Elbow Slough WMA Opening Weekend Dove Hunting Restricted to Lottery Winners Only

Sept. 3, 2013 -- The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is reminding the public of changes to dove hunting on Elbow Slough Wildlife Management Area for the opening weekend of dove season, Sept. 7-8.
 
To better manage the hunter numbers seen on opening weekend in previous years, and prevent hunters from being turned away due to limited dove field space, a lottery drawing process was established.
 
The lottery dove hunt access to Elbow Slough WMA in Rapides Parish will provide 80 hunters the opportunity to hunt this Saturday and Sunday.
 
As with all WMA lottery hunts, applications for the Elbow Slough WMA opening weekend lottery dove hunts were made available on the LDWF website well in advance of dove season.  Applicants were given the choice of the traditional afternoon hunt on opening day or a morning hunt on the second day.  The deadline for applications to be submitted was Aug. 9. A drawing was then held, and 40 hunters were selected to participate each day.
 
Only those selected through the lottery drawing will be allowed to attend the dove hunts at Elbow Slough WMA on opening weekend. For safety reasons, guests or other observers will not be allowed.  While this does limit the number of hunters that can be accommodated, it will alleviate the significant overcrowding problems that were resulting in hunters waiting all day for an opening on the field, and at times not having an opportunity to hunt at all on opening day.
 
Starting on Wednesday Sept. 11, Elbow Slough WMA will be open to all dove hunters, and will remain open for dove hunting by anyone on Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesdays ONLY, through Sunday, Sept. 22.  Elbow Slough WMA will again be open to anyone for dove hunting on Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesdays ONLY, Oct. 12 through Nov. 10.  Dove hunters are reminded that steel shot is required for all hunting on Elbow Slough.
 
For more information about public dove hunting opportunities, go to http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/hunting/dove or contact Jeff Johnson at (318) 371-3050 or jjohnson@wlf.la.gov .