Louisiana Opens Applications for New Recreational Alligator Hunt

Louisiana hunters will soon have a new way to pursue alligators, with applications opening Thursday for the state’s first recreational alligator hunt.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will accept lottery applications through August 30, with the inaugural season scheduled for October 1-31 across eight designated zones.

The new program was created under Act 37, passed during the 2026 legislative session. The law, introduced as Senate Bill 244 by state Sen. Robert Allain, R-Franklin, allows the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission to run a recreational season separately from the state’s long-standing commercial alligator program.

Key Details for Hunters

• Up to 5,000 hunters will be chosen through the lottery.
• Selected hunters can receive two nontransferable tags per zone.
• Applicants must be Louisiana residents, at least 16 years old, and meet hunter education requirements.
• Applications cost $50 per zone and the fee is nonrefundable.
• Successful applicants must also purchase a $25 resident Alligator Sports Hunter License.
• Hunters may apply for multiple zones and could be selected in more than one.

The state has divided the opportunities among eight zones. Zones B and C each have 1,250 spots, while Zone A has 500. Zones D through H each offer 400 opportunities.

The commission approved the recreational hunting rules in May, following concerns about Louisiana’s growing alligator population. Allain said the state now has more than 3 million alligators, pointing to the number of animals killed along roads as evidence of the population’s growth.

Wildlife officials say Louisiana’s alligator population has rebounded after decades of conservation and can support recreational hunting without harming the commercial industry, which contributes more than $250 million a year to the state’s economy.

There are also strict limits on what recreational hunters can do with their harvest. Alligators, meat, hides and other parts cannot be sold or traded, and recreational tags cannot be transferred. Hunters also cannot use the tags for paid guided hunts.

Participants will need the required hunting and alligator licenses, along with recreational harvest tags issued by the commission.