Louisiana to Expand Bear Hunting to Southernmost Part of State, Double Permit Numbers
Posted March 24, 2025 by
The expansion comes just one year after the bear season was reinstated
Louisiana hunters will have more opportunity to pursue black bears during the 2025 season. Photo by Matt Cuda.
Just one year after it’s first season in decades, Louisiana is expanding black bear hunting by more than doubling the number of hunters allowed to participate and more than tripling the number of parishes where hunters can take bears.
According to nola.com, Wildlife and Fisheries Commission members approved a notice to increase the number of bear tags from 11 to 26 for the 2025 season and to allow bear hunting in a large portion of the southernmost part of the state.
In 2024, Louisiana reinstated the controversial black bear season, allowing 11 residents to hunt the previously endangered species for the first time in 35 years. The hunters killed 10 bears, including a possible state record that weighed 700 pounds.
This past year, hunters were only allowed in Bear Area 4, which covered Tensas, Madison, East Carroll and West Carroll parishes, as well as portions of Richland, Franklin and Catahoula parishes. This year, hunts would be expanded to include bear areas 1 and 2, which include West Feliciana, Pointe Coupee, West Baton Rouge, St. Martin, Acadia, Lafayette, Cameron, Vermilion, Iberia, St. Mary, Assumption, Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes, along with parts of Jefferson Davis, Calcasieu, Iberville, Ascension, St. James, St. John the Baptiste, Orleans, Jefferson, St. Charles and Plaquemines parishes.
Changes allow eight permits to be issued in Bear Area 1, three permits in Bear Area 2, and 15 permits — including one permit issued by LDWF Secretary Madison Sheahan — in Bear Area 4, according to LDWF.
The 2025 bear hunting season will last Dec. 6 through 21, and the lottery for hunting permits is expected to be open around the end of summer.
Residents can submit written comment on the changes to LDWF through May 1.
In the 1980s, Louisiana black bear hunts were halted after species numbers declined. In 1992, the bear was given protected status and listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Since then, conservation efforts have been successful, and the bear was removed from the endangered list in 2016. This past year, the wildlife department estimated that there were about 1,500 Louisiana black bears in the state.
