SLS 22RS-142 ORIGINAL
2022 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 86
BY SENATORS CATHEY AND LUNEAU AND REPRESENTATI VE RISER
WILDLIFE/FISHERIES DEPT. Provides for a bear hunting season in Louisiana. (8/1/22)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 56:116(A), relative hunting seasons; to provide for a bear hunting season; to
3 provide for the powers and duties of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries
4 Commission; to provide for the management of the bear population; to provide for
5 reporting; and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 56:116(A) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 ยง116. Wild birds and wild quadrupeds; bear season; special hunting seasons
9 A. (1) Beginning 2023 and every year thereafter, the commission shall
10 establish a bear season. The commission shall define the dates, times, and area
11 for hunting bear and may use any of the following methods to manage the bear
12 population:
13 (a) Limit the number and sex of bears that can be taken.
14 (b) Prohibit taking bears outfitted with a radio collar.
15 (c) Prohibit the use of dogs or bait.
16 (d) Establish a lottery system for the issuance of tags and for the
17 opportunity to participate in the season.
18 (e) Any other limitation the commission finds useful or necessary to
Page 1 of 2 SB NO. 86
SLS 22RS-142 ORIGINAL
1 manage the resource.
2 (2) Any bear taken shall immediately be reported to the department in
3 a manner provided by the commission. By January 15, 2024, and every year
4 thereafter, the department shall report the number of bears taken the previous
5 year; the number of tags issued, if any; the estimated bear population in the
6 state; and any other relevant data to the Senate Committee on Natural
7 Resources and the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.
8 * * *
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Tyler S. McCloud.
DIGEST
SB 86 Original 2022 Regular Session Cathey
Present law authorizes the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission to fix, approve, and
adopt seasons and bag and possession limits and to establish other rules and regulations for
the hunting, taking, possession, or protection of any species or sex of wild quadrupeds and
wild birds, in any specified locality or localities of the state. Proposed law retains present
law.
Proposed law requires the commission beginning 2023 to annually establish a bear season
by defining the dates, times, and area for hunting bear.
Proposed law authorizes the commission to manage the bear population by limiting the
number and sex of bears that can be taken, prohibiting taking bears outfitted with a radio or
use of dogs or bait, establishing a lottery system for the issuance of tags, and to participate,
or any other useful or necessary limitation.
Proposed law requires immediate reporting to the department of any bear taken.
Proposed law requires an annual report beginning January 15, 2024, by the department to
the oversight committees of the number of bears taken, the number of tags issued, the
estimated bear population, and any other relevant data.
Effective August 1, 2022.
(Adds R.S. 56:116(A))
Page 2 of 2