After harvesting a deer or turkey, hunters in Louisiana must validate their tags within 72 hours. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) provides multiple ways to complete this process to ensure compliance with state regulations.

Tag Validation Methods

Hunters can validate their harvest tags using one of the following methods:

• Text-to-Tag: Use your mobile phone to report the harvest via text-to-tag.
  • Text Report to start validating your tag.
  • Text Confirm to sign up for text-to-tag.
• Online Validation: Log in to LouisianaOutdoors.com and submit the required harvest details.
• Phone Validation: Call the LDWF Harvest Validation Line at (225)267-9998 to report the harvest.

Tag Validation Requirements

To validate a tag, hunters must provide:

• LDWF Customer ID or hunting license number
• Tag number assigned to the harvested animal
• Parish where the harvest occurred
• Date and time of the harvest
• Sex of the harvested animal (for deer)

Once the validation is complete, hunters will receive a confirmation number, which serves as proof of validation. It is important to retain this number in case of an LDWF inspection.

Regulations and Compliance

• Validation Deadline: All deer and turkey tags must be validated within 72 hours of the harvest.
• Pre-Harvest Validation: Tags cannot be validated before an animal is harvested. You must get tags before harvesting an animal.
• Moving the Animal: Hunters must complete the electronic tag before moving the animal. If immediate access to a phone or the internet is unavailable, a physical copy or digital photo of the tag must be kept on hand.
• Failure to Validate: Not validating a tag on time may result in penalties or fines from LDWF.

Tag Possession Rules

• Physical or Digital Tags: Hunters must have their tags in their possession while hunting. Tags can be:
  • A printed copy.
  • A digital copy stored on a smartphone.
• Digital Storage: A photo of the tags on a mobile device is acceptable as proof of possession.

For additional details on hunting regulations, visit LDWF's Deer Tags page HERE or contact the LDWF Support Team at (225)267-9996.