Make Sure You Know The Facts Before Taking Your Youth Hunting In Louisiana

We are in the midst of hunting season and many folks are excited to get out and make their first hunt.

This has brought the conversation to my house of getting our 15 year-old his hunting license. I had questions about the laws regarding in doing that and how to go about getting it taken care of.

I wanted to know what the age requirements are and what his regulations are beings he is under the age of 18. So I got on the Google machine to find the answers.

According to the Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries website, there's some things you need to make sure you are aware of before sending your young ones off for their first hunt.

Youth Hunting License in Louisiana

• All youth (age 17 and younger)
• Active harvesting of deer or turkey
• Participating in a lottery hunt
• Trapping

Basic Hunting License in Louisiana

• Residents and nonresident hunters
• 18 years or older
• to hunt, take, possess or transport any wild birds or quadrupeds

Additional Special Licenses in Louisiana

• Required to hunt, take, possess, or transport deer, turkey, or migratory waterfowl

Who isn't required to have a hunting license in Louisiana?

*Youth that are not actively hunting
*Resident and non resident youth hunting games animals besides deer or turkey
*Residents born before June 1, 1940 who have lived in Louisiana for 6 months

In a nutshell, the LDWF website says,

No person born on or after September 1, 1969, shall hunt unsupervised unless that person has been issued a certificate of satisfactory completion of a Hunter Education course approved by LDWF.

If you are a senior citizen, military, student, or someone with a disability, licenses are available at a special rate. You can also purchase a lifetime license.

The one thing you want to always remember before heading out for a hunt with anyone considered youth age is to have proof of their age on them at all times.

One more good idea is, if your child is in high school, check with their school and see if a course is offered that will allow them to get their license after passing.

You can find answers to all of your questions on the LDWF website including purchasing your license, renewing your license, and links to hunter safety courses in your area.