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Town page, Ascension Parish
Public land and parish rules near Sorrento, Louisiana
Hunting out of Sorrento, Louisiana: nearby public land with acreage and permits, Ascension Parish zones and limits, the 2026-27 calendar and businesses that take a deer.
Photo: Photographed on Maurepas Swamp WMA, 0.9 mi from Sorrento. Louisiana Sea Grant College Program Louisiana State University (CC BY 2.0)
Ascension Parish counts Sorrento among its communities, with parish offices in Donaldsonville. Hunters heading for Maurepas Swamp WMA can stay in Sorrento, less than a mile from the boundary. Sorrento logged 1,589 residents in the 2024 Census population series. About 36,149 public acres lie within a 10-mile radius of Sorrento, split among 1 area. Closest ground of any kind for Sorrento: Maurepas Swamp WMA, with the boundary less than a mile out of Sorrento. Count every area out to 25 miles and Sorrento has 3 choices on some 117,101 acres of public ground. Parish-wide, Ascension Parish counts some 19,214 acres of public ground: 19,214 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.
The LDWF area nearest Sorrento: Maurepas Swamp WMA
The WMA schedule that matters most for Sorrento belongs to Maurepas Swamp WMA, less than a mile off. In LDWF's words, "Maurepas Swamp WMA is mostly flooded cypress tupelo swamp." On the hunting, LDWF says: "The most sought after game species on Maurepas Swamp WMA are white-tailed deer, squirrel, rabbit, and waterfowl." LDWF's 2024 managed either-sex hunts there produced 44 deer from 346 hunter efforts. Among the area rules: "No loaded firearms or hunting allowed within 100 yards of Nature Trail."
| Season | Dates and rules |
|---|---|
| Deer Archery (bucks only) | Oct 1-15 |
| Deer Archery (either-sex) | Oct 16-Feb 15 |
| Deer Youth (either-sex) | Nov 7-8 |
| Deer Firearms (either-sex) | Nov 27-28, mandatory deer check. Nov 29, self-clearing permit. |
| Deer Firearms (bucks only) | Dec 19-Jan 3 |
| Deer Primitive Firearms (either-sex) | Jan 9-10 & 18-24 |
| Turkey | CLOSED |
| Small Game and Waterfowl | Same as outside EXCEPT WATERFOWL CLOSED after 12 noon, and EXCEPT CLOSED Oct 31-Nov 1 and Nov 27-29, and OPEN to squirrel hunting … |
| Raccoon (nighttime) | Jan 25-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.
Public ground around Sorrento, ranked
Rows run by nearest boundary, then by miles to the mapped centre; each land page carries the schedule, contacts and zones.
| Public land | Miles | Kind | Run by | Way in | Acres | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maurepas Swamp WMA core | 0.9 mi E | WMA | LDWF | WMA permits | 112,615 | Parish lists differ |
| Joyce WMA | 21 mi NE | WMA | LDWF | WMA permits | 42,292 | Acreage varies |
| Elm Hall WMA | 22 mi SW | WMA | LDWF | WMA permits | 2,839 | – |
| Bonnet Carre Spillway (Corps) | 29 mi E | Corps land | Corps | USACE permit | 7,623 | – |
| Manchac WMA | 31 mi E | WMA | LDWF | WMA permits | 8,328 | – |
| Lake Boeuf WMA | 32 mi SE | WMA | LDWF | WMA permits | 800 | – |
| Attakapas Island WMA | 39 mi SW | WMA | LDWF | WMA permits | 27,962 | – |
| Salvador WMA | 43 mi SE | WMA unit | LDWF | WMA permits | 36,447 | – |
| Mandalay NWR | 46 mi S | Wildlife refuge | USFWS | Refuge hunt areas | 4,333 | Lottery hunts |
| Timken WMA | 47 mi SE | WMA unit | LDWF | WMA permits | 2,867 | – |
| Sherburne WMA | 48 mi NW | WMA | LDWF | WMA permits | 43,637 | Lottery hunts |
| Lake Ramsay WMA | 48 mi NE | WMA | LDWF | WMA permits | 796 | – |
| Tangipahoa Parish School Board WMA | 49 mi NE | WMA | LDWF | WMA permits | 1,643 | – |
| Atchafalaya NWR | 49 mi W | Wildlife refuge | USFWS | Refuge hunt areas | 15,789 | Lottery hunts |
Of the ground within 25 miles of Sorrento, Maurepas Swamp WMA covers the most, at 112,615 acres by the managing agency. Waterfowl hunting on Maurepas Swamp WMA stops at noon this season, like every WMA except Atchafalaya Delta and Pass-a-Loutre.
Sorrento: six nearest tracts in a line each
- Maurepas Swamp WMA: 112,615 acres; located in Ascension, Livingston, St. James, St. John the Baptist; species: deer, waterfowl, squirrel, rabbit; deer in 2024 managed hunts: 44 (LDWF map)
- Joyce WMA: 42,292 acres; parish: Tangipahoa; open for deer, waterfowl, squirrel, rabbit; 2024 managed-hunt deer 11 (area map)
- Elm Hall WMA: 2,839 acres; located in Assumption; species: deer, waterfowl, squirrel, rabbit (printable map)
- Bonnet Carre Spillway (Corps): 7,623 acres; lies in St. Charles; open for deer, waterfowl, squirrel, rabbit, feral hog
- Manchac WMA: 8,328 acres; located in St. John the Baptist; game: deer, waterfowl, rabbit, snipe, rail (area map PDF)
- Lake Boeuf WMA: 800 acres; lies in Lafourche; open for deer, waterfowl (printable map)
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.
Sorrento open seasons, 2026-27
Louisiana sets deer dates by Deer Area, and Ascension Parish falls in Deer Area 9; each area has its own archery, primitive, still-hunt and dog segments. The 61 rows below come from the LDWF pamphlet.
| Game | Weapon or split | Area or zone | Opening | Closing | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Area 9 | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 15, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Area 9 | Oct 16, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth and veterans | Area 9 | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Primitive Firearms | Area 9 | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Still-hunt firearms | Area 9 | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Still-hunt firearms | Area 9 | Nov 23, 2026 | Nov 26, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Still-hunt firearms | Area 9 | Nov 27, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Still-hunt firearms | Area 9 | Nov 30, 2026 | Dec 11, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms, dogs allowed | Area 9 | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms, dogs allowed | Area 9 | Dec 14, 2026 | Dec 18, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms, dogs allowed | Area 9 | Dec 19, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms, dogs allowed | Area 9 | Dec 21, 2026 | Jan 24, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Primitive Firearms | Area 9 | Jan 25, 2027 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Challenged hunters | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Lottery permit hunt | Bear Area 1 | Dec 5, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Lottery permit hunt | Bear Area 7 | 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 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 | South zone | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Doves | Segment 2 | South zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Doves | Segment 3 | South zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 10, 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.
Ascension Parish and neighbouring rules from Sorrento
Rules are set per parish and per area, and land near Sorrento can sit across a parish line, so each parish with nearby public land gets a row.
| Parish | Area for deer | Bag (ant./antl.) | Turkey | Bear Area | Duck zone | Doves | CWD | Alligator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ascension Parish home parish | 9 | 6 (3/4) | Area C | 1,7 | East | South | – | G |
| Livingston Parish | 9,4 | 6 (3/4); 4 (2/2) | Area A | 7 | East | North/South | – | G |
| St. James Parish | 9 | 6 (3/4) | Closed | 1,7 | East | South | – | F |
| St. John the Baptist Parish | 9 | 6 (3/4) | Closed | 1,7 | East | South | – | H |
| Tangipahoa Parish | 4,9 | 4 (2/2); 6 (3/4) | Area A | 7 | East | North/South | – | G |
Ascension Parish falls in Deer Area 9 for private-land deer dates. (Deer Area 9; LDWF map.) The firearms still-hunt segment for Deer Area 9 is November 21 to December 11, 2026 and the season with or without dogs December 12 to January 24, 2027. Kids and veterans get October 31 to November 6 on private land in Deer Area 9. Per area, the season caps read Area 9: 6 deer, no more than 3 antlered or 4 antlerless. Ascension Parish is turkey country under Turkey Area C (Area C April 3 to April 18); youth and physically challenged hunters get March 26-28. Ascension Parish lies in Bear Area 1 and Bear Area 7 for the lottery bear hunt, December 5 to 20, 2026 (Area 1: 8 permits (5 landowner, 3 general); Area 7: 2 general permits). (Bear Area 1, Bear Area 7) For ducks, Ascension Parish sits in the East zone; the regular splits are East zone November 21 to December 6 and December 19 to January 31. The dove calendar for Ascension Parish reads South: September 5-20, October 17-November 29, December 12-January 10. Ascension Parish lies in Recreational Alligator Zone G.
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.
Sorrento deer processors, taxidermists and shops
These are the businesses Sorrento hunters lean on each season, by trade and then by distance. Donated deer from Sorrento can go to Porche's Sausage (10 mi), on the Hunters for the Hungry list. Fins To Feathers Taxidermy of Saint Amant, 1.9 mi out, heads the taxidermy list for Sorrento. Shells and blaze orange are sold at Ascension Arms in Saint Amant, 3.4 mi away. Deer processors with an address inside 35 miles of Sorrento: 8.
| Kind | Listings 15 mi | Listings 35 mi | Nearest business | Away | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer processing | 2 | 8 | Porche's Sausage | 10 mi N | French Settlement |
| Taxidermy studios | 3 | 6 | Fins To Feathers Taxidermy | 1.9 mi NE | Saint Amant |
| Gear shops | 6 | 32 | Ascension Arms | 3.4 mi NE | Saint Amant |
| Preserves and guides | 0 | 0 | Roux Ranch Gamebirds LLC | 35 mi NW | Grosse Tete |
Deer processing
Taxidermy studios
Gear shops
Preserves and guides
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.
Enforcement agents and LDWF staff near Sorrento
Nearest LDWF door for Sorrento: the LDWF Headquarters in Baton Rouge, roughly 22 miles away. The LDWF Hammond Field Office covers Ascension Parish for biologists and WMA staff. Enforcement Region 7 (Baton Rouge) covers Ascension Parish under Captain Will Roberts.
Baton Rouge LDWF office
Thibodaux: LDWF Enforcement Region 6 Office (Thibodaux)
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.
Events around Sorrento
Within about 30 miles, soonest first: 4 dates still ahead (DU banquet, hunter education course and hunter education field day). Checked November 3, 2026.
On the way
| Dates | Listing | Away | Venue or WMA | Button | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 12, 2026 | Thibodaux Ducks Unlimited Banquet · DU banquet | 27 | Warren J Harang Municipal Auditorium Thibodaux | Buy tickets | Source |
| Nov 16–17, 2026 | LDWF Hunter Education Course – Baton Rouge · hunter education course | 24 | Waddill Wildlife Refuge Baton Rouge | Register | Source |
| Nov 19, 2026 | LDWF Hunter Education Field Day – Baton Rouge · hunter education field day | 24 | Waddill Wildlife Refuge Baton Rouge | Register | Source |
| Feb 27, 2027 | Ultimate Allocated Bourbon and Boomsticks Raffle · DU banquet, Baton Rouge | 24 | South Stadium Club- Tiger Stadium, N. Stadium Dr Baton Rouge | Buy tickets | Source |
Sorrento: closest lines for a rifle zero
Nearest to Sorrento is Ascension Parish Sheriff's Range (5 miles), followed by two others.
Waddill Outdoor Education Center Ranges is the nearest LDWF range, roughly 23 miles out. Details
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked November 4, 2026.
What hunters take in Ascension Parish
The deer reports leave Ascension Parish out of their top-20 parish tables. LDWF's 2026 map shows 1 turkeys for Ascension Parish.
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.
Legal light, Sorrento
Deer, bear, turkey, squirrels, rabbits and other quadrupeds may be hunted from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; ducks, geese and doves stop at sunset.
| Date | Why it matters | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer window | Duck window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Area 9 archery opens | 6:56 a.m. | 6:50 p.m. | 6:26 a.m.–7:20 p.m. | 6:26 a.m.–6:50 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Area 9 gun opens | 6:34 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 6:04 a.m.–5:36 p.m. | 6:04 a.m.–5:06 p.m. |
| Dec 5, 2026 | Bear lottery hunt opens | 6:45 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 6:15 a.m.–5:34 p.m. | 6:15 a.m.–5:04 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Area 9 dog season | 6:50 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 6:20 a.m.–5:34 p.m. | 6:20 a.m.–5:04 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 6:56 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 6:26 a.m.–5:37 p.m. | 6:26 a.m.–5:07 p.m. |
| Apr 3, 2027 | Spring turkey opens | 6:52 a.m. | 7:23 p.m. | 6:22 a.m.–7:53 p.m. | 6:22 a.m.–7:23 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.
Sorrento hunters ask
Which public tract lies nearest the Sorrento town centre?
The table starts with Maurepas Swamp WMA, with the boundary less than a mile out of Sorrento. Behind it on the list: Joyce WMA, with the boundary 21 miles out of Sorrento.
Is Sorrento well placed for hunting WMAs and refuges?
Fairly: about 36,149 acres within 10 miles and about 117,101 within 25.
What is the deer season limit for Sorrento hunters?
Season limits: Area 9, 6 deer, no more than 3 antlered or 4 antlerless.
What is legal light on the Sorrento gun opener?
From 6:04 a.m. to 5:36 p.m., worked out for Sorrento.
What is the earliest entry time on a WMA near Sorrento?
4 a.m.
What is the gobbler limit near Sorrento?
Two gobblers a season.
What duck zone is Sorrento in?
The East zone.
What are the bear season dates near Sorrento?
December 5-20, 2026.
Must deer hunters near Sorrento wear hunter orange?
Yes. Anyone hunting during firearm deer seasons with buckshot, slugs, a primitive firearm or a centerfire gun shows 400 square inches of orange or blaze pink.
When must the tag go on a deer near Sorrento?
Before the deer is moved.
Where can a deer from near Sorrento be cut and wrapped?
Porche's Sausage in French Settlement, the closest listing at 10 mi.
Who leads the enforcement agents in Ascension Parish?
Will Roberts, the Region 7 captain.
Where else can I stay when hunting out of Sorrento?
Donaldsonville, Convent, Lutcher and Napoleonville, each with its own page.
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.
Sorrento pre-trip checks
For hunts out of Sorrento, the area schedule on each land page and the LDWF pamphlet settle any doubt.
Other photos on this page: Louisiana Sea Grant College Program Louisiana State University (CC BY 2.0); NatalieMaynor (CC BY 2.0); Justin Meissen (CC BY-SA 2.0); Dan O'Malley (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Trey Matula (CC BY 2.0); Nick Shields (CC BY 2.0); Jenni (CC BY-SA 2.0); Iryna Kuchma (CC BY 2.0).