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Best public land for deer in Louisiana (2026)

FDR ranked 28 public hunting areas in Louisiana by deer harvest per square mile for seasons measured between 2020 and 2025. Loggy Bayou WMA has the most deer harvested per square mile at 6.2 in 2025. Harvest per square mile is the agency's deer harvest divided by the area's size and success rate is harvest divided by hunters or the agency's published rate. Both are derived from state agency numbers. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings.

6.2deer harvested per square mile at the top public hunting area

Louisiana publishes deer harvest in a form FDR could rank for 28 public hunting areas. Loggy Bayou WMA is highest at 6.2 deer harvested per square mile in 2025. Camp Beauregard WMA (formerly Esler Field) has 4.6 in 2025 and Pomme de Terre WMA has 3.9 in 2025. The rankings describe reported harvest and do not measure access or hunting pressure.

KEY FINDINGS

  1. Loggy Bayou WMA has the highest harvest per square mile at 6.2. The agency reported 64 deer on 6,558 acres in 2025.
  2. 28 public hunting areas are ranked. Ranks compare areas measured between 2020 and 2025 and each row shows its own newest year.

Louisiana public land rankings

Best public land in Louisiana

Derived FDR figures from state agency numbers. Seasons measured 2020 through 2025. Captured October 18, 2026. Harvest per square mile is the agency's deer harvest divided by the area's size. Success rate is the agency's published rate or harvest divided by hunters. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Order uses the unrounded values and tied values share a rank. Blank cells mean the agency did not publish the figure.

Download all ranked rows (CSV)

Public hunting areas

Top 15 of 28 ranked public hunting areas by deer harvest per square mile. Each row shows its own newest year.

15 of 28 areas shown

Louisiana public hunting areas by harvest per square mile
1Loggy Bayou WMABossier6,5582025646.2
2Camp Beauregard WMA (formerly Esler Field)Rapides, Grant12,5002025894.6
3Pomme de Terre WMAAvoyelles6,4342025393.9
4Grassy Lake WMAAvoyelles12,9832025773.8
5Bayou Macon WMAEast Carroll6,9192025403.7
6Richard K. Yancey WMAConcordia70,87220252452.2
7Fort Polk North WMASabine, Natchitoches, Vernon74,30920252091.8
8Spring Bayou WMAAvoyelles12,5062025331.7
9Big Lake WMAFranklin, Tensas, Madison19,2312025431.4
10Sandy Hollow WMATangipahoa4,6552025101.4
11Alexander State Forest WMARapides8,1582020171.3
12J. C. "Sonny" Gilbert WMACatahoula7,5242025141.2
13Tunica Hills WMAWest Feliciana6,5032025121.2
14Thistlethwaite WMASt. Landry11,1002025201.2
15Sabine WMASabine7,5712020121.0

01Public hunting areas

28 areas ranked on harvest per square mile

Loggy Bayou WMA has the most deer harvested per square mile at 6.2 in 2025. Camp Beauregard WMA (formerly Esler Field) has 4.6 in 2025 and Pomme de Terre WMA has 3.9 in 2025.

The top 15 run from 6.2 down to 1.0 deer harvested per square mile.

Public land rankingTop 10 public hunting areas in Louisiana
  1. 01Loggy Bayou WMA6.2
  2. 02Camp Beauregard WMA (formerly Esler Field)4.6
  3. 03Pomme de Terre WMA3.9
  4. 04Grassy Lake WMA3.8
  5. 05Bayou Macon WMA3.7
  6. 06Richard K. Yancey WMA2.2
  7. 07Fort Polk North WMA1.8
  8. 08Spring Bayou WMA1.7
  9. 09Big Lake WMA1.4
  10. 10Sandy Hollow WMA1.4
Deer harvested per square mile, newest season each agency published. October 18, 2026 FDR snapshot. The finder includes the full table and download.

02Basis of this report

Sources and method

FDR divided the agency's deer harvest by the area's size to get harvest per square mile. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Ranks compare areas measured between 2020 and 2025 and each row shows its own newest year.

Success rate is the agency's published figure or harvest divided by hunters. Tied values share a rank and the order uses the unrounded values.

A ranking does not evaluate an individual property and does not confirm that it is open to hunting for you.

NOTES AND SOURCES

  1. Derived FDR figures from state agency numbers. Seasons measured 2020 through 2025. Captured October 18, 2026. Harvest per square mile is the agency's deer harvest divided by the area's size. Success rate is the agency's published rate or harvest divided by hunters. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Order uses the unrounded values and tied values share a rank. Blank cells mean the agency did not publish the figure.

Fully Drawn Research is an independent data analysis desk, not affiliated with any state wildlife agency, transportation agency, mapping provider or outfitter. FDR rankings are independent analysis of state agency numbers. A ranking does not evaluate an individual property.

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Cite this

Fully Drawn Research. "Best public land for deer in Louisiana (2026)." FDR Working Paper 157, Oct 18, 2026. https://www.fullydrawnresearch.ai/research/papers/louisiana-public-land-deer-rankings. Accessed Oct 19, 2026.

Data and charts from this page are free to use with attribution. See the Content Lab.

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