US News
Louisiana opens first recreational alligator hunt in over 50 years
Following decades of conservation efforts, Louisiana is issuing up to 5,000 public tags for a month-long non-commercial season starting October 1.
The short version
- Louisiana is holding its first recreational alligator hunt since 1962, citing a population recovery from under 100,000 to roughly 3 million.
- State wildlife officials are offering up to 5,000 tags via a lottery system for a month-long season beginning October 1.
- Participants face strict regulations, including a prohibition on selling meat or hides and restrictions to hook-and-line trapping.
Key facts
- Louisiana banned alligator hunting in 1962 to restore populations that had dropped below 100,000 due to unregulated harvesting.[The Guardian]
- The wild alligator population in Louisiana has grown to an estimated 3 million.[The Guardian]
- Up to 5,000 tags will be distributed through a lottery system, capped at two permits per applicant across eight zones.[The Guardian]
- Fees include a $50 application charge, plus $25 per zone for state residents and $150 per zone for non-residents.[The Guardian]
- The hunt is strictly non-commercial, preventing participants from selling meat or skins, and hunters are restricted to using hook-and-line traps with firearms permitted only to dispatch captured animals.[The Guardian]