Duck Hunting in Louisiana

Duck Hunting 101 with Tips from Duck Dynasty’s Willie Robertson.

Duck hunting in Louisiana

Duck Hunting in Louisiana.

When the fall colors creep over the Louisiana landscape, it signals the time for hunters to visit Louisiana’s outdoors—perfect for hunting duck, waterfowl and more.  Louisiana is famous for hunting, so much so, there are reality TV shows like Duck Dynasty and Swamp People that showcase the culture of hunting in Louisiana. We’ve gathered some tips and must know facts about duck hunting in Louisiana. And we’ve teamed up with Willie Robertson from A&E’s Duck Dynasty to give you some insider tips on the best places to hunt.

Best Louisiana Locations for Duck Hunting

Some of the best discussions over a beer stem from this question- where’s the best place to duck hunt? 

According to Willie Robertson, “Northeast Louisiana is where I grew up hunting and here it’s just awesome with all the things we have (wildlife) all the way to the Mississippi River. Down south there’s definitely a great abundance of waterfowl with all the coastal areas.” 

Ducks Unlimited reports, “Louisiana wetlands areas support upwards of 9 million migrating and wintering ducks on average.”  For some of the state’s best southern duck hunting (or Coastal Zone, as the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries have named it), Ducks Unlimited recommends hunting the Chenier Plain in Southwest Louisiana. The Sabine and Lacassine National Wildlife Refuges offer abundant public hunting opportunities. Shreveport and the Red River area are known for great hunting in the western areas of Louisiana.  And thanks to the Robertson family and nearby wildlife refuges, the Monroe area is one of the more popular eastern hunting areas.    

View hunting maps and regulations.

Guided Duck Hunting

Guided hunts are a perfect way to go if you only have a short weekend or you aren’t completely knowledgeable of the Louisiana backcountry. Even Duck Dynasty’s Robertson will admit that duck hunting is a little different in Louisiana. “Waterfowl is a little tougher. Louisiana is the last state that ducks get to. They’ve been shot at all the way from Canada on down, so they definitely get smarter by the time they get down here. If you get them in Louisiana you’re a pretty good hunter, because they’ve pretty much seen it all as they make their great migration south,” says Robertson. 

Contact guides like Calcasieu Charter Service or Louisiana Outfitters in Lake Charles.  Many guides offer hunting packages with competitive pricing to give you the best shot at bagging your limit and having an awesome Louisiana hunting trip.

Things to Know Before You Go

Duck hunting season lasts from September to January. Always refer to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for the most up to date information and the current hunting seasons.  They will also have detailed maps, and the current documentation and licenses needed. 

Culturally, Louisianians have lived off the land for centuries, a point that is affirmed in Robertson’s closing thoughts. “Si (Robertson’s uncle) grew up in Northwestern Louisiana, just north of Shreveport on the Red River, and it was instilled in him early that he had basically everything he wanted to hunt and go after right there. And that creates a real culture, or a subculture even, (to hunt) what you have in your area. There’s so much camaraderie amongst the hunters.”