New duck hunting zones will go into effect this year beginning Saturday, November 5.
According to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, the new boundaries were adopted last year for the 2016-17 hunting season.
The season opens Nov. 5 with youth waterfowl weekend in the coast and west zones.
Larry Reynolds, LDWF Waterfowl Program Manager said the zones expanded from two to three back in 2012.
“Now the boundaries of those zones are being modified to better fit the desires of rice growers and hunters in particular parts of the state.,” Reynolds said.
Zones can be changed every five years. These new boundaries will remain in effect through the 2020-21 waterfowl hunting seasons.
The map shows where hunters are now in new zones than before.
LDWF said the major changes include moving large areas where rice is grown in Evangeline, Jefferson Davis, Acadia, and Vermilion parishes from the Coastal Zone to the East Zone. Additionally, a portion of northwest Louisiana was moved from the East Zone to the West Zone.
The new boundaries are:
East Zone: The area of the state between the Mississippi state line and the line going south on Hwy. 79 from the Arkansas border to Homer; then south on Hwy. 9 to Arcadia; then south on Hwy. 147 to Hodge; then south on Hwy. 167 to Turkey Creek; then south on Hwy. 13 to Eunice; then west on Hwy.190 to Kinder; then south on Hwy. 165 to Iowa; then west on I-10 to its junction with Hwy. 14 at Lake Charles; then south and east on Hwy. 14 to its junction with Hwy. 90 in New Iberia; then east on Hwy. 90 to the Mississippi state line.
West Zone: The area between the Texas state line and the line going east on I-10 from the Texas border to Hwy. 165 at Iowa; then north on Hwy. 165 to Kinder; then east on Hwy. 190 to Eunice; then north on Hwy. 13 to Turkey Creek; then north on Hwy. 167 to Hodge; then north on Hwy. 147 to Arcadia; then north on Hwy. 9 to Homer; then north on Hwy. 79 to the Arkansas border.
Coastal Zone: Remainder of the state.
