Buckhorn WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
Buckhorn WMA is 11,121 acres of public hunting land in Tensas Parish, owned by LDWF, run from LDWF's Monroe office. Its 2026-27 schedule sets 6 kinds of deer hunt: archery, youth, physically challenged, youth lottery, firearms and primitive firearms, with archery Oct. 1-Jan. 31 (either-sex). Some hunts are by LDWF lottery. Some firearms days have a mandatory deer check. 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.
Buckhorn WMAOther LDWF WMAsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 11,121 acres (LDWF's legal acres) |
|---|---|
| Parish | Tensas |
| Owner | LDWF |
| Established | 1995 |
| Deer hunts | Archery, youth, physically challenged, youth lottery, firearms and primitive firearms |
| Archery deer | Oct. 1-Jan. 31 (either-sex) |
| Primitive firearms | Jan. 2-15 (either-sex) |
| Firearms deer | Nov. 27-29, Dec. 12-13 (either-sex); Dec. 19-Jan. 1 (bucks only) |
| Dogs for deer | No dog deer season on the schedule |
| Turkey | Closed |
| LDWF contact | mmcgee@wlf.la.gov or 318.343.4044 |
| Nearest towns | Newellton (6 mi), St. Joseph (8 mi) and Gilbert (13 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 deer hunts on Buckhorn WMA?
| Hunt | Deer | Dates and rules, 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|
| Deer Archery | Either-sex | Oct. 1-Jan. 31 |
| Deer Youth and Physically Challenged | Either-sex | Oct. 31-Nov. 1 |
| Youth Lottery | Either-sex | Dec. 12-13 & 26-27 and Jan. 2-3. Hunting by pre-application lottery only. |
| Physically Challenged | Either-sex | Dec. 12-13 & 26-27 and Jan. 2-3. Hunting by reservation; restricted to wheelchair-confined PCHP permittees only. Contact the Monroe Field Office for details. |
| Deer Firearms | Either-sex | Nov. 27-29, self-clearing permit. Dec. 12-13, mandatory deer check. |
| Deer Firearms | Bucks only | Dec. 19-Jan. 1 |
| Deer Primitive Firearms | Either-sex | Jan. 2-15 |
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 Buckhorn WMA, and when?
| Game | 2026-27 season on the area |
|---|---|
| Small Game and Waterfowl | Same as outside except waterfowl closed after 12 noon, and except closed Oct. 31-Nov. 1, Nov. 27-29 and Dec. 12-13, and open to squirrel hunting during the spring season, May 1-9, with or without dogs. Beagles allowed for rabbits and dogs allowed for squirrel hunting Jan. 16-Feb. 28. |
| Raccoon (Nighttime) | Jan. 16-Feb. 28. |
What rules apply on Buckhorn WMA?
- Self-Clearing Permit required for all activities.
- Area Closed: Oct. 31-Nov. 1 to all except youth and physically challenged deer hunters.
- Limited Use Area: Access prohibited Oct. 1-Jan. 15. Hunting restricted to small game Jan. 16-Feb. 28.
- CWD Management Zone: Attention deer hunters, Buckhorn WMA is located within a CWD Management Zone. See Chronic Wasting Disease for more information about deer carcass transport regulations.
- Operation of internal combustion engine powered vessels prohibited 12 noon - 4 a.m. from Nov. 1-Jan. 31. See WMA map for locations.
From LDWF's 2026-27 schedule for the area.
Which parishes is Buckhorn WMA in?
| Parish | Acres of the area in it |
|---|---|
| Tensas Parish | 11,259 |
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 Buckhorn WMA?
Highways through the area: LA 128 and LA 573. Nearest towns: Newellton (6 miles), St. Joseph (8 miles), Gilbert (13 miles) and Wisner (13 miles). LDWF's page for the area, with its map: Buckhorn.
The closest other Louisiana WMAs with a page here: Big Lake WMA (4.3 miles), J.C. “Sonny” Gilbert WMA (20.7 miles), Boeuf WMA (22.2 miles) and Floy Ward McElroy WMA (34.3 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Buckhorn WMA in 2026-27?
Deer Archery (either-sex): Oct. 1-Jan. 31; Deer Youth and Physically Challenged (either-sex): Oct. 31-Nov. 1; Youth Lottery (either-sex): Dec. 12-13 & 26-27 and Jan. 2-3. Hunting by pre-application lottery only; Physically Challenged (either-sex): Dec. 12-13 & 26-27 and Jan. 2-3. Hunting by reservation; restricted to wheelchair-confined PCHP permittees only. Contact the Monroe Field Office for details; Deer Firearms (either-sex): Nov. 27-29, self-clearing permit. Dec. 12-13, mandatory deer check; Deer Firearms (bucks only): Dec. 19-Jan. 1; the rest are in the table above. From LDWF's 2026-27 schedule for the area.
Is Buckhorn WMA open for turkey hunting?
No. Turkey season is closed on Buckhorn WMA in 2026-27, by LDWF's schedule.
What parish is Buckhorn WMA in?
Tensas Parish, 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.