Atchafalaya Delta WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
Atchafalaya Delta WMA is 137,695 acres of public hunting land in St. Mary and Terrebonne parishes, owned by the State of Louisiana, run from LDWF's Lafayette office. Its 2026-27 schedule sets 2 kinds of deer hunt: archery and youth shotgun, with archery Oct. 1-Jan. 31 (either-sex). Turkey season is closed on the area.
Data updated October 2026. Seasons and rules: LDWF's 2026-27 individual WMA schedule for the area. Boundary and acres: LDWF's WMA layer.
Atchafalaya Delta WMAOther LDWF WMAsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 137,695 acres (LDWF's legal acres) |
|---|---|
| Parish | St. Mary, Terrebonne |
| Owner | State of Louisiana |
| Established | 1978 |
| Deer hunts | Archery and youth shotgun |
| Archery deer | Oct. 1-Jan. 31 (either-sex) |
| Dogs for deer | No dog deer season on the schedule |
| Turkey | Closed |
| LDWF contact | tcrouch@wlf.la.gov or 337-735-8667 |
| Nearest towns | Patterson (11 mi), Berwick (15 mi) and Morgan City (16 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 deer hunts on Atchafalaya Delta WMA?
| Hunt | Deer | Dates and rules, 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|
| Deer Archery | Either-sex | Oct. 1-Jan. 31 on Main Delta only; no deer hunting on Wax Lake Delta. |
| Deer Youth Shotgun and Archery | Either-sex; shotgun with buckshot only | Oct. 3-4 & 10-11 on Main Delta only; no deer hunting on Wax Lake Delta. |
Source: LDWF 2026-27 individual WMA hunting schedules, A to K (eRegulations edition), read October 2026. On WMAs, deer seasons are for legal antlered deer unless a hunt says either-sex. LDWF's schedule is the final word.
What else can you hunt on Atchafalaya Delta WMA, and when?
| Game | 2026-27 season on the area |
|---|---|
| Small Game | Same as outside except Rabbit Only: Wax Lake Delta: Oct. 3-31 and Feb. 1-28, with or without beagles. Nov. 1-Jan. 31 without beagles only. Main Delta: Feb. 1-28, with or without beagles. Closed October through January. |
| Waterfowl | Same as outside, except shooting hours shall be 1/2 hour before sunrise to 12 noon during opening weekends of teal and duck season and 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset the remainder of the season, and except shooting hours are the same as outside for the Youth Hunt weekend. |
| Feral Hogs | May be taken by properly licensed hunters Oct. 1-Feb. 28. In addition, hunters may hunt feral hogs with archery equipment, shotguns loaded with buckshot or slugs or rimfire rifles no larger than .22 caliber from Feb. 16-March 31. |
What rules apply on Atchafalaya Delta WMA?
- Self-Clearing Permit required for all activities. Self-clearing permits available from Main Delta campground, Wax Delta Campground, Cul-de-sac on Big Island, and Berwick Public Boat Launch (Jesse Fontenot Boat Launch) or through the LDWF Self-clearing Permit app or internet/web portal. Camping and houseboat mooring allowed only in designated campgrounds. Houseboat mooring allowed by permit only in designated areas, during hunting season (see Wildlife Management Areas for details).
- Vessels/Vehicles: Mudboats or air-cooled propulsion vessels powered by more than 36 total horsepower are prohibited on the WMA. All ATVs/UTVs, motorcycles, horses and mules prohibited except as permitted for authorized WMA trappers.
- Big Island: Except for Youth Deer Hunting, all other hunting closed from Oct. 1 through the last day of youth deer seasons.
- Area closed: Main Delta area closed to all hunters except for Youth Deer Hunters when youth deer season is open.
- Limited Use Area: Access prohibited March 1-Jan. 31. Hunting restricted to rabbit with shotgun only from Feb. 1-28. Non-toxic (maximum size #6) shot only, without beagles only. See WMA map for specific location.
From LDWF's 2026-27 schedule for the area.
Which parishes is Atchafalaya Delta WMA in?
| Parish | Acres of the area in it |
|---|---|
| St. Mary Parish | 1,490 |
| Terrebonne Parish | 229 |
The parish lines follow the shoreline, so most of Atchafalaya Delta WMA's open water and marsh falls outside them; the acres here are the land inside each parish.
Measured by FilledTag on LDWF Wildlife Management Area boundaries, September 2025 and the U.S. Census Bureau 2024 parish boundaries.
How do you get to Atchafalaya Delta WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: LA 317. Nearest towns: Patterson (11 miles), Berwick (15 miles), Morgan City (16 miles) and Franklin (17 miles). LDWF's page for the area, with its map: Atchafalaya Delta.
The closest other Louisiana WMAs with a page here: Attakapas WMA (17.6 miles), Elm Hall WMA (29.8 miles), Pointe-aux-Chenes WMA (39.2 miles) and Lake Boeuf WMA (40.5 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Atchafalaya Delta WMA in 2026-27?
Deer Archery (either-sex): Oct. 1-Jan. 31 on Main Delta only; no deer hunting on Wax Lake Delta; Deer Youth Shotgun and Archery (either-sex; shotgun with buckshot only): Oct. 3-4 & 10-11 on Main Delta only; no deer hunting on Wax Lake Delta. From LDWF's 2026-27 schedule for the area.
Is Atchafalaya Delta WMA open for turkey hunting?
No. Turkey season is closed on Atchafalaya Delta WMA in 2026-27, by LDWF's schedule.
What parish is Atchafalaya Delta WMA in?
St. Mary Parish (1,490 acres) and Terrebonne Parish (229 acres), measured on LDWF's boundary.
Get a Louisiana hunt plan when they open
Louisiana plans are not open yet. They are coming soon. Join the waiting list; the first 50 hunters get one plan free.
Use the map while you wait for your plan.
You need a WMA Access Permit, a Self-Clearing Permit for each visit and the licenses and tags for what you hunt. The WMA rules on one page. FilledTag is not part of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries; seasons and rules are copied from LDWF, acres and maps from its WMA layer, each with its source above.