Louisiana Deer News
 EHD: Specialists Discuss ... Deer Disease March 18, 2013 AgFax.com ... EHD is the most common infectious disease of white-tailed deer, with outbreaks occurring almost every year in the Southeast. The disease is caused by either of two closely related viruses – EHD virus or bluetongue virus ... “We assume 100 percent of our adult herd was exposed, and we lost only 20 percent,” Sanders said... Louisiana hunters on Thursday get first chance to comment on deer-regulation changes March 4, 2013 NOLA.com ... The Department of Wildlife & Fisheries would like to see hunters across much of the state limited to hunting whitetail does only on select days during the deer season... according to Scott Durham, deer study leader for Wildlife & Fisheries. ... Written and emailed reaction to the proposals has already been flooding in ... North Louisiana lawmaker drafts bill to regulate deer meat in shelters February 27, 2013 WBXH ... State Representative Jeff Thompson of North Louisiana is working on a bill to make sure deer meat can get proper inspection and labeling so shelters can serve it... you could not donate deer or other wild game. You would just have to have it professionally processed and packaged before a shelter can accept it. Louisiana Forces Homeless Shelter To Destroy $8,000 Worth Of Deer Meat February 25, 2013 CBS Local ... “Although the meat was processed at a slaughterhouse (Bellevue) that is permitted by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture to prepare and commercially distribute meat obtained from approved farms, deer are not an approved meat source to be distributed commercially,” the department said on its Facebook page... The department says it is now working with hunters in ways to donate extra game to homeless shelters. LDWF investigates illegal harvest of deer near casino construction site February 23, 2013 Louisiana, KPLC-TV A recent picture of a large deer near L'auberge du Lac Casino and Resort is the subject of an investigation by The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries ... A construction worker from the casino site killed the buck with a bow at close range... Wildlife officials said they recovered the antlers and meat of the animal, and the bow used to kill it... Louisiana wildlife proposals include changes to deer seasons ... February 22, 2013 Alexandria Town Talk ... Thistlethwaite WMA: proposed 10-year Experimental Quality Deer Management Season to include ending current experimental season and adopting new experimental season with altered season structure ... Public comment will be accepted at LWFC monthly meetings from March through May and/or can be submitted in writing by mail to: Steve Smith, LDWF Wildlife Division, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000, or via email to ssmith@wlf.la.gov until 4:30 p.m., May 2, 2013... LDWF Amendments to Deer Management Assistance Program Presented to Commission February 8, 2013 Louisiana, KATC Lafayette News ... To view the full notice of intent, please visit http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/action-items. Public comment will be accepted at LWFC monthly meetings through April 2013 or can be submitted to Scott Durham, LDWF Wildlife Division, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000, until April 4, 2013. Wildlife & Fisheries proposes big changes to Louisiana deer hunting February 7, 2013 Louisiana, NOLA.com Overall hunter success has been down in Louisiana, and that has spawned a drive by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to reduce opportunities for deer harvest in many parts of the state ... "We're at an unprecedented time in our whitetail deer history," [Wildlife Staffer] Durham told the commission. "We've got a decline in the reported harvest, and that's both environmental and man-influenced... Deer seasons on agenda, shortened seasons coming February 3, 2013 Louisiana, TheAdvocate.com Wildlife and Fisheries’ Wildlife Division chief Kenny Ribbeck ...said he was certain that there will be a continued shortened season in portions of State Deer Area 6 ... These abbreviated seasons will take in parts of seven parishes surrounding Lake Maurepas and will mimic the biologists recommended shortened seasons approved by the commission last October in the wake of Hurricane Isaac. LDWF teams estimated as much as 90-percent fawn mortality in this area after the storm pushed then held, flood waters over low-lying lands around Lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas... Many hunters missed David Moreland's deer season predictions, timing of the rut January 7, 2013 Louisiana, The Republic ... David Moreland's ... the now retired State Wildlife Division chief and State Deer Study leader ... fawns in the southwest, central and northwestern parishes were born much earlier, maybe as much as two months earlier, than fawns in eastern, southeastern and south-central parishes....His explanation made sense: Deer were breeding later so that their fawns would have a better chance to survive in areas where there was annual late spring-summer flooding... Seven Cited in Louisiana for Deer Violations December 14, 2012 Deer & Deer Hunting Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents cited seven men for deer hunting violations on Avoca Island in St. Mary Parish ... for hunting deer with an unplugged shotgun and possession of an untagged deer ... Deer sightings down? This could be why December 6, 2012 Louisiana, NOLA.com ... Scott Durham, deer study leader for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, said the long-promised impacts from feral hogs are starting to be realized. "I'm convinced that wild hogs are reducing the deer-carrying capacity of lands across the state," he said. "They're incredibly adaptable, and they are beating up the deer... Deer biologist: Mast crop not so bad December 5, 2012 Louisiana, NOLA.com Last year's mast crop was among the best most hunters have seen in their lifetimes, and that definitely aided the state's deer herd, according to Scott Durham, deer study leader for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries... "The white oaks were way off, but the red oaks looked pretty good -- better than average," ... U.S. Forest Service withdraws ban on deer dog hunting on Kisatchie lands December 3, 2012 Louisiana, Monroe News Star ... withdrew its ban of hunting deer with dogs on the federal forest lands of Kisatchie National Park in Louisiana ... U.S. Judge Dee Drell was to rule today on if the ban should be temporarily halted ... Father and Son Arrested for Deer Hunting Violations in Louisiana November 28, 2012 OutdoorHub ... Agents arrested Gregory S. Gautreaux, 44, of Turkey Creek, and his son Gregory R. Gautreaux, 21, also of Turkey Creek and booked them into the Avoyelles Parish Jail. Gregory S. Gautreaux was cited for selling deer meat, possession of an illegally taken deer, failing to comply with deer tagging regulations, hunting without resident hunting or big game licenses, careless operation of a vehicle and driving under a suspended license. Disease spreads among Louisiana deer population, EHD November 26, 2012 LSU The Reveille ... a decrease in deer available for hunting due to an outbreak of a new strain of hemorrhagic disease in some herds, according to Lane Foil, Pennington Chair for Wildlife Research ...Native deer have an “inherent resistance” to the normal two strains of the virus ... [State Wildlife Veterinarian Jim LaCour] compared the disease to West Nile virus in humans. While the virus kills some people, some survive and develop antibodies. Hurricane Isaac, disease a one-two punch for Louisiana deer November 22, 2012 Louisiana, NOLA.com .... Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes, and the Lake Maurepas region, saw major deer fatalities during Hurricane Isaac, especially involving baby deer ...Dr. Jim LaCour, state wildlife veterinarian ... coupled with the introduction of a new strain of the hemorrhagic disease, a major killer of white-tailed deer in the Southeast, has served up a one-two punch to the local deer population... Deer hunting with dogs at Kisatchie prohibited ... November 10, 2012 Louisiana, Seattle Post Intelligencer The decision is a federal action and overrules the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission which previously approved deer season dates that included nine days in December such activity... Louisiana: Research Focuses On Hemorrhagic Disease In Deer November 9, 2012 Agfax.com An apparent increase in cases of hemorrhagic disease among deer in the Florida parishes of Louisiana has caused concern among hunters and wildlife experts... “As far as we know, the primary method of transmission is insects – in particular the biting midge Culicoides sonorensis,” Foil said. The virus has to reproduce in the midge before it can be transmitted to another animal. The insect bites infected animals and takes in the virus, which replicates in the midge, which can take about a week. Then the midge bites another animal and transmits the virus... | Search for news and information by keyword above or find links to state news stories organized by topic. Louisiana Data: State wildlife officials estimate 500,000 to 750,000 deer in the state in 2011 Other useful links: - Deer Management Assistance Program - 2012-2013 Louisiana Hunting Regulations - Louisiana Wildlife Action Plan - Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality - Louisiana Department of Natural Resources Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Mission Statement: "To manage, conserve, and promote wise utilization of Louisiana's renewable fish and wildlife resources and their supporting habitats through replenishment, protection, enhancement, research, development, and education for the social and economic benefit of current and future generations; to provide opportunities for knowledge of and use and enjoyment of these resources; and to promote a safe and healthy environment for the users of the resources." From About About LDWF and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheriries Strategic Plan Deer Management Objectives: Each WMA (Wildlife Management Area in the state) has a federal-aid management plan developed by Region biologists and deer are important features of most of these plans. Managed deer hunts are held each year to allow the harvest of surplus deer and prevent habitat damage resulting from overbrowsing. Biological data collected from harvested deer provide a basis for assessment of population health. Seasons are generally shorter on public lands than on private lands because WMAs receive higher hunter use over a shorter period of time than private lands. The Forestry Section of the Wildlife Division has developed a forest management plan for each WMA to insure proper management of the forested habitat. These plans in combination with deer browse surveys are used to assess current and predict future deer habitat conditions. The LDWF also provides assistance to both the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with deer management on their lands. These agencies have different goals and objectives for their lands, but they also conduct managed deer hunts and collect some physical data from harvested deer. These data are submitted to the Deer Program personnel for review. Region and Program biologists conduct habitat surveys on both the Kisatchie National Forest and various federal refuges. Recommendations are made to these two agencies concerning deer habitat, hunting season dates, etc. on an annual basis. Range and herd evaluations also are done on private lands that are not enrolled in DMAP. The same general activities are conducted on these properties except those evaluations and deer harvest reports may not contain as much detail as the DMAP reports. |
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