BOWHUNTER EDUCATION PROGRAM SET

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries along with local bow hunter instructors will be sponsoring a NBEF bow hunter education course. Bow hunters are required to have completed this course to hunt on federal lands such as Mandalay, or Tensas National Wildlife refuges. These will be the only two courses available in this area, so be there if you intend on hunting these areas. Also, if you want to become a knowledgeable bow hunter, this is the course for you. The course is free and open to the public. Items you will need to bring include: bow and arrows, bug repellant, rubber boots, rain gear and something to write with. NOTE: THESE TWO COURSES ARE SCATTERED IN SUCH A WAY, AS THE 7 & 7 WORKERS WILL CATCH ONE OF THESE COURSES. Courses are both at the Terrebonne Parish sheriff’s rifle range on savanna road in Houma. Dates are Aug. 12-13 from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Friday and 8 a.m. till noon on Saturday. The second course is set for September 16 &18, 6 p.m. till 10 p.m. on Friday and 8 a.m. till noon on Sunday.

WHITE LAKE WETLANDS CONSERVATION AREA TEAL SEASON LOTTERY ANNOUNCED

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is accepting applications for lottery teal hunts on the White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area. Available dates are Saturday, Sep. 17; Sunday, Sep. 18; Tuesday, Sep. 20; Thursday, Sep. 22; Saturday, Sep. 24; and Sunday, Sep. 25.

A total of two applications per hunter, each one for separate dates, will be accepted. Hunters will not be allowed to submit more than one application per hunting date or more than two applications for the season, or they will be disqualified.

Persons 18 years of age or older may now send applications, available on the LDWF Web site (www.wlf.louisiana.gov) and at LDWF headquarters and regional offices, to the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Attention: White Lake Teal Hunt, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898. Applications must be received by close of business on Aug. 17, 2005. A $5 administration fee in the form of a check or money order made payable to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries must accompany each application. Applications without a correct driver’s license number will not be processed.

Successful applicants will be allowed to bring no more than one guest. All hunters must have appropriate licenses, including a basic hunting license (or Louisiana Sportsman’s Paradise license), migratory waterfowl conservation license, federal duck stamp, and HIP permit.

Successful applicants will be notified and required to submit an additional check or money order for $200. In the event that a hunter is unable to participate on the date selected, he or she may transfer his or her permit to a qualified hunter of his or her choice, as long as the total number of hunts does not exceed two for the 2005 teal season. Transfers must be in writing and presented to the Hunt Coordinator on the morning of the hunt. Questions regarding the White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area lottery teal hunt should be directed to Wayne Sweeney at 337-526-9900.

LOUISIANA FALL SHRIMP SEASON OPENS IN ZONES 1, 3 AND REMAINING PORTION OF ZONE 2

The fall inshore shrimp season will open in Shrimp Management Zone 1, 3 and the remaining portion of Zone 2 currently closed to shrimping at official sunrise Monday, Aug. 15, 2005. The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission approved season dates at its Aug. 4 meeting, based upon recommendations presented by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Marine Fisheries Division staff.

The closing date set by the commission for these waters is official sunset Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2005 except for the open waters of Breton and Chandeleur Sounds as described by the double-rig line (LA R.S.56:495.1(A)2) which will remain open until 6 a.m. March 31, 2006.

Zone 1 includes Louisiana waters from the Mississippi-Louisiana state line to the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi River. Zone 3 extends from the western shore of Vermilion Bay and Southwest Pass at Marsh Island to the Louisiana-Texas state line. The remaining portion of Zone 2 which will be opened to shrimping includes those waters from the Atchafalya River Ship Channel at Eugene Island as delineated by the Channel red buoy line to the western shore of Vermilion Bay and Southwest Pass at Marsh Island.

Acting on authority provided to LDWF Secretary Dwight Landreneau at the July 7 commission meeting, Secretary Landreneau opened a portion of Zone 2 from the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi River to the Atchafalya River Ship Channel at Eugene Island as delineated by the Channel red buoy line on Aug. 1, 2005 at official sunrise. These waters will also close to shrimping at official sunset Dec. 20, 2005.

The commission also authorized Secretary Landreneau to change the closing dates of the 2005 fall shrimp season if biological and technical data indicate a need to do so or if enforcement problems develop and to close and reopen all or parts of state inside and outside waters if significant numbers of small white shrimp are found in these waters.

According to LDWF trip ticket report data, Louisiana commercial white shrimp landings in 2004 totaled approximately 73.5 million pounds (heads-on weight), the second highest white shrimp landings year on record, and were valued at $96.2 million.