Hunting license changes require some ingenuity

Some changes in the way hunting licenses and tags are produced will require adjustments for hunters, according to officials from the state’s Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

In March, LDWF changed the way hunting and fishing licenses are produced and started printing them on plain paper. This includes licenses and labels, officials said.

One reason is the aging of the hardware used and another is to encourage the use of digital licenses.

“Customers can also choose to receive a digital copy of their license by email. Just make sure that the license provider has recorded your email address accurately in the file, and the electronic license will be sent immediately after the purchase is complete. This can be saved to your smart device and used as proof of a valid license in the field, ”the ministry website says. “However, labels for deer and turkeys must be printed for use in the field.”

This is an aspect that worries some hunters; viewers reached out to KATC about the change, expressing concern about the labels printed on plain paper. By the rules, before hunting deer, all deer hunters, regardless of age or license status, must obtain deer tags. They must have the tags in their possession when hunting deer, and immediately after harvesting a deer, tag the deer before moving it from where it was killed. Hunters must record the information required for tagged deer and validate tags within 72 hours of harvesting a deer.

We reached out to LDWF with viewers concerns, and they provided us with these tips:

“For now, hunters will have to plan ahead. Whether printed on waterproof, laminated paper, or paper tags placed in a small waterproof bag, tagging deer with paper tags will require an extra step to protect against the elements. conventional options would be to attach a small waterproof bag with the tag inside to the shank or antler of the deer depending on gender, ”said Johnathan Bordelon, program director of the deer department.

“Another option suggested by a hunter included clear wrapping tape that would be used to secure the tag to the deer by wrapping a few wraps around the tag and the deer with the tape,” Bordelon tells us.

Either way, hunters have some time to come up with a plan as no hunting season is open at this time.

For more information on the change and links to details on Louisiana hunting and fishing requirements, click here.