Spring Bayou WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and map
Spring Bayou WMA is 12,506 acres of public hunting land in Avoyelles Parish, owned by LDWF, run from LDWF's Lafayette office. Its 2026-27 schedule sets 4 kinds of deer hunt: archery, youth, firearms and primitive firearms, with archery Oct. 1-15 (bucks only); Oct. 16-Feb. 15 (either-sex). Turkey season is open: youth April 17-18.
Data updated October 2026. Seasons and rules: LDWF's 2026-27 individual WMA schedule for the area. Boundary and acres: LDWF's WMA layer.
Spring Bayou WMAOther LDWF WMAsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 12,506 acres (LDWF's legal acres) |
|---|---|
| Parish | Avoyelles |
| Owner | LDWF |
| Established | 1966 |
| Deer hunts | Archery, youth, firearms and primitive firearms |
| Archery deer | Oct. 1-15 (bucks only); Oct. 16-Feb. 15 (either-sex) |
| Primitive firearms | Jan. 11-17 (either-sex) |
| Firearms deer | Nov. 27-29 (either-sex); Dec. 26-Jan. 10 (bucks only) |
| Dogs for deer | No dog deer season on the schedule |
| Turkey | Turkey Youth: April 17-18 |
| LDWF contact | sdartez@wlf.la.gov or 337.262.2080 |
| Nearest towns | Moreauville (next to it), Marksville (2 mi) and Mansura (2 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 deer hunts on Spring Bayou WMA?
| Hunt | Deer | Dates and rules, 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|
| Deer Archery | Bucks only | Oct. 1-15 |
| Deer Archery | Either-sex | Oct. 16-Feb. 15 |
| Deer Youth | Either-sex | Oct. 31-Nov. 1 |
| Deer Firearms | Either-sex | Nov. 27-29, self-clearing permit. |
| Deer Firearms | Bucks only | Dec. 26-Jan. 10 |
| Deer Primitive Firearms | Either-sex | Jan. 11-17 |
Source: LDWF 2026-27 individual WMA hunting schedules, L to Z (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 Spring Bayou 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 SMALL GAME closed Oct. 31-Nov. 1 and Nov. 27-29, 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. 18-Feb. 28. Waterfowl to remain open during either sex firearms hunts for deer. Youth Squirrel Hunt: Sept. 26-27. |
| Raccoon (nighttime) | Sept. 12-27 and Jan. 18-Feb. 28. |
| Recreational Fishing | Same as outside except only allowed after 2 p.m. during waterfowl season, except during early teal season, recreational fishing allowed after 10 a.m. Crawfish: March 15-July 31. Recreational only, 100 lbs per person per day. |
| Commercial Fishing | Gill and trammel nets 3.5 inches and greater, allowed from close of waterfowl seasons to last day of February, via permit only, issued from the Lafayette Field Office. |
What rules apply on Spring Bayou WMA?
- Self-Clearing Permit required for all activities. No hunting allowed in Headquarters area. Only overnight campers allowed in the improved Boggy Bayou Camping area. Rules and Regulations posted at campsite. Water skiing prohibited except allowed in Old River and Grand Lac.
- Area Closed: Oct. 31-Nov. 1 to all hunters except Youth Hunters.
From LDWF's 2026-27 schedule for the area.
Which parishes is Spring Bayou WMA in?
| Parish | Acres of the area in it |
|---|---|
| Avoyelles Parish | 12,534 |
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 Spring Bayou WMA?
Highways within 5 miles: LA 1, LA 451, LA 107 and LA 114. Nearest towns: Moreauville (next to it), Marksville (2 miles), Mansura (2 miles) and Cottonport (6 miles). LDWF's page for the area, with its map: Spring Bayou.
The closest other Louisiana WMAs with a page here: Pomme de Terre WMA (4.7 miles), Grassy Lake WMA (9 miles), Richard K. Yancey WMA (10.7 miles) and Dewey W. Wills WMA (12 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Spring Bayou WMA in 2026-27?
Deer Archery (bucks only): Oct. 1-15; Deer Archery (either-sex): Oct. 16-Feb. 15; Deer Youth (either-sex): Oct. 31-Nov. 1; Deer Firearms (either-sex): Nov. 27-29, self-clearing permit; Deer Firearms (bucks only): Dec. 26-Jan. 10; Deer Primitive Firearms (either-sex): Jan. 11-17. From LDWF's 2026-27 schedule for the area.
Is Spring Bayou WMA open for turkey hunting?
Yes: Turkey Youth: April 17-18.
What parish is Spring Bayou WMA in?
Avoyelles 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.