Fort Polk-Vernon WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
Fort Polk-Vernon WMA is 105,545 acres of public hunting land in Vernon Parish, owned by the U.S. Army and U.S. Forest Service, run from LDWF's Lake Charles office. Its 2026-27 schedule sets 3 kinds of deer hunt: archery, firearms and primitive firearms, with archery Sept. 19-Jan. 15 (either-sex on Archery Only Areas; elsewhere bucks only during bucks-only firearms dates). Some firearms days have a mandatory deer check. Turkey season is open: April 3-May 2; youth lottery March 27.
Data updated October 2026. Seasons and rules: LDWF's 2026-27 individual WMA schedule for the area. Boundary and acres: LDWF's WMA layer.
Fort Polk-Vernon WMAOther LDWF WMAsNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 105,545 acres (LDWF's legal acres) |
|---|---|
| Parish | Vernon |
| Owner | U.S. Army and U.S. Forest Service |
| Established | 1965 |
| Deer hunts | Archery, firearms and primitive firearms |
| Archery deer | Sept. 19-Jan. 15 (either-sex on Archery Only Areas; elsewhere bucks only during bucks-only firearms dates) |
| Primitive firearms | Oct. 10-16 (either-sex) |
| Firearms deer | Oct. 31-Nov. 1 and Nov. 29, Nov. 27-28 (either-sex); Nov. 2-26 and Dec. 12-Jan. 1 (bucks only) |
| Dogs for deer | No dog deer season on the schedule |
| Turkey | April 3-May 2; Turkey Youth Lottery: March 27. Hunting by pre-application lottery only |
| LDWF contact | klegleu@wlf.la.gov or 337-491-2299 |
| Nearest towns | Fort Polk North (Census place, next to it), Fort Polk South (Census place, next to it), New Llano (2 mi), Leesville (3 mi) and Simpson (7 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 deer hunts on Fort Polk-Vernon WMA?
| Hunt | Deer | Dates and rules, 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|
| Deer Archery | Either-sex on Archery Only Areas; elsewhere bucks only during bucks-only firearms dates | Sept. 19-Jan. 15. Special Archery regulations apply to Archery Only Areas, check locally at Building 2396, 22nd Street, Fort Polk. On Archery Only Areas, either-sex deer are legal Sept. 19-Jan. 15, with no bucks-only restrictions. Remainder of WMA restricted to bucks only when bucks only firearms season is in progress. |
| Deer Firearms | Either-sex | Oct. 31-Nov. 1 and Nov. 29, self-clearing permit. Nov. 27-28, mandatory deer check. |
| Deer Firearms | Bucks only | Nov. 2-26 and Dec. 12-Jan. 1 |
| Deer Primitive Firearms | Either-sex | Oct. 10-16, self-clearing permit. |
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 Fort Polk-Vernon 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 and Nov. 27-29 and except closed to squirrel hunting during the spring season. Hunter Orange or Blaze Pink must be worn when bucks only gun hunts for deer are in progress. Squirrel hunting with dogs allowed Nov. 30-Dec. 11 and Jan. 2-Feb. 28. |
| Feral Hogs | May be taken by properly licensed hunters from Sept. 19-Jan. 1. Hunters may hunt feral hogs with shotguns loaded with buckshot or slugs from Jan. 2-Feb. 28. Hunters must display 400 square inches of Hunter Orange or Blaze Pink and wear a Hunter Orange or Blaze Pink cap during special shotgun season for feral hogs. |
| Fishing | Special regulations pertaining to fishing are posted at specific lakes. |
What rules apply on Fort Polk-Vernon WMA?
- Self-Clearing Permit required for all activities. All or portions of the area may be closed daily due to military activities. Hunters are cautioned not to pick up any foreign material or objects while hunting on the WMA. Also, it is mandatory for hunters to check the open area maps, located at check stations, daily for sudden closures.
- Fishing: Magnet fishing is prohibited.
- Physically Challenged Wheelchair-Confined Deer Hunting Area: Access restricted. Check WMA map for location and call Lake Charles or Baton Rouge offices for details and applications. Hunting by reservation for wheelchair confined PCHP permittees only.
From LDWF's 2026-27 schedule for the area.
Which parishes is Fort Polk-Vernon WMA in?
| Parish | Acres of the area in it |
|---|---|
| Vernon Parish | 105,969 |
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 Fort Polk-Vernon WMA?
Highways through the area: LA 467, LA 10 and LA 469. Nearest towns: Fort Polk North (Census place, next to it), Fort Polk South (Census place, next to it), New Llano (2 miles), Leesville (3 miles), Simpson (7 miles) and Rosepine (8 miles). LDWF's page for the area, with its map: Fort Polk-Vernon.
The closest other Louisiana WMAs with a page here: Walnut Hill WMA (3.1 miles), Fort Polk North WMA (6.3 miles), Clear Creek WMA (8 miles) and West Bay WMA (11.2 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Fort Polk-Vernon WMA in 2026-27?
Deer Archery (either-sex on Archery Only Areas; elsewhere bucks only during bucks-only firearms dates): Sept. 19-Jan. 15. Special Archery regulations apply to Archery Only Areas, check locally at Building 2396, 22nd Street, Fort Polk. On Archery Only Areas, either-sex deer are legal Sept. 19-Jan. 15, with no bucks-only restrictions. Remainder of WMA restricted to bucks only when bucks only firearms season is in progress; Deer Firearms (either-sex): Oct. 31-Nov. 1 and Nov. 29, self-clearing permit. Nov. 27-28, mandatory deer check; Deer Firearms (bucks only): Nov. 2-26 and Dec. 12-Jan. 1; Deer Primitive Firearms (either-sex): Oct. 10-16, self-clearing permit. From LDWF's 2026-27 schedule for the area.
Is Fort Polk-Vernon WMA open for turkey hunting?
Yes: Turkey: April 3-May 2; Turkey Youth Lottery: March 27. Hunting by pre-application lottery only.
What parish is Fort Polk-Vernon WMA in?
Vernon 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.