Louisiana's eight rut bands
LDWF publishes its Deer Breeding Periods as a single raster map (asset dated 09/17/14), with no sample sizes, collection years, or per-area numbers published. LDWF states its method outright: "We estimate deer breeding periods primarily using the genetics of does" — restocking history, not latitude or weather, is the leading explanation for Louisiana's spread.
| Region | Peak breeding | Peak movement (hunt this) | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest coastal marsh & prairie | Oct 24 – Nov 6 | Oct 10 – Oct 30 | C |
| West-central | Nov 7 – Nov 20 | Oct 24 – Nov 13 | C |
| Northwest & south-central | Nov 21 – Dec 4 | Nov 7 – Nov 27 | C |
| North-central & southeast delta | Dec 5 – Dec 18 | Nov 21 – Dec 11 | C |
| Northeast delta & coastal southeast | Dec 19 – Jan 1 | Dec 5 – Dec 25 | C |
| Central & Florida parishes | Jan 2 – Jan 15 | Dec 19 – Jan 8 | C |
| Pointe Coupee & eastern Florida parishes | Jan 16 – Jan 29 | Jan 2 – Jan 22 | C |
| West Feliciana & Mississippi River batture | Jan 30 – Feb 26 | Jan 16 – Feb 19 | C |
The same-latitude proof that photoperiod alone doesn't explain the South
Cameron/Vermilion parishes (Oct 24 – Nov 6) sit about 150 miles from the Felicianas (Jan 30 – Feb 26) at essentially the same latitude — roughly three months apart in breeding date. No day-length model produces that gap; it's the strongest evidence in this entire catalog for genetics over geography driving Deep South rut timing.
Parishes → band lookup
| Band | Parishes |
|---|---|
| Southwest coastal marsh & prairie | Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Vermilion, Vernon |
| West-central | Allen, De Soto, Evangeline, Natchitoches, Rapides, Winn |
| Northwest & south-central | Acadia, Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, Grant, Sabine, St. Mary, Union, Webster |
| North-central & southeast delta | Bienville, Caldwell, East Feliciana, Franklin, Jackson, La Salle, Lincoln, Morehouse, Ouachita, Plaquemines, Red River, St. Bernard, St. Helena |
| Northeast delta & coastal southeast | Catahoula, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Madison, Orleans, Richland, Tensas, Terrebonne |
| Central & Florida parishes | Ascension, Avoyelles, Concordia, East Carroll, Iberville, Lafayette, St. Charles, St. Landry, Tangipahoa, West Baton Rouge, West Carroll |
| Pointe Coupee & eastern Florida parishes | Assumption, Pointe Coupee, St. James, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Washington |
| West Feliciana & Mississippi River batture | West Feliciana |
Methodology and confidence
Confidence C for every parish assignment on this page. LDWF does not publish a parish-level table — it publishes a single raster map image with no stated sample sizes or years. Every parish-to-band assignment above is our own reading of that image, not a figure LDWF states directly for your parish.
FAQ
When is the rut in Louisiana?
Depends on the parish — Louisiana runs from Oct 24 in the southwest coastal marsh to Feb 26 in the Felicianas, the widest range published by any state wildlife agency. Look up your parish in the table above.
Why does Louisiana's rut vary so much by parish?
LDWF states its own method: breeding periods are estimated primarily from doe genetics — restocking history — not latitude or climate. Two parishes 150 miles apart at nearly the same latitude (Cameron/Vermilion vs. the Felicianas) breed about three months apart.
Is Louisiana's rut map an official parish table?
No. LDWF publishes a single raster map image with no stated sample sizes or years. Every parish assignment on this page is our own reading of that image — confidence C.