Tremendously rich hardwood forests some 54,000 acres in size make this NWR most popular with Bayou State deer hunters. Lottery gun hunts here admit 2,500 for for either-sex deer hunts offered during two separate weekends in late November and mid-December.

For more information, contact the Tensas River NWR, Route 2 Box 295, Tallulah, LA 71282; (318) 574-2664.

On state Highway 128 in Tensas Parish, 8,955-acre Buckhorn WMA delivered 93 whitetails to lottery deer hunters in 2004. For maps and more information, contact the LDWF office, P.O. Box 4004, Monroe, LA 71211; (318) 343-4044.

DISTRICT 5
Private lands in this district have historically been ranked in the moderate range for deer harvests, but recent hunting club management policies have deer numbers increasing in southwest Louisiana. West Bay WMA, in north central Allen Parish three miles west of Oakdale on Highway 10, has always been a popular WMA for the state's western pineywoods deer hunters.

During managed gun hunts in 2004, some 70 whitetails were taken in 1,412 efforts, or 20 hunting efforts per deer. Harvest here was down last year, but all of Louisiana's early hunting seasons produced poorer harvests statewide owing to above-average temperatures during the fall. Clearcuts with pine and hardwoods intermingled throughout should have this WMA all but crawling with deer in 2005. Managed hunts here are usually scheduled during late October and run through November and parts of December. For maps and more information regarding West Bay WMA, contact the LDWF District 4 office, 1213 North Lakeshore Drive, Lake Charles, LA 70601; (337) 491-2575.

TOP TROPHY AND RECOGNITION DEER PARISHES
Overall
Avoyelles
Bossier
Red River
Webster
Concordia
Gun
Avoyelles
Bossier
Red River
Webster
Natchitoches
Bow
East Carroll
Tensas
St. Mary
Concordia
West Feliciana
Muzzleloader
Avoyelles
West Feliciana

DISTRICT 6
Running through the Atchafalaya Basin in southern Louisiana, both Sherburne WMA and the adjacent Atchafalaya NWR are powerhouses in terms of delivering whitetails to public hunters every year. These parcels are in Pointe Coupee, St. Martin and Iberville parishes in south-central Louisiana. Together they consist of 42,000 acres open to public access in what has been termed "America's Greatest River Basin Swamp" -- the Atchafalaya Basin.

The gun seasons here usually begin the weekend after Thanksgiving, with a couple of other either-sex days in early December. A bucks-only season is usually scheduled in late December through the first week of January. Last season hunters harvested 15 whitetails here. According to LDWF wildlife manager Tony Vidrine, the usual 2 1/2-year-old deer harvested on these lands averaged 145 pounds or so. Harvested bucks a year older average about 175 pounds. Last season there was a 6-point restriction on harvested bucks on these lands. Plans are to remove such antler restriction for 2005-06.

Hunt food sources in October and November; hunt active scrapes during the later rutting period, usually observed here in December and January. In these locations little visited by the public, deer numbers can really be high. For more information regarding maps or any other concerns, contact the LDWF District 6 office, 105 Avenue of the Acadians, Opelousas, LA 70570; (337) 948-0255.

DISTRICT 7
Consisting of 2,944 acres in West Feliciana Parish, Tunica Hills WMA is very popular with primitive weapons hunters in the area. Last season, some 54 whitetails were taken. The managed either-sex muzzleloader hunt is traditionally scheduled for the weekend after Thanksgiving running into early December. Pearl River WMA, located six miles east of Slidell, totals some 34,896 acres; it gave up 19 deer in 2004. Managed hunts here begin the day after Thanksgiving, and you had better have a boat to access much of the huntable area at this WMA.

Hunting here can be tough. Dave Moreland says that this area has large numbers of deer, and feels very little hunting pressure. For more information on Tunica Hills WMA and/or Pearl River WMA, contact the LDWF, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000; (225) 765-2360.

And there you have it: some of the best locations for bettering your odds of scoring on a Bayou State whitetail during Louisiana's 2005-06 hunting season. Please consult the 2005-06 edition of the Louisiana Hunting and Wildlife Management Area Regulations pamphlet for more information regarding permits, maps and access points.

Next Month:
FINDING TROPHY BUCKS