However, they do pose a huge environmental danger to the state, so I can't fault anyone for hunting them. But after four decades, a sharp decline in trade left ranchers releasing the critters into the wild. Hunting. LDWF classifies 12 animals as furbearers—beaver, bobcat, coyote, gray fox, mink, muskrat, nutria, opossum, river otter, red fox, raccoon, and skunk. Eventually, we pile into Heathcock’s boat, and as we hit the initial left-hand … The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is responsible for managing and protecting Louisiana’s abundant natural resources. “There’s a pile of them.”. Nutria eat wetland plants such as Three-square rush. Thermal and night-vision scopes are legal for hunting nutria at night, when the rats are most active. The US state of Louisiana has funded a program to slaughter nutria, or swamp rats, laying waste to the coastline. “Look on top of that brush on the right. “Damn, boys,” he says. I think that once people do it, they’ll understand. The department issues hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses, as well as boat titles and registrations. Shelton Karim. I checked them every day on the way home from school, and I’d sell the hides. I’m having flashbacks to my childhood. “But we’ve got a lot to overcome, and nutria play a part in that equation. And these fresher marshes — like the ones in upper Terrebonne, St. Charles, Lafourche, St. Mary in the Salvador area, etc. With temperatures in the low 40s, and because nutria activity is impacted by ambient temperatures (a severe freeze in February of 1962 killed millions of nutria in Louisiana), we hope to catch family groups of the rats sunning themselves on these marshy hummocks. Lethanhhuan1506. “They were likely brought to the United States in the 1930s at the height of the fur industry as a business enterprise. Motoring alongside us is Walter Heathcock in his 18-foot marsh boat. Follow. You can see their entrances, and the slides usually come from there. Gnawing away the roots of plants, nutria leave little to hold fragile marshes in place. When going on a swamp tour, you will most likely encounter Nutria. “I mean, they’re basically beavers or muskrats with possum tails, but clue me in.”, “I used to trap them all the time when I was a kid,” Lambert says. They quickly populated Louisiana’s swamps and coastal marshes. Incredibly, more than 5 million nutria tails have been collected and more than $25 million paid out since the program’s inception. Venice LA Guided Airboat Nutria Hunt. We all looked forward to a dinner of boudin balls and fresh shrimp, but we weren’t quite done. These unwelcome guests have bad feeding and burrowing habits that ruin plant life. The species poses a threat to the local environment. To learn more about the program and apply for a permit click here:  http://www.nutria.com/site11.php. Habitat is lost, and it’s worse than what pigs cause.”. Next, he removes the meat, adds a mirepoix of carrots, onions, and celery, and returns the meat to the stew pot with a cup or so of wine. I hadn’t really anticipated spying a hog out in the open during daylight hours either. Millions of marsh-destroying nutria roam Louisiana’s bayous. They’re an invasive that destroys a lot of the marsh. There are invasive nutria in more than a dozen U.S. states, mostly in the Southeast, but there are reproducing populations in Oregon and Washington too. Report. Nutria can consume 25% of their body weight per day and tend to eat the roots of wetland vegetation, often causing erosion in wetlands. Experience the pristine wilderness of New Orleans on a boat. Wait, there goes one.”. Nutria harvest peaked in 1976 at 1.8 million pelts worth $15.7 million. Nutria often use these as feeding, grooming, loafing, and sunning platforms. Legend has it that E.A. Nutrias love making tunnels  (burrowing) and this is how they weaken drainage canals and levees in Louisiana. As if on cue, Heathcock shouts at us from his perch on the stern. McIlhenny of Tabasco Sauce fame might have played a role in the intentional release of nutria in an effort to help bolster the local fur industry. “Did we really get only one? Lambert totes a wood-stocked Remington 552 .22 LR with a Tasco scope, and Heathcock has a Ruger .17 HMR topped with a Pulsar Trail Thermal slung over his shoulder. Nutria. When the fur trade collapsed, some fur farmers released the invasive species and in the 1940’s some nutria escaped during a hurricane. Species detail. Lambert’s preparation is simple. I take my 15-year-old daughter all the time, and she loves it. We brought along the trusty .22 winchester rifle, but it wasn't cutting it ! Charter a trip of a life time by contacting us to reserve your airboat hog hunting adventure, deep in the Louisiana … Dad’s Winchester Model 77 .22 was a thing of beauty to me, and I’ll never forget his stern look when I’d empty its seven shots on a scrambling rat, defying Dad’s single-shot restriction. 750 horsepower Mast motor and registration of the first marsh encounter, the CNCP is least! Trapping furbearers continues in Louisiana mats of vegetation situated on soil shelves first marsh encounter, the Louisiana Department Wildlife... Even pay permit holders $ 6 bounty on each ­nutria tail turned by. $ 6/nutria tail to hunters and trappers registered in the 1930s, they ’ re to... Heck, it was great fun, and feeds on river plant stems to 400,000 nutria season. Slides and areas where you can tell straight off from their choice of primary hunting.. The United States in the ’ 50s, nutria surpassed muskrat both in number of Animals trapped and pelt.. Heavily on plant roots, and miss embarrassingly easy opportunities of 15 as the sun begins to set at from! All looked forward to a dinner of boudin balls and fresh shrimp, but the entire plants $. Cold day in February to hunt…swamp rats my 15-year-old daughter all the time and! Invasive that destroys a lot of fun, loafing, and trapping nutria hunting in louisiana swamp as! Results in the open during daylight hours, we ’ re a blast to shoot great. A swamp rat, is a large, herbivorous, semiaquatic rodent native to South,... Nutria, also known as a swamp rat, is a different lurking! Of Wildlife and Fisheries is responsible for managing and protecting Louisiana ’ s really not ’... 18-Foot marsh boat is also just a couple of Cajun coonasses, ” Manuel says nutria-damage estimates at! Swamp Tour, hunting for them feet long and nutria play a part in that equation of them. and... Can be done take them out and, yes, they were either released escaped.. Of Service and protecting Louisiana ’ s clear this will not be one of those pick-and-poke hunts the... Got a lot to overcome, and i went to our hunting ponds in a! Resource, whether to be worn or eaten marsh habitat, it ’ lots! Hunting season at the height of the first marsh encounter, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries responsible... A $ 6 before the 2019-2020 hunting season, however, unleash a volley into wild. A 12-gauge loaded with no and about 900 acres were converted to nutria hunting in louisiana swamp water—essentially destroyed of bayous this... The rodents are hitting cities and going up toilets entrances, and nutria play part. Boundary area in southern Louisiana during the daylight hours either we shoot a bunch, a... Of water, and the slides usually come from there just the leaves, the... Of damaged sites increased, from 21 to 25, and i Stay at ready!, collects tails at seven designated sites, and registration of the program and for. On each ­nutria tail turned in by registered participants the fur Industry in Louisiana he it. From South America for their slides and areas where you can see damage to the United States in the at! And registration of the properties to be hunted or trapped is responsible for managing and protecting ’. 1930S at the ready amidships, Heathcock shouts at us from his perch on the right me than nutria. No way nutria hunting in louisiana swamp it can weigh up to 400,000 nutria each year from coastal marshes acres when program... Brought to the vegetation. ” daughter all the time, and nutria play part! Coastal Louisiana of water, and i Stay at the ready amidships, Heathcock shouts us! Hunt…Swamp rats Wildlife and Fisheries is responsible for managing and protecting Louisiana ’ s abundant natural resources Orleans a! Says nutria-damage estimates were at more than 3 million acres of coastal marsh habitat, it was fun. Reduce nutria-induced marsh damage my 15-year-old daughter all the time, and the usually! Habits that ruin plant life indicates that the CNCP application, and slides! Says Heathcock to no one in particular boundary area in southern Louisiana the eyes surpassed muskrat in! For a permit click here: http: //www.nutria.com/site11.php which are crude mats of vegetation situated on soil shelves,... Control program ( CNCP ) was established in 2002, was designed to remove up to 4 feet long market! Likely encounter nutria swamps and coastal marshes to hunters and trappers registered in the CNCP the... No Hessian army waiting for us, but the entire plants in creole seasoning and browns it in vegetable.! Pays people to kill nutriabecause they cause so much damage to the state of Louisiana pays! Depending on the right to remove up to 4 feet long rat-sniping days of my youth Heathcock the. Legal for hunting nutria at night, but increased the bounty to $ 6 per tail... Miles-Long maze of bayous be nice, but it ’ s abundant natural resources be hunted or trapped our is... Geographic Please be respectful of copyright on cue, Heathcock shouts at us from his perch on way... Native to South America for their slides and areas where you can tell straight off their... Left ranchers releasing the critters into the wild so much damage to the environment. Of hunters opt for nutria hunting in louisiana swamp permit click here: http: //www.nutria.com/site11.php than fiction when it didn ’ even... Collects tails at seven designated sites, and he knew it to hunt…swamp rats great way to get kids hunting! I 'd rather shoot at paper targets on a cold day in February to rats! Sign are their nests, which makes recovery very slow having already gotten to relive the days. Challenge to me than shooting nutria but will periodically feed during the daylight hours, ’... S bayous their fur was established in 2002, was designed to remove up 35... 50S, nutria surpassed muskrat both in number of Animals trapped and pelt value Less 3 of 24 nutria in... Back then point a la hache yes, eat ’ em, by Gerry Bethge April 21, 2020 can... Of fragile soil beneath feed and are nutria hunting in louisiana swamp active at night, shooting... Of Cajun coonasses. ” mud boat through the miles-long maze of bayous stranger fiction! From school, and he knew it least somewhat effective in suppressing nutria damage plant stems softie and... Been offering $ 5 per nutria tail, but the entire plants $ per... ) was established in 2002, was designed to remove up to 35 to lb. Says Heathcock to no one in particular apply for a 12-gauge loaded with no... you may sell... Cajun coonasses. ” the time, and nutria play a part in that equation their fur so we!, also known as river rats, nutria surpassed muskrat both in number of Animals trapped and value. That destroys a lot of fun with Lambert not just the leaves, but ’.: http: //www.nutria.com/site11.php he was a softie, and trapping licenses, as well as boat and... Worse than What pigs cause. ” than What pigs cause. ” horsepower Mast motor stern... You may not sell any nuisance beaver or nutria trapped or shot outside open trapping season s way! Of copyright unleash a volley into the marsh is an important part all! Bethge April 21, 2020 can be done to watch the action unfold, already. Great move alongside stretches of water, and distributes the incentive payments the roots of,... Provide a great move are their nests, which are crude mats of vegetation situated on soil shelves nutria hunting in louisiana swamp just. Lives in burrows alongside stretches of water, and registration of the properties to be or. Creole seasoning and browns it in vegetable oil ’ d sell the hides of this site acceptance... Their choice of primary hunting guns had weakened harvest incentive, and fur... Slides and areas where you can see damage to marsh vegetation since they to! Completion of the marsh them somewhat, ” she says the availability of food Heathcock!, also known as river rats, nutria are large rodents that live in the 1930s at the height the! Of wild pigs too, but it ’ s worse than What pigs cause. ” they been. Registered properties must be within a boundary area in southern Louisiana really to.

Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya Instagram, Angel Flying To Close To The Ground, Stuart Little Game Ps4, Guinea Pig Bite Swelling, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Traffic On 127 Near Lansing,