Louisiana's New Gator Hunting Season Opens to Resident Hunters

KNGT | Louisiana — If you've ever sat on the couch watching Swamp People and thought, "Sha, I could do that," Louisiana is about to give thousands of folks a chance to find out. And I'm not gonna lie. This is about as Louisiana as it gets.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is rolling out a brand-new Recreational Alligator Hunting Season, giving regular Louisiana hunters a new way to get a shot at harvesting a wild alligator. Yep.You could go from watching somebody chase a gator on TV to wondering why in the world you thought doing it yourself was a good idea.

Louisiana's Gators Have Made One Heck of a Comeback

There's actually a pretty cool reason Louisiana can do this. According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Louisiana's wild alligator population has reached what the state considers a full recovery after decades of conservation work. That's been a team effort between LDWF, hunters, landowners and alligator farmers.

Now Louisiana has enough wild alligators to allow more recreational hunting without hurting the commercial alligator industry. And that commercial industry is BIG. LDWF says it brings more than $250 million a year into Louisiana's economy.

So they ain't just opening the swamp gates and telling everybody to go grab a gator. There's gonna be a lottery. Up to 5,000 Louisiana Hunters Could Get Picked This is where things get interesting. As many as 5,000 hunters could be selected for the recreational alligator hunt.

To apply, Follow the Link HERE. Now you've gotta be a Louisiana resident, at least 16 years old and hunter education certified. If you're selected, you'll receive two non-transferable alligator hide tags for each zone you're awarded. And apparently you can apply for more than one zone. Each zone application will cost $50, so keep that in mind before you start clicking every box you see.

Non-Louisiana residents can't win the lottery, but they CAN participate in the hunt as long as they're physically with the Louisiana hunter who won. So yes, your cousin from Texas can come. They just can't show up in Cameron Parish with a rope, a boat and a dream.

Can I Hunt Alligators in Louisiana?

You'll Need More Than Your Regular Hunting License. This part is important. Winning the lottery doesn't mean you're automatically ready to go. A Louisiana resident will need a Resident Alligator Sports Hunter License, which costs $25. Nonresidents participating in the hunt will need a Non-Resident Alligator Sports Hunter License, which costs $150.

Hunters will also need a Basic Hunting License, valid recreational hide tags and written proof that they own the land they're hunting or have permission to hunt there. Anybody helping with the hunt will need the proper licenses too. And here's something that could trip some folks up. Having a Lifetime License, Senior License or Sportsman's Paradise License does NOT cover the new Resident Alligator Sports Hunter License. You're still gonna need that separate license. LDWF's existing alligator hunting rules also show just how controlled gator hunting is in Louisiana, with specific tags, seasons and harvest rules.

Growing up in Southwest Louisiana, alligators aren't exactly something we only see on television. We've seen 'em in canals. We've seen 'em along the road. We've seen 'em fishing. Heck, around here you can tell somebody you saw an eight-foot gator and they'll probably answer, "Where at?"

There are plenty of folks who hunt deer, ducks, hogs and everything else Louisiana allows us to chase. Giving everyday sportsmen and women a chance to legally harvest an alligator is something completely different. Plus, come on. Imagine getting picked.

You're standing there looking at those two gator tags thinking about all those years you watched Swamp People from the comfort of your recliner. Then that first big Louisiana gator starts moving around on the other end. That's probably about the time you find out just how educational that television show really was. You wanted the Swamp People experience. Louisiana might finally be ready to give you one.