Despite warm temps, first split of coastal zone hailed as success

Thomas Hymel and Brody Vial with a blue wing teal and gray duck killed in the Lake Salvador Management Area.

Despite warmer than usual conditions, duck hunters in the Lake Salvador Management Area were successful during the first split of the season.

George Garcia, the harbor master at Pier 90 in Luling, said most hunters killed their limits regardless of the conditions.

"This past weekend the temperatures were in the 60s and 70s and hunters still killed their limits or close to it," he said.

Cameron Fremen hunted with Derek Cantrelle and Matt Leblanc on a very warm Saturday morning, still the trio managed to kill three blue wing teal, four green wing teal and a gray duck.

"I guess we had an alright hunt," Fremen said.

But the warm weather did make it more difficult for some hunters.

"We were in the wrong place and not set up right. We only managed to kill two ducks this morning," Paul Hymel said.

Due to the creation of the coastal zone, which includes the Lake Salvador Management Area, the old east and west zones have been meandered into new positions. According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries website, the new vertical border between the old zones starts at the Arkansas border, running down through Bossier Parish to Shreveport, then making a 70-degree easterly turn to merge, southbound, with Louisiana Highway 167. The boundary then runs down through Alexandria to Evangeline Parish, where all three zones are juxtaposed.

The coastal zone’s northern-most reach is in central Evangeline Parish at the three-zone meeting point. Anything south of Highway 90 to the east is designated as being within the coastal zone.

All parishes directly west of Lafayette are now designated as being within the coastal zone as well.

The second split of the season will open for the east zone and coastal zone on Dec. 15. The east zone will close on Jan. 27, while the coastal zone will close on Jan. 20. The west zone opens on Dec. 22 and will close on Jan. 20.

 

Louisiana Sportsman writer Anthony Taylor contributed to this report.