Louisiana Captive Hunting Statutes and Regulations

No Ban: Mammals permitted.

Statute

Louisiana law requires "any person, firm or corporation desiring to establish, maintain or operate a hunting preserve within the state of Louisiana to permit the releasing and shooting or taking of pen-raised game birds by the public for a fee or otherwise may apply to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission for a license to so do..." L.S.A. §56:651.

Criteria for operating a hunting preserve include, among other things, that the property comprising such preserve shall be adequately enclosed by fence, Id. at §56:654(2), and "only pen-raised mallard or black ducks, at least two generations removed from the wild, or pen-raised quail are approved state game birds which may be used for preserve hunting." Id. at §56:654(3).

A license is also required for any person who "desires to engage in raising, selling, or raising and selling domesticated white-tailed deer or other domesticated deer native to North America; squirrels, rabbits, or other wild game quadrupeds...on breeding farms or propagating preserves of which he is owner or lessee." Id.at §56:171A.

Any licensee "may kill or sell such animals or birds provided for in this Subpart at any time, except that domesticated species of wild game birds or wild waterfowl, killed by shooting, shall not be bought, sold or traded under the provisions of this Subpart." Id. at §56:172A. This provision only allows the licensee to sell or kill the animals bred or propagated under this license.

A license also must be obtained from the commissioner of agriculture by "whoever desires to engage in raising, selling, or raising and selling imported exotic deer and antelope, elk, and farm-raised white tail deer, for commercial purposes, on breeding farms or propagating preserves of which he is the owner or lessee..." Id. at §3:3102A.

The license issued under this provision "shall permit the licensee to breed and propagate such animals and sell them alive, or sell their parts, and to kill and transport them and sell their carcasses for food." Id. at §3:3102B. This provisions only allows the licensee to sell or kill the animals bred or propagated under this license.

Louisiana law prohibits the sale or use of an animal who "is presently or was formerly a part of a zoo or circus" for sport killing. 14:102.20.

Regulation

Louisiana regulations specify, as stated in the relevant statutes, that only pen-raised game birds can be released and shot on hunting preserves. L.A.C. 305 et seq.

In determining if a license should be issued to permit the establishment and operation of a hunting preserve, "the Department shall base its determination on whether or not the proposed shooting area will cause conflicts with wild migratory game bird hunting, or be in violation of state and federal regulations concerning the feeding of migratory waterfowl or the use of live decoys, that the establishment of the shooting area will be in the public interest, and that the operation of a Hunting Preserve at the location specified in the application will not have a detrimental effect upon wild migratory or resident game birds." Id. at 305-2-a.

Louisiana regulations also include provision pertaining to persons licensed as game breeders. Specifically, game breeders can only keep those classes of animals for which they have been approved. Id. at 107-C-1-b. "Game quadrupeds and birds cannot be taken from the wild, nor can domesticated game quadrupeds or birds be released into the wild except as provided on licensed hunting preserves, and as provided by valid bird-dog training permit, field trial permit or federal falconry permit." Id. at 107-C-1-a.

Hunting or killing of deer or other big game animals held by a licensed game breeder "by individuals other than the licensee must conform to all hunting regulations including season and hunting license requirements for the area in which the animals are confined." Id. at 107-C-4.

A state official specified hunting is not allowed on any permitted facility that is less than 300 acres in size.

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