Public Hunting on Albemarle and Chotard Lakes

[RLJames]

Does anyone know if there is public access to hunt Albemarle and Chotard Lakes and if you must have a La. license to hunt the west side?

[tupe]

RL,
There are several ramps on both lakes, they are open to the public but all have small launching fees.
As to what you have to do to be legal, well here are some basics. You can hunt the west side on a MS lisc. if the LA season is open, make sure you know where you are though. There has been a ton of fighting going on around those lakes over public rights and the border line between MS&LA. Several years back the late Howard Miller, then comisioner(sp) of game and fish in MS got a ticket for hunting in LA after the season had closed there but was still open in MS.
I have hunted those lakes for alomst twenty years and can tell you this, if you go get ready for a crowd. We have not had the kind of river needed to hunt the lakes in the last few years, and I know that the # of hunters has gone way up since then. People are going to be shocked this winter if we get a good river, there will be launching lines longer than anyone has ever seen up there.
Hope this helps,
M.B.

[shiloh]

HAD A FRIEND THAT GOT A TICKET ON CHOTARD AFTER LA SEASON CLOSED. HE WAS 90 FT....YES 90 FT. OVER THE LINE AND GOT A TICKET FROM A FEDERAL GW, AND THE GW HAD TO USE A GPS TO FIGURE OUT THAT HE WAS IN VIOLATION. I THOUGHT IT WAS RIDICULOUS, BUT MAYBE THIS WILL GIVE YOU AN IDEA ON THEIR SERIOUSNESS. I HAVE BEEN HUNTING THEIR FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND HAVE YET TO BE CHECKED, BUT I LAUNCH FROM A PRIVATE RAMP... [img]images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]

[eyeinthesky]

Just another heads up if you hunt on a ms license during la season i think you have to posess a la state duck stamp. I know we did a couple of years ago but am not sure if you do know with all that has been going around in the state legislatures lately though this migh be a helpful hint. Also mbwaters hit it on the head we haven't had enough water in the river the past couple of years early to do any good hunting over there for the amount of people that go. Just remember to be patient and don't expect to kill a bunch of birds. Me and my buddies use it as a tester for our equipment like boat motor waders and the such before ms season opens and we sometimes get lucky and catch a few woodies or teal zipping. The first snort of gun powder is wonderful in the fall good luck and be safe.
shoot em in the throat

[DUCKAHOLIC]

Another bit of advise on Chotard,if the water gets up and you venture into the tree line,get ready to be harrassed by the crew from Willow Point they think they own that whole damn west side,and will try to **** your hunt up.This is also an ongoing battle thats been going on for years.

[RLJames]

THANK YOU: Micah, MBWaters, Thrasher, eyeinthesky, Duckaholic, for answering my post. I plan on going to lakes in the next couple of weekends to look them over. I went to Felsenthal NWR near Crossett, AR one beautiful swamp but locals indicated large crowds there also.

[tupe]

As far as the Willow Point stuff goes you are right on. My father is an old time lawyer from Vicksburg and he has been working on that problem since it started. Seems the law says one ting in one state and another in the other, with federal law overirding them both. Remember this if the guys from WP get after you... if you are below the mean high water mark they have no right to bother you, and in fact it is against the law in both LA & MS to harras hunters when in lawful persuit of thier game. They have to either give you a ticket or get the hell out of you decoys. I have been in it up to my ears with these guys, funny thing is I was a guide at the main Tara lodge many years ago. I know all the main folk over at Tara and know that it is their usual trick to try to scare people off. Fact is if you are below the line they got no case.
Years ago my father looked up the state and federal laws that portect the public right and had it printed up on little cards for all of our camp members to carry when hunting those lakes. Any time we got pestered by anyone we would just pull out that little card and read off the laws and site the codes, it worked like a charm. We nicnamed the little cards the "Merganser Rights"
Later,
M.B.

[GulfCoast]

I have had serious problems with Tara at Chotard. I carry a copy of the LA statute, and the MS statutes with me. I am always legal, and do not trespass. However, I have been hunting perfectly legal, and had a boat from Tara circle me, doing laps, to keep the ducks away, and had them shoot over my head to scare off ducks, which is not a really bright thing to do when everyone involved is armed. Some day, they will pull this routine on someone less level headed than me, and someone will get shot. And a lot of people like me will line up to testify: "yes, they have been doing this to people for years."

I just thought folks needed to be aware of this if you are thinking of hunting Chotard.

[DUCKAHOLIC]

GC thats what they did to us 4 years ago.it was the last two weeks of the season and the ducks were on Chotard like A fat lady convention at the ice cream shop. Well first they came and sat in the decoys,we dropped two ducks in their boat and they left quick. The next day they circled us and we still killed ducks, I told that boy he could do that all day and scream and the ducks would still come in. They left us for a while,then they tried the resoning approach. Guys we got some guys bow hunting not to far behind you that paid alot of money to hunt. My reply,well who do you think paid for my gun,shells,waders,decoys,gas,etc etc, the hunting fairy. Well this went on for awhile I can tell ya. But what they got is a man who will down grade that outfit as much as possible

[tupe]

We started taking our video cameras with each of our parties. We had already filed a complaint with the head of their org. and the MSFWD and told both that we knew they were breaking the law and that we were "armed" and ready to get them on film for the eventual court date. That backed em up.
I would advise abyone who can to do the same.
It is a shame that this kind of in fighting is going on up there but I know the operation, having worked there. They have pleny of land to use that is not too close to the high water, fact is there parent campany Tara wildlife offers guided duck hunts, thats the reason they want that area secured. Make no mistake that scene is going to get worse before it gets better. It WILL wind up in court, I just pray that cooler heads prevail out on the water when all parties are well armed.
M.B.

[banded]

is there good hunting there though?

[BirdDawgHunter]

Even if there was good hunting, it sure doesn't sound like it'd be worth all that. I guess that would make Tara the winner, though.

[mallardchaser]

I'VE HEARD ABOUT THE DIKHEADS AT TARA TRYING TO RUN PEOPLE OFF. I KNOW A GUY WHO HAS HUNTED THERE FOR YEARS. HE TOO ADVISED OF THE HIGHT WATER LINE. HE TELLS THEM TO *** OFF AND I THINK WAS EVEN TRYING TO GET THEM TO COURT.