Louisiana hunters will have a brand-new opportunity this fall as the state introduces its first-ever special Black-bellied Whistling Duck season. The experimental season will run October 3-11, 2026, and will require hunters to obtain a free Black-bellied Whistling Duck permit from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries before hunting. The daily bag limit will be four birds, with a possession limit of 12 birds. Shooting hours will be sunrise to sunset.

The special season is being offered in addition to Louisiana’s regular waterfowl season and is designed to give hunters the opportunity to target the rapidly expanding population of black-bellied whistling ducks, which have become increasingly common across the state over the past two decades. Wildlife officials say the species has grown enough to support a dedicated hunting season while continuing to monitor its population.

LDWF says the special season will be offered on an experimental basis for four years while biologists collect harvest and population data to evaluate the season’s long-term success