Special Black-Bellied Whistling Duck Season Set for Louisiana Oct. 3-11, LDWF Announces

Baton Rouge, Jun 08, 2026 - This October, Louisiana waterfowl hunters will be able to enjoy a special nine day black-bellied whistling duck season, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced. The state-wide season will run from Oct. 3-11 in 2026.

This experimental season was approved following justification outlined in a proposal submitted to, and supported by, the Mississippi Flyway Council, and the USFWS Service Regulations Committee.

“We felt that with the growing abundance of the species in the state, it is appropriate to provide a special season to our hunters.’’ LDWF Secretary Tyler Bosworth said. “It’s a chance for our state’s duck hunters to enjoy additional opportunity during a time between the September teal season and regular duck season, which opens in November. We’re very pleased to provide this opportunity to our hunters and thank the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their approval.”

One major difference to note from other duck seasons is that shooting hours will be sunrise to sunset. The daily bag limit for the experimental season will be four ducks with a possession limit of twelve. All hunters participating in the season are required to obtain a free black-bellied whistling duck hunting permit from LDWF with the additional requirement of reporting their effort and harvest within 15 days of the black-bellied whistling duck season closure.

All license requirements normally required for hunting waterfowl apply to this season as well including Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration and the federal duck stamp. Before hunting the species in October, hunters should familiarize themselves with species identification as only black-bellied whistling duck harvest will be legal during this time.

For more information, contact LDWF Waterfowl Program Manager Jason Olszak at jolszak@wlf.la.gov.