026.
How white-fronted geese may be taken
| Rule | Legal arms | Banned |
|---|---|---|
| Migratory birds | Specklebelly: Shotgun 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells; non-toxic shot for ducks, geese and coots. | Not for specklebelly: rifles, pistols, traps, nets, sink boxes, motor vehicles/aircraft, moving boats, live decoys, recorded calls (except light-goose Conservation Order), bait. |
- Baiting (specklebelly): 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 (specklebelly): 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.
The pamphlet is not the official law; Title 56 and Commission rules govern every method for white-fronted geese.
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.
Field rules for specklebelly hunters
- Orange rule (specklebelly): Orange is not required for white-fronted geese with bird shot on private land; WMA rules require it of most users during gun deer dates but exempt waterfowl and dove hunters.
- Reporting white-fronted geese: White-fronted geese need no state report; federal tagging rules for birds left with others; HIP certification annually.
- Bait and migratory birds: Federal rule: no hunting migratory birds over bait; area stays baited 10 days after removal.
- Special days: Youth and Veterans waterfowl days: East Zone Nov 14, 2026 and Feb 6, 2027; West Zone Nov 7, 2026 and Jan 30, 2027.
- Who needs the course: 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.
White-fronted Goose shooting light on key dates
Each row applies the LDWF hour rule for white-fronted geese to sunrise and sunset at a parish centre, in Central Time.
White-fronted geese, legal time: 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 | Season point | Parish | First sun | Last sun | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 14, 2026 | Opens | Caddo Parish | 6:44 a.m. | 5:16 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Opens | Ouachita Parish | 6:37 a.m. | 5:10 p.m. | 6:07 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Opens | Rapides Parish | 6:36 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Opens | Calcasieu Parish | 6:38 a.m. | 5:18 p.m. | 6:08 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Opens | St. Tammany Parish | 6:24 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 5:54 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Feb 7, 2027 | Closing day | Caddo Parish | 7:06 a.m. | 5:53 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 5:53 p.m. |
| Feb 7, 2027 | Closing day | Ouachita Parish | 6:59 a.m. | 5:46 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 5:46 p.m. |
| Feb 7, 2027 | Closing day | Rapides Parish | 6:59 a.m. | 5:49 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 5:49 p.m. |
| Feb 7, 2027 | Closing day | Calcasieu Parish | 7:01 a.m. | 5:54 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 5:54 p.m. |
| Feb 7, 2027 | Closing day | St. Tammany Parish | 6:47 a.m. | 5:40 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 5:40 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.
Large flock of snow geese resting and flying over a wetland. Photo: Jason Crotty (CC BY 2.0)
Flock of snow geese flying across a blue sky. Photo: Amit Patel (CC BY 2.0)
Bright green cypress and lily pads along a swamp channel. Photo: Jenni (CC BY-SA 2.0)
White-fronted Goose questions
Where are white-fronted geese open to the public?
Try Kisatchie NF, Kisatchie NF, Calcasieu District and Kisatchie NF, Winn District; 83 public areas name white-fronted geese in all. Check the area schedule before a trip.
What are legal shooting hours for white-fronted geese?
LDWF sets specklebelly hours at one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. At Baton Rouge on November 14, 2026 that means sunrise 6:29 a.m. and sunset 5:09 p.m. by the NOAA formula.
How are white-fronted geese tagged or reported in Louisiana?
White-fronted geese need no state report; federal tagging rules for birds left with others; HIP certification annually.
Can white-fronted geese be hunted seven days a week?
Sundays are open for white-fronted geese on private land; a few public areas limit the days of the week in their schedules.
Do WMAs close at noon for white-fronted geese?
New for 2026-27: waterfowl hunting closes at 12 noon on all WMAs and public lands except Atchafalaya Delta and Pass-a-Loutre WMAs.
Do I need HIP and a stamp for white-fronted geese?
The federal duck stamp is $27.72 in the pamphlet; the LDWF web pages show $29.79. The Louisiana duck stamp is now a collectible/contest program (state waterfowl license covers the privilege); federal duck stamp required at 16+. HIP certification is free and needed every year.
What did the latest survey say about white-fronted geese?
Goose 2025-26: about 245,300 taken by 15,200 hunters (survey estimate, 95% interval plus or minus 190,400).
What days are open for white-fronted geese this season?
LDWF opens white-fronted geese on November 14, 2026; the final row ends February 7, 2027. Next up: November 14, 2026.
What bag limit applies to white-fronted geese?
Daily 3; possession 9.
What does a specklebelly hunter buy before going out?
What a specklebelly hunter pays: Basic Hunting $20 resident, $200 nonresident; Waterfowl $12 resident, $50 nonresident; Federal Duck Stamp (electronic) $27.72 (pamphlet); LDWF web pages show $29.79; HIP certification Free. Youths 17 and under hunting white-fronted geese need no Basic Hunting License.
Which guns and bows may be used on white-fronted geese?
Migratory birds rules for white-fronted geese: Shotgun 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells; non-toxic shot for ducks, geese and coots.
Does Louisiana require orange for white-fronted geese?
Orange is not required for white-fronted geese with bird shot on private land; WMA rules require it of most users during gun deer dates but exempt waterfowl and dove hunters.
Other photos on this page: Jason Crotty (CC BY 2.0); Amit Patel (CC BY 2.0); Jenni (CC BY-SA 2.0).