The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is now accepting applications for eligible alligator hunters who will be selected through a lottery system.
Nearby areas offering tags include Salvador/Timken, Pointe Aux Chenes, Manchac and Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs).
Lottery alligator harvests were originally conducted on public lakes only. The lottery alligator harvest program began to incorporate WMAs in 2008 by providing the opportunity for 90 hunters to harvest 270 alligators on nine WMAs located in south Louisiana. The program has continued to expand and currently provides the opportunity for over 325 resident alligator hunters to harvest approximately 850 alligators on over 40 WMAs/public lakes located throughout the state.
Since the inception of the wild harvest program in 1972, over 850,000 wild alligators have been harvested
Applicants who chose the Salvador/Timken WMA in 2012 had an 18 percent chance of getting picked. Those who chose Pointe Aux Chenes had a success rate of 37 percent.
Alligators may be harvested by hook and line, bow and arrow and firearms (except shotguns). The possession of shotguns is prohibited while hunting or taking wild alligators and the hook and line method is the most common.
Interested participants may print out an application from LDWF’s website at www.wlf.louisiana.gov/hunting/lottery-hunts or request an application by phone at (337) 373-0032 or (225) 765-2346.
Applications and non-refundable application fees ($5) must be submitted to the address indicated on corresponding applications and be postmarked by July 5. Only one of the three available lottery alligator harvest applications (CNR Division WMA, Wildlife Division WMA or Wildlife Division Public Lakes) may be submitted per applicant. Additional applications will result in voiding all applications of the applicant.
The lottery alligator harvests will be conducted between Aug. 28 and Oct. 3. Exact harvest dates will vary by WMA/public lake and will be specified at the time selected hunters are notified. Selected hunters may be assigned specific areas to conduct alligator harvest activities on certain WMAs/public lakes.
Applicants must be a legal Louisiana resident and 16 years of age or older. All successful applicants will be required to purchase an alligator hunting license ($25). Successful applicants for WMAs will be required to submit payments ($40) for each alligator tag allocated.
All applicants meeting the application requirements will be entered into a randomized computer drawing, which will take place by August. Selected hunters will be notified by mail.
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