Tagged: hunting

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says high water is closing most hunting seasons in the Pearl River Wildlife Management Area. They'll close Friday, with only the waterfowl season remaining open.

It says the season will remain closed until the Pearl River drops below 16.5 feet at the St. Tammany Parish town of Pearl River.

The gate at Old U.S. Highway 11, a primary access point to the wildlife management area, will remain closed until the water recedes and all roads and bridges are determined safe for vehicle passage.

Hurricane Isaac killed so many fawns in parts of southeast Louisiana that Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission is limiting the deer season in Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes and the Lake Maurepas Basin.

The archery season remains the same, but others are shortened and limited to bucks.

Dates also were changed in several wildlife management areas.

In Plaquemines Parish, biologists report high fawn mortality, moderate adult deer mortality and severe damage to habitat from salt water shock and storm surge debris.

Alligator hunters are now free to pursue their quarry across the state, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

The 2012 Wild Alligator Harvest Season opened in the state's West Zone today, following the East Zone opening this past Saturday. However, due to the impact of Hurricane Isaac, hunters in some areas may have to wait until floodwaters recede and power is restored, the state said.

Alligator hunters are advised to verify their buyers have opened before actually taking any alligators, and to use extreme caution when hunting in flooded areas.

Tropical Storm Isaac is pushing back the alligator season in southeast Louisiana.

The 30-day season had been scheduled to open Wednesday in the east zone — 13 southeastern parishes and parts of eight others.

But with Isaac expected to make landfall as a hurricane on Tuesday in southeast Louisiana, the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries rescheduled that opening to Saturday.

It says alligator season is still scheduled to open Sept. 5 in the rest of Louisiana, though that could change, depending on storm damage and how the East Zone harvest is going.