Search Begins for the 2026 Louisiana Youth Hunters of the Year

As a kid growing up in Louisiana, I can fully recall thousands of hunts here in the Bayou State. From the long hikes through oak bottoms searching out our state's vast squirrel population, to cold mornings in duck blinds and deer stands, those memories have withstood the test of time.

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And it's stories like those that the Louisiana Wildlife Federation and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries are in search of as they name the 2026 Louisiana Youth Hunters of the Year!

This awards contest, held annually by LWF and LDWF, will name one boy and one girl deemed to have best represented the joy, thrill and camaraderie of hunting in Louisiana in 2026.

The two winners will receive a plaque in recognition of their achievement and a gift card. Winners will also be recognized at LWF’s 61st Annual Conservation Achievement Awards banquet on April 3, 2027 in Baton Rouge. Every youth who enters will also be included in a drawing for a $100 gift card.

Through the deadline of January 31, 2027, a panel of judges is now accepting applications from all Louisiana youth hunters who were 15 years or younger at the time of the hunt and the hunt must have taken place within the 2026 calendar year.

Natalie Perkins of DeRidder and Madden Dowden of Elm Grove were the 2025 Louisiana Youth Hunters of the Year winners.

How To Enter The 2026 Louisiana Youth Hunter Of The Year Contest

Entering the 2026 Louisiana Youth Hunter of the Year contest is relatively simple.

Complete and submit the application form
Submit a short story written by the young hunter describing the hunt
Submit photo(s) from the hunt

Eligibility Requirements to enter include all the following:

Hunter must be a Louisiana resident
Hunter must be 15 years old or younger at the time of the hunt
The hunt must take place between Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2026
Short story must be written by the youth
The hunt does not have to result in the harvesting of an animal
One entry per youth hunter
Previous winners are not eligible

For more information, go to the LWF Hunter of the Year webpage.

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Between January 1 and October 3, 2026, these 8 kids have disappeared in Louisiana. Please take a look at these pictures and should you happen to spot any of these kids, please contact local police immediately.