Everything You Need to Know About Louisiana Youth and Veterans Deer Week

If you're into bow hunting for whitetail deer in Louisiana, you certainly don't need me to tell you that archery season began last Thursday, October 1, but for the kids and veterans of the Bayou State, the big day is this Saturday, October 10, when it's GAME ON for them too!

Get our free mobile app

According to the Louisiana 2026-27 Hunting and WMA Regulations, Youth/Veterans Deer Season for Area 2, will run for a full week, beginning this Saturday, October 10 and continuing through Friday, October 16, and will allow honorably discharged veterans and qualified youth hunters additional days to harvest a deer.

Rules For Youth During 2026-27 Louisiana Youth Deer Season

Photo by Gary McCoy/TSM

• 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.
• Restricted to youths 17 or younger only
• All legal gear for archery, primitive firearms, and modern firearms allowed.

The Rules For Veterans During 2026-27 Louisiana Youth/Veterans Deer Season

Gary McCoy

• Resident veterans must be properly licensed and must possess
  proof of honorable discharge.
• One of the following must be carried by veterans while hunting:
• Louisiana OMV issued U.S. Veterans Driver’s License.
• U.S. Department of Defense Form 214 or one of the following DD_214 equivalents: i. Pre DD 214 era documents (1941_1950): a. WD AGO (war department adjutant general) Forms, to include WD AGO 53, WD AGO 55, WD AGO 53_55; JAVPERS (naval personnel) discharge documents, to include NAVPERS 553, NAVMC78PD, NAVCG 553. ii. National Personnel Records Center NPRC “statement of service,” issued as a result of a destroyed discharge record during the 1973 National Archives fire. iii.National Guard/Air National Guard must have NGB_22 with 6 or more years of service

Other Privileges Extended To Youth/Veterans During 2026-27 Louisiana Deer Season

As they are permitted during 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 24 through October 30.

The privilege to hunt with any legal weapon during the "Primitive Weapons Season" has also been extended to any legally licensed hunter in Louisiana aged 65 and over, and disabled veteran licensees or properly licensed disabled hunters that meet the
requirements of R.S. 56:3000.H(1,2,3, or 4)

Of course, modern firearms season here in Area 2 begins October 31, so by then, the woods will be teeming with hunters and dreams of old Bullwinkle showing up.

Important Dates To Remember: Louisiana Deer Hunting - Area 2 - 2026-27 Schedule

• Either-Sex Archery Oct. 1 - Jan. 31
• Youth and Honorably Discharged Veterans Oct. 10-16
• Primitive Firearms Oct. 24-30  and Jan. 18-24, 2027
• Firearms (Still-Hunt Only) Oct. 31- Dec. 9
• Firearms (With or Without Dogs) Dec. 10 - Jan. 17, 2027
• 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.