Louisiana issues tens of thousands of alligator tags each year, and the count shifts annually based on LDWF’s population surveys. The overwhelming majority go to private landowners with wetland habitat, while roughly 3,000 tags are set aside for a public land lottery covering 51 wildlife management areas and public lakes.1Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Lottery Alligator Harvest Recent annual harvests have run from about 23,000 to more than 32,000 alligators, which gives a reasonable sense of how many tags are actually filled. Every wild alligator taken legally in Louisiana must carry a numbered CITES-compliant tag issued by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and the agency tracks each hide from the field to the processor.2Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Alligator Management
There are two ways to get a tag: own (or get permission to hunt on) qualifying private wetland, or get drawn in the public land lottery. Which path fits you decides almost everything else about the process.
Private Land Tags
Most Louisiana alligator tags are issued to private landowners, and the tags themselves cost nothing.3Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Alligator Hunting The number of tags a property receives depends on acreage and on the density of alligators LDWF estimates it holds. Large tracts of coastal marsh or swamp get substantially more tags than smaller parcels.
To apply, a licensed alligator hunter must submit the following before the season opens:
- A completed alligator hunter license application form
- Proof of property ownership (tax receipts or bill of sale) showing parish, township, range, section, and acreage
- A map outlining the property to be hunted
- The landowner’s signature granting permission to hunt the property
- A legal alligator hunting lease, if applicable4LDWF Licensing. Alligator Harvest Tags
A landowner who doesn’t hunt can designate someone else to use the tags, but that hunter has to carry the license and the property-specific tags in the field.
Non-Residents
Non-residents can hunt alligators in Louisiana only on private land they own. The non-resident landowner alligator hunter license is $150; the resident license is $25.3Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Alligator Hunting Non-residents who don’t own Louisiana land are not eligible for the lottery.
The Public Land Lottery
If you don’t own wetland property, the lottery is the main way in. LDWF selects more than 1,000 hunters each year to harvest alligators across 51 wildlife management areas and public lakes, and each winner receives three tags for the area they were drawn for.1Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Lottery Alligator Harvest
You qualify if you’re a Louisiana resident, at least 16, and have completed a hunter education course. Applications open in May, and only one entry per person is allowed. The application fee is $5 plus a $3.50 transaction fee.5Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. LDWF Alligator Lottery Harvests on WMAs and Other Public Grounds Announced
If selected, you buy a resident alligator hunter license ($25) and pay $40 per tag, so three tags come to $145 on top of the application fees.5Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. LDWF Alligator Lottery Harvests on WMAs and Other Public Grounds Announced Draw odds depend on how many people apply for a given area. Remote WMAs tend to draw fewer applicants and give you a better chance; popular lakes near population centers can be very competitive.
Season Dates and Legal Methods
Louisiana splits the state into two zones. The east zone opens the last Wednesday of August, and the west zone opens the first Wednesday of September. Each stays open 60 days from its opening date.6LDWF Licensing. Season Information
There are no size restrictions on wild alligators during the open season. Your daily and season limits are the same: however many unfilled tags you still hold. Legal methods include hook and line, bow and arrow, and firearms other than shotguns. Possessing a shotgun while hunting alligators is specifically prohibited.6LDWF Licensing. Season Information
Tagging the Animal and Returning Unused Tags
The moment you harvest an alligator, attach the numbered tag before you move the animal from where it was captured. Run the tag through the bottom side of the tail about six inches from the tip and engage the built-in locking device. The tag stays with the alligator or its hide until the tanned hide reaches manufacturing.4LDWF Licensing. Alligator Harvest Tags
Don’t lock a tag prematurely, and don’t let one snag on equipment. Tags don’t float, and LDWF will not replace a lost tag. Any unused tags must be returned to LDWF within 15 days after the season ends.4LDWF Licensing. Alligator Harvest Tags Hunters also have to report the tag number, location, intended use, and length of each alligator taken.
Penalties for Hunting Without a Tag
Taking an alligator during a closed season or without a tag carries a fine of $400 to $950 and up to 120 days in jail per offense. Hunting alligators without a license is a separate violation, punishable by a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail.7Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Central Man Cited for Alligator Hunting Violations Violators also owe civil restitution for the replacement value of each alligator taken illegally.
Nuisance Alligators Are a Different System
If an alligator is threatening people, pets, or livestock, that’s handled through LDWF’s nuisance alligator program, not the harvest tag system. Licensed nuisance alligator hunters respond to complaints under a separate authority, and those removals don’t count against the annual tag allocation.8Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Nuisance Alligators Report problem alligators to your local LDWF office rather than taking action yourself.