Connecting People to Nature – Without a Hunting or Fishing License

As interest in hunting declines and angling plateaus, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is launching an innovative education program that invites everyone to enjoy Louisiana’s wild spaces—no license required.

Through its new Non-consumptive Outdoor Education Program, LDWF is promoting wildlife watching, birding, camping, hiking, canoeing, geocaching, and nature photography across the state’s Wildlife Management Areas, refuges, and conservation lands.

Over 57% of Americans engage in wildlife watching compared to 15% who fish and 5% who hunt

• Wildlife watchers spent $250 billion nationwide in 2022—five times more than hunters

• This program encourages lifelong outdoor participation, health, and conservation awareness

• It reaches new user groups including urban families, youth, and underserved communities

Safe Practices Outdoors: New literature and video guides for beginners

• Wildlife Viewing Resources: A dedicated website with how-to content and event listings

• Outdoor Education in Schools: LDWF and the Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation are bringing curriculum-based survival skills, camping, and birding to Louisiana classrooms

• Infrastructure Investments: New photography blinds, nature trails, towers, and canoe trails

• Media and Partnerships: A statewide outreach campaign and collaboration with public and private partners

Support this growing effort to connect communities to nature. With your donation, we can expand programs, build wildlife-viewing infrastructure, and deliver education that inspires stewardship for generations.

For more information, contact Chuck Jones at 318-243-2157 or cjones@wlf.la.gov.