This Weekend Only: The Start of Teal Season in Louisiana
Louisiana's huge duck hunting population is collectively holding its breath as they are less than seventy two hours from that magical minute that they have been waiting for!
Teal season is set to begin this Saturday, September 20, 2025 and will continue through September 28.
For the local waterfowler, this is bigger than Christmas and almost as big as opening day of deer season.
Only teal species (blue-winged, green-winged and cinnamon teal) may be harvested during the early September season. Teal may also be harvested during the regular duck hunting season, which begins in November.
There are a few other rules you'll need to remember!
Those 18 and older hunting teal are required to have a basic hunting license and must be HIP certified. Youth 17 and under do not need a hunting license. To purchase a hunting license, go HERE.
All waterfowl hunters 16 years and older, even those who are not otherwise required to purchase a license, must have a Federal Duck Stamp.
Many LDWF Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) throughout the state offer teal hunting opportunities. All visitors to LDWF WMAs 18 years or older must have either a WMA Access Permit, Senior Hunting/Fishing License, Louisiana Sportsman’s Paradise License or Lifetime Hunting/Fishing License.
The most popular of these public WMAs include: Pass-a-Loutre WMA, Atchafalaya Delta WMA, Pointe-aux-Chenes WMA, Sherburne WMA, Dewey Wills WMA and Russell Sage WMA. For a complete list of WMAs open to teal hunting and more information on WMA teal hunting, go to the LDWF website.
READ MORE: Sight In Your Deer Rifle At DeSoto Parish Sheriff's Rifle Range
The daily teal limit is six, with a total possession limit of eighteen.
Shooting hours in Louisiana are thirty minutes prior to legal sunrise for that specific area until sunset for that specific area. Meaning that sunrise in Caddo Parish might be different from where you might be hunting in Claiborne Parish. Use the area you are hunting to determine exact shooting hours.
Once teal season has ended, duck hunters will have to hit pause for a few weeks as they wait for the regular duck season to begin. As Louisiana is divided into the East Zone and West Zone, it's important to know which zone you'll be hunting.
Locally, Caddo, Bossier, Desoto and Red River are all in the West Zone, which will see opening day on November 15. The East Zone is set to begin on November 22.
If you're headed out this weekend, good luck, be safe and take a kid.