Louisiana hunters can soon apply for black bear hunting licenses

BATON ROUGE, La. (KPLC) – The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will soon be accepting applications for the Louisiana Black Bear Hunting Lottery after a new state law established the black bear hunting season.

The lottery will open on Aug. 29 and run through Sept. 25, LDWF said.

The bear hunt will take place between Dec. 7 and Dec. 22 in northeast Louisiana in Tensas, Madison, East Carroll, and West Carroll Parishes. The hunt will also include portions of Richland, Franklin, and Catahoula parishes.

A total of 10 permits will be issued for the 2024 lottery. Bear harvest permits will consist of three types: Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Private Landowner, and General.

To apply for the 2024 lottery, visit the LDWF website. A non-refundable $50 application fee will be charged to each applicant. Possession of a valid black bear hunting license is required before applying for the WMA and general lotteries.

Only one application is allowed per applicant per lottery. For example, a person cannot apply more than once for the WMA Black Bear Lottery, but they can apply once each for the WMA lottery and once for the general Black Bear Lottery.

Successful applicants will be required to attend an LDWF bear hunter training course on either Nov. 2 or Nov. 14. LDWF encourages attending the Nov. 2 date if possible. Individuals who do not attend these courses may be disqualified or forfeit their bear hunting permit.

All applicants will be notified of their results by email. An applicant’s results can also be viewed HERE.

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