A local outdoors column Aug. 28 advised duck hunters about an imminent change on the horizon for the 2025-26 waterfowl hunting season in Louisiana.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, reacting to its lower teal numbers in the federal agency’s 2024 Waterfowl Population Status Report released Aug. 20, 2024, recommended a nine-day teal season with a six-bird daily bag limit this year for the Mississippi, Central and Atlantic flyways.

With the writing on the wall, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission met Jan. 7 and created a Notice of Intent to cut the special teal season from 16 days (as it has been for nearly two decades) to nine days with a six-bird daily limit this September. It was scheduled to be held Sept. 20-28.

Why the change? Blue-winged teal numbers in the traditionally surveyed waterfowl breeding grounds of North America dropped 12 percent this year from 2023 to 4.6 million. U.S. F&WS guidelines set in 2014 grant a 16-day early teal season in those three flyways when the estimated blue-winged teal population is above 4.7 million, a nine-day season when the estimate is between 3.3 and 4.7 million, and a closed season below 3.3 million.

The blue-winged teal count has dropped in each of the last three surveys from 6.485 million in 2022 to 5.25 million in 2023.

Louisiana duck hunters enjoy their special teal season every September. Interestingly, “production states” in the three flyways that choose not to have an early teal season are offered two “bonus teal” during the first nine days of the 2025-26 regular season.

There were other changes made at the LWFC meeting last week in Baton Rouge.

West Zone waterfowlers probably will be in favor of another big change. LWFC member Kevin Segura’s amendment calling for an extra early end to the duck season in the West Zone passed unanimously that Tuesday.

As a result, the first split will be Nov. 1-30 and the second split Dec. 13-Jan. 18.

That brings a quick end to the three-split season implemented for 2024-25 when some West Zone duck hunters joined forces to ask the commission to extend their duck season to the last day, Jan. 31, which is allowed in the federal framework.

There were other notable proposed changes directed at waterfowl hunting as well as big game hunting, small game hunting and quail hunting.

Adding two-day special weekends for Youth on Nov. 8-9 and honorably discharged veterans on Jan. 30-31 in the West Zone.
Adds three more deer hunting days on Attakapas Island WMA.
Removing a physically challenged hunter blind on Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area and another one on the Floy McElroy WMA (due to lack of usage) and establishing a similar hunter blind on the Sandy Hollow WMA.
Changing to a four per season limit of 2 antlered/2 antlerless deer in Area 4 where the limit was three for a season.
Moving to allow dogs only on LDWF WMA camping areas.
Opening the 2026 turkey seasons on Good Friday, adding an extra day to the seasons in all three turkey hunting areas.
Setting a 2 p.m. curfew on waterfowl hunting and a rule prohibiting mud boats and air-cooled watercraft and all other nighttime activities on the Biloxi Marsh WMA and a rule requiring all fishing on the WMA to be taken by rod and reel.
Opening U.S. 11 to all-hours access to the Pearl River WMA.
Also, the LWFC asked LDWF to create a survey to obtain mourning dove hunting date preferences. LDWF began emailing links to the survey on Jan. 13.

To view the full Notice of Intent, all regulations changes and proposed hunting season dates for the upcoming hunting seasons, go to https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/resources/category/commission-action-items.

Public comment will be accepted through 4 p.m. March 6. It also will be accepted at the LWFC monthly meeting now through March 6. Comments also can be submitted directly to Jeffrey Duguay, LDWF Wildlife Division, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA.  70898-9000, or call (225) 765-2353, or email jduguay@wlf.la.gov.