(The Center Square) – Louisiana hunters will get their first chance Thursday to apply for a new recreational alligator hunt authorized by a state law passed earlier this year, expanding access to a harvest historically conducted through the state’s commercial alligator program.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will accept applications for the new recreational alligator harvest lottery through Aug. 30. The season will run Oct. 1-31 across eight harvest zones.

The new hunting opportunity follows passage of Act 37 during the 2026 legislative session. The law, which originated as Senate Bill 244 by Robert Allain, R-Franklin, authorized the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission to establish a special recreational alligator season independent of the traditional commercial season.

The law also gave the commission authority to establish hunting areas, harvest quotas and tag allotments and to extend, shorten or prohibit recreational alligator hunting in particular areas.

The commission approved rules for the recreational season in May.

“We have a population problem with over 3 million alligators today,” Allain said when presenting his bill in March. “If you drive down Highway 70 you can see how many dead alligators are on the side of the road.”

The commission says the state’s wild alligator population has recovered after decades of conservation efforts and is capable of supporting a recreational harvest without negatively affecting the commercial industry, which the department says contributes more than $250 million annually to Louisiana’s economy.

Up to 5,000 hunters will be selected through the lottery, with successful applicants receiving two nontransferable alligator tags for each zone in which they are selected. Louisiana residents who are at least 16 and meet hunter education requirements are eligible to apply.

Applications cost $50 per zone and the fee is nonrefundable. Hunters may apply for more than one of the state’s eight zones and can be selected in multiple zones. Successful applicants must also purchase a $25 resident Alligator Sports Hunter License.

The law requires recreational hunters to have a basic hunting license, an alligator hunting license and recreational harvest tags issued by commission.

Unlike commercially harvested alligators, alligators, hides, meat and other parts taken under the recreational program cannot be sold or bartered. Recreational tags also cannot be transferred, and hunters cannot conduct or participate in for-hire guided hunts using recreational tags.

Louisiana’s eight recreational zones have a combined 5,000 lottery opportunities. Zones B and C have the largest allotments at 1,250 hunters each, followed by Zone A with 500. Zones D through H each have 400 opportunities.