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LDWF Monroe field office area, Caldwell Parish
Hunting from Columbia, LA: land, Deer Areas and dates
Miles from Columbia to LDWF wildlife management areas and federal ground, the road-and-river Deer Area lines of Caldwell Parish, LDWF offices and the enforcement captain.
Photo: In Columbia: Brick gateway to the Ouachita River landing at Columbia, Caldwell Parish. Billy Hathorn (CC BY 3.0)
Caldwell Parish is run from Columbia; LDWF wildlife staff for the parish work out of Monroe. Of every town near Boeuf WMA, Columbia came out closest, at 4.8 miles from the line. Census Vintage 2024 estimates put Columbia at 266 residents on 0.8 square miles of land. With overlaps counted once, the 10-mile ring around Columbia holds 25,785 public acres in 2 areas. First on the Columbia list comes Boeuf WMA, its closest line 4.8 miles from the Columbia centre point. On the wider 25-mile measure, Columbia gains 1 further area, bringing public acreage to roughly 76,989. Caldwell Parish carries roughly 45,255 public acres in all (45,255 acres of LDWF WMA land).
Town point and land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer, population from the Census Vintage 2024 estimates; public acreage and boundary miles within 10 and 25 miles are a GIS measure over the LDWF WMA layer and USFS, USFWS, Corps and NPS boundaries (places.json; area counts are within 25 miles). LDWF field office from the LDWF Contact Us page. Checked November 4, 2026.
Columbia public hunting land by distance
A tag marks the area that put Columbia on this site; land inside 10 miles is listed ahead of the rest.
| Property | From town | Type | Run by | Access rule | Acres | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeuf WMA reason | 4.8 mi SE | WMA | LDWF | WMA permits | 51,110 | Dove fields |
| Russell Sage WMA | 8.2 mi N | WMA | LDWF | WMA permits | 38,208 | Parish lists differ |
| J.C. "Sonny" Gilbert WMA | 24 mi SE | WMA | LDWF | WMA permits | 7,524 | Lottery hunts |
| Catahoula NWR | 32 mi S | Wildlife refuge | USFWS | Refuge hunt areas | 25,285 | – |
| Floy Ward McElroy WMA | 34 mi NE | WMA | LDWF | WMA permits | 681 | Lottery hunts |
| Little River WMA | 35 mi SW | WMA | LDWF | WMA permits | 6,045 | Parish lists differ |
| Big Lake WMA | 36 mi E | WMA | LDWF | WMA permits | 19,231 | – |
| Black Bayou Lake NWR | 36 mi N | Wildlife refuge | USFWS | Refuge hunt areas | 3,681 | – |
| D'Arbonne NWR | 36 mi N | Wildlife refuge | USFWS | Refuge hunt areas | 17,881 | – |
| Buckhorn WMA | 41 mi E | WMA | LDWF | WMA permits | 11,121 | Lottery hunts |
| Kisatchie National Forest | 41 mi SW | National forest | USFS | Forest-wide | 607,483 | – |
| Kisatchie Catahoula Ranger District | 44 mi SW | Ranger district | USFS | Forest-wide | 122,860 | – |
| Kisatchie Winn Ranger District | 44 mi W | Ranger district | USFS | Forest-wide | 166,792 | – |
| Bayou Cocodrie NWR | 45 mi SE | Wildlife refuge | USFWS | Refuge hunt areas | 15,211 | – |
No nearby tract outsizes Boeuf WMA, which runs to 51,110 acres. The WMA Access Permit ($20 annual, $5 for five days) covers Boeuf WMA for hunters 18 and older; the daily self-clearing form is free.
Short take on six areas near Columbia
- Boeuf WMA: 51,110 acres; spans Caldwell, Catahoula; game: deer, waterfowl, squirrel, rabbit, woodcock; 2024 managed-hunt deer 195 (area map)
- Russell Sage WMA: 38,208 acres; lies in Caldwell, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland; hunted for waterfowl, deer, squirrel, rabbit, woodcock; 2024 either-sex hunt deer 73 (WMA map)
- J.C. "Sonny" Gilbert WMA: 7,524 acres; spans Catahoula; game: deer, turkey, waterfowl, squirrel, rabbit; 2024 managed hunts took 6 (map PDF)
- Catahoula NWR: 25,285 acres; in Catahoula, LaSalle; hunted for waterfowl, woodcock, squirrel, rabbit, deer
- Floy Ward McElroy WMA: 681 acres; spans Richland; seasons for deer
- Little River WMA: 6,045 acres; in Grant, LaSalle, Rapides; hunted for deer, turkey, waterfowl, squirrel, rabbit (map PDF)
Lands from LDWF area pages and the 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting and WMA Regulations, 50 CFR 32.37, USFS, NPS and Corps records (lands.json; each land page cites its own source); 2024 managed-hunt deer from the LDWF deer report 2024-25. Boundary miles from places.json, other miles to each mapped centre. WMA permits from the LDWF license list and WMA rules. Checked November 4, 2026.
Boeuf WMA dates for Columbia hunters
At 4.8 miles, Boeuf WMA is the LDWF area that Columbia hunters can reach soonest. From the LDWF area page: "Boeuf WMA is bordered by the Bouef River for approximately 47 miles on its eastern side." About the game: "The most popular game species on Boeuf WMA are white-tailed deer, waterfowl, squirrel, and rabbit." On Boeuf WMA, the 2024 managed hunts came to 195 deer from 759 hunter efforts. 2026 dove field plantings on Boeuf WMA: Elliott field – North tract 40 acres, brown-top millet and sesame seed. One area rule to know: "Internal combustion engines and craft limited to 10 Hp rating or less in the Greentree Reservoir."
| Segment | Area dates |
|---|---|
| Deer Archery (either-sex) | Oct 1-Jan 31 |
| Deer Youth (either-sex) | Oct 10-11 |
| Deer Firearms (either-sex) | Nov 27-29, self-clearing permit. |
| Deer Firearms (bucks only) | Dec 5-18 |
| Deer Primitive Firearms (either-sex) | Nov 14-15, mandatory deer check. Nov 16-20, self-clearing permit. Dec 19-Jan 1 |
| Turkey | CLOSED |
| Small Game and Waterfowl | Same as outside EXCEPT WATERFOWL CLOSED after 12 noon, and EXCEPT CLOSED Oct 10-11 (South of LA 4 ONLY), and Nov 27-29 and EXCEPT … |
| Raccoon (nighttime) | Sept 12-25 and Jan 2-Feb 28 |
From the LDWF area page and the 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting and WMA Regulations; managed-hunt deer from the LDWF deer report 2024-25. Checked November 4, 2026.
Columbia Deer Areas and zones
Deer Area and zone lines follow roads and rivers, so a parish can carry two of each.
| Parish | LDWF Deer Area | Season cap | Turkey | Bear | Ducks | Doves | CWD zone | Gator zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caldwell Parish local | 2 | 6 (3/4) | Area A,C | 5 | East | North | In part | B |
| Catahoula Parish | 1,2 | 6 (2/5); 6 (3/4) | Area A,C | 3,4 | East | North | In part | C |
| Morehouse Parish | 1,2 | 6 (2/5); 6 (3/4) | Area A | 5 | East | North | – | B |
| Ouachita Parish | 2,1 | 6 (3/4); 6 (2/5) | Area A | 5 | East | North | In part | B |
| Richland Parish | 1 | 6 (2/5) | Area C | 4,5 | East | North | – | B |
The pamphlet lists all of Caldwell Parish in Deer Area 2; area lines follow roads and rivers rather than parish lines. (Deer Area 2; Deer Area map.) Bowhunters in Deer Area 2 start October 1, 2026; rifle and shotgun still hunting follows on October 31. Deer Area 2 primitive firearms: October 24 to October 30; January 18 to January 24. What the areas allow: Area 2: 6 deer, no more than 3 antlered or 4 antlerless. Private land inside the CWD zone in Deer Area 2 gets bow dates of August 29 to September 6. The spring turkey dates for Caldwell Parish come from Turkey Area A (part) and Turkey Area C (part): Area A April 3 to May 2; Area C April 3 to April 18. Lottery permit holders may hunt bear in Caldwell Parish (Bear Area 5) from December 5 to 20, 2026. (Bear Area 5) Ducks in Caldwell Parish follow the East zone: East zone November 21 to December 6 and December 19 to January 31. Dove dates near Columbia: North: September 5-27, October 10-November 15, December 19-January 17. Part of Caldwell Parish lies inside the CWD Management Zone, where feeding and baiting are allowed only September 1 to March 31 this season. (CWD rules) Alligator Zone B takes in Caldwell Parish; LDWF offered 1,250 recreational opportunities there.
Deer Areas, limits and dates from the 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting and WMA Regulations (LDWF map); GIS shares from the LDWF DeerManagementAreas layer; turkey from LDWF, bear from LDWF, ducks and doves from LDWF, CWD from LDWF, alligator zones from LDWF. Checked November 4, 2026.
Caldwell Parish harvest from Columbia
Caldwell Parish falls outside the top-20 deer harvest tables, the only parish-level deer numbers LDWF prints. Caldwell Parish turned in 92 validated turkeys in 2026 by the report map.
Deer from the LDWF deer report 2024-25 and 2022-23; turkey from the LDWF 2026 turkey report (map figure); CWD from LDWF. Checked November 4, 2026.
Columbia season dates
For Caldwell Parish the table lists 55 seasons for 2026-27: deer, turkey, small game, waterfowl, doves and the year-round quadrupeds.
| Animal | Kind of hunt | Applies in | Start | Finish | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | CWD zone archery | Area 2 | Aug 29, 2026 | Sep 6, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Area 2 | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth and veterans | Area 2 | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Primitive Firearms | Area 2 | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Still-hunt firearms | Area 2 | Oct 31, 2026 | Dec 9, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms, dogs allowed | Area 2 | Dec 10, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Primitive Firearms | Area 2 | Jan 18, 2027 | Jan 24, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Challenged hunters | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Lottery permit hunt | Bear Area 5 | Dec 5, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth and challenged | Turkey A, B, C | Mar 26, 2027 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring | Turkey Area A | Apr 3, 2027 | May 2, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring | Turkey Area C | Apr 3, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Feral hogs | Night take, private land | Private land | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Feral hogs | Year-round, daylight | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Alligator | Recreational lottery | Zones A-H | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| Squirrels | Youth (private lands only) | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Squirrels | Fall | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Squirrels | Spring | Statewide | May 1, 2027 | May 23, 2027 | |
| Rabbits | Season | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Quail | Season | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Season | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Doves | Segment 1 | North zone | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Doves | Segment 2 | North zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Doves | Segment 3 | North zone | Dec 19, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Teal | September teal | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Whistling ducks | Special season | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Youth and veteran day | East zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Split 1 | East zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Ducks and coots | Split 2 | East zone | Dec 19, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Ducks and coots | Youth and veteran day | East zone | Feb 6, 2027 | Feb 6, 2027 | |
| Snow and blue geese | Regular season | East zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Snow and blue geese | Conservation Order | East zone | Dec 7, 2026 | Dec 18, 2026 | |
| Snow and blue geese | Regular season | East zone | Dec 19, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | |
| Snow and blue geese | Conservation Order | East zone | Feb 8, 2027 | Mar 7, 2027 | |
| Specklebellies | Regular season | East zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Specklebellies | Regular season | East zone | Dec 19, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | |
| Canada geese | Regular season | East zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Canada geese | Regular season | East zone | Dec 19, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | |
| King and clapper rails | Season | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| King and clapper rails | Season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 6, 2027 | |
| Sora and Virginia rails | Season | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Sora and Virginia rails | Season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 6, 2027 | |
| Gallinules | Season | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Gallinules | Season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 6, 2027 | |
| Snipe | Season | Statewide | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Snipe | Season | Statewide | Jan 25, 2027 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Season | Statewide | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Crows | Season | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Year-round, daylight | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Armadillo | Year-round, daylight | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Nutria | Recreational hunting | Private land | Sep 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Year-round hunting | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Year-round, day and night | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Year-round, day and night | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Foxes (chase) | Chase only (hunting) | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 |
From the LDWF seasons and regulations and the 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting and WMA Regulations (Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries), checked November 4, 2026.
LDWF offices and agents for Columbia
In Monroe, 34 miles from Columbia, sits the nearest LDWF office; phone (318) 343-4044. For WMA and wildlife questions in Caldwell Parish, LDWF points to its Monroe field office. Kurt Hatten captains the enforcement agents of Region 2, Caldwell Parish among them.
LDWF office, Monroe
Pineville LDWF office
Offices and field office parish lists from the LDWF Contact Us page, enforcement regions and captains from LDWF local law enforcement contacts (counties.json, services.json). Checked November 4, 2026.
Services for Columbia hunters
LDWF keeps no hunting guide list, so guide rows are directory listings and preserves LDWF lists as open to the public. Varnell's Processing (in town) takes donated deer for Hunters for the Hungry. Taxidermy closest to Columbia is caples taxidermy (West Monroe, 26 mi). Spotted Dog Sporting Goods, 1.1 mi out, stocks guns, bows or outdoor gear. Mapped processors in the 35-mile circle around Columbia: 9.
| Service | Close (15 mi) | Wider (35 mi) | Closest | Miles | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer processors | 4 | 9 | Varnell's Processing | in town | Columbia |
| Taxidermy shops | 0 | 3 | caples taxidermy | 26 mi NW | West Monroe |
| Sporting goods | 1 | 19 | Spotted Dog Sporting Goods | 1.1 mi N | Columbia |
Deer processors
Taxidermy shops
Sporting goods
Processors from the LDWF deer processor and Hunters for the Hungry map layers, the Hunters for the Hungry list and Yellow Pages; preserves from the LDWF preserve list and Yellow Pages; taxidermists and shops from Yellow Pages and store locators (services.json). Listings without coordinates are placed at their town. Checked November 4, 2026; hours were not checked.
Hunting events a short drive from Columbia
Thirty crow-flight miles out there are 6 dates still ahead as of November 3, 2026. Only lottery winners may hunt the 1 WMA lottery hunt shown.
Still ahead
| Scheduled | Event | Miles out | Where held | Link | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5–6, 2026 | LDWF Hunter Education Course – Winnsboro · hunter education course | 21 | River of Life Church Winnsboro | Join waitlist | Source |
| Nov 20–21, 2026 | LDWF Hunter Education Course – Jena · hunter education course | 29 | Lasalle Rifle Range Jena | Register | Source |
| Nov 23, 2026 | LDWF Hunter Education Field Day – Monroe · hunter education field day | 29 | LDWF Monroe Office | Register | Source |
| Dec 15–16, 2026 | LDWF Hunter Education Course – Monroe · hunter education course | 29 | LDWF Monroe Office | Register | Source |
| Mar 25, 2027 | River City Longbeards Banquet · NWTF banquet, West Monroe | 29 | West Monroe | Buy tickets | Source |
| Apr 3–11, 2027 | J.C. "Sonny" Gilbert WMA general turkey lottery | 26 | Apply | Source |
Columbia shooters: the three nearest ranges
Winnsboro Gun Club tops the Columbia list at 21 miles.
For a public line, Columbia shooters have Woodworth Shooting Range, about 69 miles away. More
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked November 4, 2026.
Columbia legal hours
Whistling ducks in the October season may be taken only from sunrise to sunset in Columbia.
| Date | Opener or close | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer | Ducks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Area 2 archery opens | 7:01 a.m. | 6:55 p.m. | 6:31 a.m.–7:25 p.m. | 6:31 a.m.–6:55 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Area 2 gun opens | 7:24 a.m. | 6:21 p.m. | 6:54 a.m.–6:51 p.m. | 6:54 a.m.–6:21 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | East zone ducks open | 6:42 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 6:12 a.m.–5:37 p.m. | 6:12 a.m.–5:07 p.m. |
| Dec 5, 2026 | Bear lottery hunt opens | 6:54 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 6:24 a.m.–5:34 p.m. | 6:24 a.m.–5:04 p.m. |
| Dec 10, 2026 | Area 2 dog season | 6:58 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 6:28 a.m.–5:34 p.m. | 6:28 a.m.–5:04 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:05 a.m. | 5:08 p.m. | 6:35 a.m.–5:38 p.m. | 6:35 a.m.–5:08 p.m. |
| Apr 3, 2027 | Spring turkey opens | 6:56 a.m. | 7:29 p.m. | 6:26 a.m.–7:59 p.m. | 6:26 a.m.–7:29 p.m. |
Hours rules from the 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting and WMA Regulations and La. R.S. 56:116.1; sunrise and sunset worked out for this location with the NOAA solar formula (Central Time); checked November 4, 2026. Legal hours for every parish.
Columbia hunting questions
What towns near Columbia could serve as a second base?
Winnsboro first, then Gilbert, Bawcomville and Harrisonburg.
Which parishes have had CWD-positive deer?
So far: Catahoula 1, Concordia 1, Ouachita 1, Tensas 52.
How many public tracts are within a short drive of Columbia?
2 tracts inside 10 miles, and 3 tracts inside 25.
What is the closest place to hunt public land from Columbia?
It is Boeuf WMA, its closest line 4.8 miles from the Columbia centre point. Second on the table: Russell Sage WMA, its closest line 8.2 miles from the Columbia centre point.
On what day does the still-hunt segment close near Columbia?
December 9, 2026; dogs are then allowed until January 17, 2027.
Which deer calendar applies on private land in Caldwell Parish?
The Deer Area 2 calendar.
What day does spring turkey open near Columbia?
April 3, 2027; the last day depends on the Turkey Area.
Is baiting allowed on the WMAs around Columbia?
No. Bait may not be used, hunted over or carried on any WMA.
What Bear Area includes Caldwell Parish?
Bear Area 5.
When is the September teal season near Columbia?
September 19-27, 2026, statewide.
Does text-to-tag work for turkeys?
Yes, for deer and turkey alike.
On private land near Columbia, will a cap do?
Yes. A hunter orange or blaze pink cap may be worn instead on private land, and it is not needed in an elevated stand.
Where do I report a game violation near Columbia?
To the Region 2 office, (318) 343-2417.
How far is the drive from Columbia to a deer processor?
In town, to Varnell's Processing in Columbia.
Answers from places.json, lands.json, counties.json, services.json and the 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting and WMA Regulations; tagging from LDWF, hunter orange from LDWF, baiting from LDWF, WMA permits from the LDWF license list, CWD from LDWF. Checked November 4, 2026.
Columbia final checks
Leaving Columbia before dawn? Look up legal light for the date and the schedule of the area you chose.
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