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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Lake Ophelia

National Wildlife

Refuge Hunting and

Fishing Regulations

2016-2017

To:

Lake Ophelia

National Wildlife Refuge

401 Island Road

Marksville, LA 71351

318/253 4238

http://www.fws.gov/lakeophelia

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

1 800/344 WILD

May 2016

Central Louisiana NWR Special Recreational Activity

Permits are $20.00. Our Special Recreational Activity

Permit may also be purchased on-line for $20.00 at http://

www.centrallapermits.com/. Accela accepts all major credit

cards. All hunters are encouraged to purchase permits on-

line.

The Refuge

Lake Ophelia National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1988

primarily to preserve wintering and breeding habitat for

waterfowl, is located in the Red River floodplain in east

central Louisiana, approximately 10 miles north-east of

Marksville. Public hunting and fishing is permitted on

approximately 12,000 acres during specific times of the year.

Individuals utilizing the refuge are subject to inspections

of permits, licenses, hunting equipment, bag limits, boats,

vehicles, and their contents by refuge officers.

To ensure your safety and enjoyment while visiting Lake

Ophelia, please take the time to become familiar with the

following regulations.

General Regulations

Hunting and fishing regulations are designed to protect the

sportsman as well as wildlife populations. The regulations

below govern hunting and fishing on national wildlife

refuges as set forth in Title 50, Code of Federal Regulations.

Hunting and fishing will be in accordance with applicable

state regulations, except where otherwise stated.

The refuge is open to public access for the purposes of

hunting from 4 am to two hours after sunset, with the

exception of Lake Long Road, which is open to through

traffic 24-hours/day. The refuge boundary is marked with

signs and yellow paint.

Weapons and Ammunition

Archery equipment and primitive firearms as defined by

the State of Louisiana (LDWF) are permitted during the

applicable Refuge hunt. Youth hunters are not allowed to

use modern firearms during Refuge primitive firearms

hunts. Persons possessing, transporting, or carrying

firearms on Refuge must comply with all provisions of state

and local laws.

Refuge users may only possess approved nontoxic shot

while on the Refuge, with the exception that lead shot is

allowed during turkey hunting season only.

Note: Use and/or possession of buckshot is prohibited.

Possession of shot larger than that legal for waterfowl

hunting is prohibited; use or possession of lead shot is

prohibited refuge wide.

Exceptions

During quota deer and turkey hunts, lead ammunition

legal for taking deer and turkey may be used. Small

game may be hunted with up to a .22 magnum caliber

rimfire using lead ammunition during open seasons.

Permits

An annual Special Recreational Activity Permit is

required for all hunters and fishermen 16 years old

and older, and for all terrain vehicle (ATV) use on the

refuge.

The Central LA NWR (20.00) Special Recreational

Activity Permit applies to all refuges within the complex

(Lake Ophelia, Grand Cote, and Catahoula). Permits

are available at the Refuge Headquarters located at

Grand Cote National Wildlife Refuge, seven miles west

of Marksville, LA on Highway 1194. Office hours are

Monday through Friday 7:30 am to 4 pm, except for

federal holidays when the office is closed.

Permits may also be purchased at the Catahoula NWR

Office, located on US Highway 84, approximately

12 miles east of Jena, LA, and one mile west of the

junction of highways US 84 and LA 28. On weekdays

and weekends, permits may be purchased at Kate

and Ivy’s Grocery store, located seven miles north of

Marksville on Highway 452.

Our Special Recreational Activity Permit may also

be purchased on-line at http://www.centrallapermits.

com/. All permits purchased on-line must be printed

and in the hunter’s possession.

Refuge permits authorize participation in all refuge

hunting and fishing activities. The permit must be signed

and in your possession whenever hunting, fishing, or

using an ATV on the refuge, and acknowledges your

understanding of refuge regulations.

Commercial Activities

Commercial hunting and fishing activities are prohibited.

Specifically, we prohibit any person or group acting

as a hunting guide, outfitter, or in any other capacity

that any other individual pays or promises to pay

directly or indirectly for services rendered to any other

person(s) hunting on the refuge, regardless of whether

such payment is for guiding, outfitting, lodging or club

membership.

Lottery Primitive Firearm Deer Hunts

December 3-4, January 7-8, and January 21-22

All Deer Lottery Hunts require an application to be

completed through the Accela Corporation. On-line

applications will be accepted from August 1, 2016 through

August 31, 2016 at 3 pm central standard time. All paper

applications must be received (not postmarked) by August

31, 2016. Applicants will be noticed by e-mail, phone, or

postal notification by Accela Corporation. Applicants

may also check their status at https://secure.kinsail.com/

partners/permit_lookup.asp?p=lanwrc&pt=fws using

their e-mail address and confirmation number. If you have

any questions about the application process, call 703/994

4194.

How to Apply for Deer Lottery Hunts

On-line Applications

Hunters are now required to apply for Deer Lottery Hunts

on-line at http://www.centrallapermitspermits.com

During the application process you will be provided with an

immediate confirmation number. Please save this number

for your records once your application is complete.

Paper applications are no longer accepted by mail or in

person at The Central Louisiana Refuge Complex office in,

Marksville, LA. Applications must be completed on-line or

mailed directly to:

Grand Cote NWR

c/o Accela Corporation

1420 Beverly Road, Suite 150

McLean, VA 22101

You may download a Deer Lottery Hunt application form

at our website at http://www.fws.gov/lakeophelia/ or call

703/994 4194 to request a mailed copy.

Incomplete, unclear or non-legible applications will not

be accepted for the drawing. No faxes or e-mails will be

accepted.

Group Hunts

Two to five individuals may be processed as a group or a

hunt party. Up to five individuals may apply in a group.

Applicants will only have to enter their hunt selection once

during the process, but will need the name and address

information for the other hunters in their group. Any

on-line applications that are received separately will be

treated as separate applications.

Applicants applying by paper application will need to

complete a separate application for each hunter and staple

them together in the upper left hand corner and mail them

all together to the address listed above.

Group applicants must indicate the same hunt date in order

to be considered a group.

There is a $5.00 application fee for each individual applying

for a lottery hunt. Application fees must be in the form of

a money order-(for paper applications) and credit card for

on-line applications. You can combine application fees for

each member into one payment. This fee is non-refundable

and must be received with your application.

Completed applications and the $5.00 application fee must

be returned to Accela by close of business (3 pm central

standard time) on August 31. Incomplete, or incorrect

applications will be removed from consideration.

Permits are non-transferable and must be in the hunter’s

possession at all times while on the refuge during the

permitted hunt. Only hunters with valid lottery permits are

permitted on the Refuge during Refuge lottery hunts.

Lottery Youth Deer Hunts

November 21, December 17, and January 28

There will be three lottery deer hunts for youths ages

12-15 (applicants must be 12 by the date of the hunt). A

total of 30 youths will be selected (10 per hunt). Applicants

previously selected are not eligible to apply.

Ten, 3-man ground blinds will be provided. Each youth

must be accompanied by one parent/guardian 21 years or

older. A refuge staff/volunteer will also accompany each

youth to their blind. Rifles will be allowed.

Spring Turkey Hunts (First 16 days of the State Season)

Turkey hunting is allowed until 12 noon. Hunt Areas

1B and 2B are closed during turkey season. ATV’s are

restricted to marked trails. The use of turkey gobbler/jake

decoys and incidental hog hunting during refuge turkey

season is prohibited. Harvested turkeys must be checked

at Kate and Ivy’s Grocery, located seven miles south of the

refuge on Highway 452.

Motorized Vehicles

All motorized vehicles are restricted to roads that are

delineated on the refuge map. The vehicle speed limit shall

not exceed 25 mph, except as otherwise legally posted.

Boones and Buck Roads are now motor vehicle access

only. Hunters will be required to park at designed parking

lots and access ATV tails from parking areas. NO ATV’s

allowed on Boones and Buck Road.

All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs)

Use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) is restricted to

designated ATV trails. ATVs are allowed only for hunting,

fishing, and other wildlife related activities. ATVs will not

exceed 25 mph when driven on the Refuge.

ATVs used on the Refuge will not to exceed the following:

weight – 750 lbs., length – 85”, and width – 48”. ATV

tires are restricted to those no larger than 25 x 12 with

a maximum lug height of 1” and a maximum allowable

tire pressure of 7 p.s.i. as indicated on the tire by the

manufacturer. ATV trails are open from September

1 through the last day of the Refuge turkey season.

Exceptions are the Duck Lake trail and the Westcut trail

which are open to fishermen March 1- October 15.

Boats

Lake Ophelia is open only during the Unit 1B archery deer

season, only electric or non-motorized boats may be used in

the lake. Scouting is allowed in Unit 1B starting September

1 when ATV trails open. Boats may not be left on the

refuge overnight.

Lake Long, Possum Bayou (South of boat ramp), and

Dooms Lake are open to boat access from September 1

through the last day of archery season and only electric or

non-motorized boats may be used.

Duck, West Cut Lakes, Nicholas, Possum Bayou (North

of boat ramp), Palmetto Bayou and Point Basse are open

to boat access from September 1 through the last day of

archery season and motors up to 35 horsepower may be

used.

Prohibited Activities

The following activities are prohibited on Lake Ophelia

National Wildlife Refuge:

n Possession or distribution of bait while in the field and

hunting with the aid of bait, including any grain, salt,

minerals, or any non-naturally occurring food attractant.

n Hunting or the discharge of firearms within 150 feet

from the centerline of roads, maintained trails, utility

right-of-ways, and refuge boundary is prohibited.

nUse or possession of any type of material used as

flagging or trail markers, except bright eyes or reflective

tape.

nUse or possession of alcoholic beverages while hunting

nLittering or leaving personal items, other than what is

identified in this brochure

nCamping / overnight parking

nTaking of wildlife, or parts of, or plants (including cutting

trees or brush) other than specified in this brochure

nTarget practice

nTrapping

nUse of horses or mules

nFires

nSpot-lighting – including the use of automobile/ATV

artificial light may not be used to locate wildlife.

nMan-drives for deer or feral hogs

nCrawfishing

nSearching for or removing any object of antiquity

including arrowheads, pottery or other artifacts.

nBlocking gates or roadways with vehicles or ATVs.

nDriving or screwing a nail, spike or other metal object

into a tree or to hunt from any tree in which such an

object has been driven; or using climbing spikes.

nPossession of saws, saw blades, or machetes.

nHarvest of frogs, turtles, snakes, shells, or mollusks

nCollection and removal of deer antlers

nUse of remote cameras

nUse of deer or turkey gobbler decoys

nGeocaching

Specific Hunting Regulations

During a Deer Primitive Firearm Lottery hunt, hunters

will be allowed to harvest two deer (one antlered and one

antlerless) per hunt.

All hunters must check-in and check-out after each

hunt using a self-clearing permit available from a

check station. Reporting your hunting activity and any

wildlife harvest information will help us better manage the

Refuge. Hunter participation and wildlife harvest data are

vital to the management of Refuge. Do not to fill out a

self-clearing permit for scouting!!

No individual may enter the Refuge earlier than 4 am and

must exit no later than two hours after legal sunset for

that day. Waterfowl hunting must cease by 12 noon and all

decoys and blinds removed from the hunting area by 1 pm.

Turkey hunting must also cease by 12 noon.

The International Bowhunters Certification Course is not

required for archery hunting.

Only portable deer stands may be used. Deer stands may

be placed on the refuge in a non-hunting position one day

prior to the archery season and must be removed from the

Refuge within one day after the archery season closes -

NO EXCEPTIONS!! Hunters may place only one deer

stand on the Refuge. Deer stands must have the owners

name, address and phone number clearly printed on the

stand. Stands must be placed in a non-hunting position, at

or near the base of the tree, when not in use.