Louisiana Deer Hunters: Youth/Veterans Season Starts This Weekend

If you're into bow hunting for whitetail deer in Louisiana, you certainly don't need me to tell you that archery season began on Wednesday, October 1, but for the kids and veterans of the Bayou State, the big day is this Saturday, October 11, when it's GAME ON for them too!

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According to the Louisiana 2025-26 Hunting and WMA Regulations, Youth/Veterans Deer Season will run for a full week again this year, beginning this Saturday, October 11 and continuing through Friday, October 17, and will allow honorably discharged veterans and qualified youth hunters additional days to harvest a deer.

The Rules For Youth During This Special Season

• Restricted to youths 17 or younger only and resident honorably discharged veterans.
• All legal gear for archery, primitive firearms, and modern firearms allowed.
• Youths must possess a hunter safety certification or proof of successful completion of a hunter safety course.
• Youths must be accompanied by one adult 18 years of age or older. If the accompanying adult is in possession of hunter safety certification, a valid hunting license or proof of successful completion of a hunter safety course, this requirement is waived for youths younger than 16 years of age.
• Youths must possess a Youth License. Adults may not possess a firearm.
• Youths may possess only one legal firearm while hunting.
• The supervising adult shall maintain visual and voice contact with the youth at all times, EXCEPT properly licensed youths and youths 12 years old or older who have successfully completed a hunter safety course may hunt without a supervising adult.

READ MORE: The Hilarious Different Types of Deer Hunters Found In Louisiana

The Rules For Veterans During This Special Season

• Resident veterans must be properly licensed and must possess proof of honorable discharge.
• One of the following must be carried by veterans while hunting͗:

Important Dates To Remember

Along with this special Youth/Veterans week, youths 17 or younger, can use any legal weapon to harvest a deer during the "Primitive Weapons Season" which for Area 2 will run October 18 through October 24.

The privilege to hunt with any legal weapon during the "Primitive Weapons Season" was just additionally extended to any legally licensed hunter in Louisiana aged 65 and over.  

Of course, gun season here in Area 2 begins October 25, so by then, the woods will be teeming with hunters and dreams of old Bullwinkle showing up.

Louisiana Deer Hunting - Area 2 - 2025-26 Schedule

• Either-Sex Archery Oct. 1 - Jan. 31
• Youth and Honorably Discharged Veterans Oct. 11-17
• Primitive Firearms Oct. 18-24  and Jan. 12-18
• Firearms (Still-Hunt Only) Oct. 25- Dec. 2
• Firearms (With or Without Dogs) Dec. 3 - Jan. 11
• ALL OF THE FOLLOWING PARISHES ARE OPEN: Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, DeSoto, Jackson, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Red River, Sabine, Union, Webster and Winn EXCEPT Kisatchie National Forest which has special regulations; consult the U.S. Forest Service for regulations. Caney, Corney, and Middlefork tracts of Kisatchie have the same regulations as Area 2, EXCEPT still hunting only for deer.