Check the Legal Weapon Requirements for Louisiana Primitive Season

The woods of Louisiana are once again crawling with deer hunters!

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Archers have been in the woods for nearly three weeks now. Our youth and veterans just completed their special week-long season this past Friday, and now another group of hunters is readying for the action.

READ MORE: Hilarious Viral Story About Roping Deer Will Make You Laugh Out Loud

This Saturday, October 24, Area 2 of Louisiana will see the start of Primitive Firearms deer season which will run through next Friday, October 30.

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Once upon a time here in Louisiana, the only primitive firearms legal for this season were traditional muzzleloaders like the old Flintlocks featured in the photo above.  However, those regulations changed a number of years ago to include a number of more modern style firearms.

What Are The Legal Weapons For Primitive Deer Hunting in Louisiana?

According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, it's legal to hunt with any of the following:

• Rifles or pistols, .44 caliber minimum, or shotguns 10 gauge or smaller, all of which must load exclusively from the muzzle, use black powder or approved substitute only, take ball, shot, or bullet projectile only, including saboted bullets. All of the above may be fitted with magnified scopes.
• Single shot, breech loading rifles or single shot, breech loading pistols, .35 caliber or larger, having an exposed hammer that use metallic cartridges loaded either with black powder or modern smokeless powder. All of the above may be fitted with magnified scopes.
• Single shot, breech loading shotguns, 10 gauge or smaller, having an exposed hammer, loaded with buckshot or slug.

What Are Louisiana's Exceptions To These Primitive Weapons Requirements?

• Youths 17 or younger, individuals 65 or older, and disabled veteran licensees or properly licensed disabled hunters that meet the requirements of R.S. 56:3000.H(1,2,3, or 4) may hunt deer with any legal weapon during the Primitive Firearms Season in each deer hunting area.
• Either-sex deer may be taken in all areas open for deer hunting EXCEPT when a Bucks Only season is in progress. In such cases, hunters must conform to the bucks only regulations.

I've been asked by a number of fellow hunters if their lever action .35 Whelen was legal. Nope!  But the single shot .35 Whelen is probably one of the most popular primitive firearms in the state.

Just remember, when it comes to a rifle, it must be single shot, with an exposed hammer, breach loaded and a minimum of .35 caliber.

And lots of people aren't aware they can hunt with their shotgun, but they're completely legal, as long as it is single shot, breach loaded, and 10 gauge or smaller.