Turkey Regulations
License Requirements
Basic Hunting and Wild Turkey License (or equivalent combination license), and Turkey Tags are required of all persons 18 and older hunting turkey. Youth Hunting License and Turkey Tags are required of all persons 17 or younger hunting turkey. See License Information for exceptions and exemptions.
Definitions
- Baiting: Placing, exposing, depositing or scattering of corn (shelled, shucked or unshucked), wheat or other grain, salt or other feed so as to constitute a lure, attraction or enticement to, on or over any areas where hunters are attempting to take turkeys.
- Baited Area: Any area where corn (shelled, shucked or unshucked), wheat or other grain, salt or other feed capable of luring, attracting or enticing turkeys is directly or indirectly placed, exposed, deposited, distributed or scattered. Such areas remain baited areas for 15 days following complete removal of all such corn, wheat or other grain, salt or other feed. Wildlife agents are authorized to close such baited areas and to place signs in the immediate vicinity designating closed zones and dates of closures.
Prohibited Activities
- Take of hens (including bearded hens).
- Use of dogs, baiting, electronic calling devices and live decoys.
- Use of motorized decoys.
- Take of turkey from a moving or stationary vehicle.
- Shotguns capable of holding more than three shells.
- Hunting, trapping or taking of turkey by the aid of baiting or on or over a baited area (See above definition of baiting).
- Hunting turkey within 200 yards of a baited area (See above definition of baited area).
- Take of live wild turkeys or their eggs from the wild.
- Possession of captive live wild turkeys or their eggs, regardless of origin, without a valid game breeder license.
Daily Limit
One gobbler (male turkey) per day.
Season Limit
Two gobblers (male turkey) per season.
Legal Gear
- Shotguns, including muzzleloading shotguns, using shot not larger than #2 lead, #2 non-toxic, or BB steel shot, and being no larger than 10 gauge.
- Traditional bow, compound bow, and crossbow, or any bow drawn, held or released by mechanical means.
Youth Season
Restricted to youths 17 or younger. Youths must possess a hunter safety certification or proof of successful completion of a hunter safety course. Youths must possess a valid, original Youth License. Youths must be accompanied by one adult 18 years of age or older. If the accompanying adult is in possession of hunter safety certification, a valid hunting license or proof of successful completion of a hunter safety course, this requirement is waived for youths younger than 16 years of age. Adults may not possess a firearm. Youths may possess only one legal firearm while hunting. The supervising adult shall maintain visual and voice contact with the youth at all times, EXCEPT youths 12 years old or older who have successfully completed a hunter safety course may hunt without a supervising adult.
Prior to hunting turkey, all turkey hunters, regardless of age or license status, must obtain either carcass or electronic turkey tags for the current season. Tags must be in possession when hunting turkey. Turkey tags may only be used by the hunter to whom the tag was issued. Hunters who allow their turkey tags to be used by another person, or who use tags issued to another person, are in violation of this Rule and are subject to fines and other administrative penalties, including, but not limited to, the automatic forfeiture of any remaining turkey tags for the season for which they are issued.
Process for Tagging Turkey
- Immediately upon harvesting a turkey, the hunter must tag the turkey with the appropriate carcass or electronic tag before it is moved from the kill site.
- The hunter must record the date of kill on the corresponding tag number on the harvest report card portion of the turkey tag license or report this information electronically.
- The hunter must record the date and parish of kill on the carcass tag or report this information electronically.
- The tag must remain attached to the turkey while kept at camp, or while it is transported to the domicile of the hunter or to a cold storage facility. Hunters who keep the carcass or meat at camp must also comply with the resident game possession tag regulations (see Possession Tags on Resident Game Possession Tag).
- Within 72 hours the hunter must validate the harvest. Hunters may validate turkey by utilizing text-to-tag, tagging through the LDWF web portal or by calling the validation toll free number, 225-267-9998 or using the validation website: www.LouisianaOutdoors.com.
TURKEY TAGGING PROCEDURE FOR LICENSES PURCHASED VIA INTERNET/Mobile Device
Hunters purchasing licenses online at www.wlf.la.gov/page/hunting-licenses-permits-tags can print an E-License using a personal printer for immediate use, and/or have the option to email or save the licenses purchased to an electronic device which is kept in possession while hunting. Turkey tags will need to be electronic or printed and in possession while hunting turkey.
REPLACEMENT OF LOST TAGS
Duplicate tags are available to replace lost tags. Tags can be reprinted online at www.wlf.la.gov/page/hunting-licenses-permits-tags at no cost. If duplicate tags are applied for at the retail location, there is a $2 charge to the hunter. Hunters that have harvested a turkey tag prior to losing their remaining tags, must remove and discard the duplicate tags to account for the original tags that have been used and validated. Hunters must record these validated tags on the duplicate turkey tag license.
Any part of a wild turkey that is divided shall have affixed thereto the name, date, address and LDWF number of the person who harvested the turkey. This information shall be legibly written in pen or pencil on any piece of paper or cardboard or any material which is attached or secured to or enclosing the part or parts. (Resident Game Possession Tags are provided on Resident Game Possession Tag and may be used for such purposes).
Sex Identification
Positive evidence of sex identification, including the head or intact leg shall remain on any turkey taken, so long as such turkey is kept in camp or field, or is in route to the domicile of its possessor, or until such turkey has been stored at the domicile of its possessor or divided at a cold storage facility and has thus become identifiable as food rather than as wild game.
