Major Bust: 32 Louisiana Dove Hunters Face Opening Weekend Charges

Thousands and thousands of Louisiana hunters anxiously await the arrival of dove season each year on the first Saturday of September.

Get our free mobile app

It's the unofficial/official beginning of that year's hunting season! Time to drag out the camouflage and trusty old shotgun.

We gather in fields, pastures, fence rows; just any place where doves might pass and allow us to test our shooting skills.

However, each year, a number of Louisiana hunters will try to tip the scales in favor of increased dove activity and they do it by circumventing the law. This past weekend was opening weekend of the 2025-26 dove season and over thirty Louisiana hunters were cited for this very action.

According to a report from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) enforcement agents cited a total of 32 subjects for alleged dove hunting violations and agents seized a total of 219 doves in connection with these cases and donated them to local charities.

In St. James Parish on Sept. 6, agents cited the following for hunting migratory game birds over a baited area:

• Darren Wade Jr., 20, of Baton Rouge; also cited for intentional concealment of wildlife
• Matthew Faucheux, 30, of Gramercy
• Blake Roussel, 29, of Hester
• Baylen Louque, 30, of Gramercy
• Steven Dykes, 21,of Baton Rouge
• Michael Pocorello, 20, of Baton Rouge
• Ethan Watson, 20, of Baton Rouge
• Talmar Butler, 21, of Baton Rouge
• Philip Poche, 30 of Gramercy
• Anthony Distefano Jr., 19, of Baton Rouge
• Colin Frick, 20, of Baton Rouge
• Nicholas Migliacio, 20, of Baton Rouge

In Madison Parish on Sept. 6, agents cited three subjects, all from Vicksburg, Mississippi, for hunting without non-resident hunting licenses.  Those three were:

• Laken Herring, 27
• Thomas Caruthers, 25
• Thomas Hamilton, 42

In Tensas Parish on Sept. 6, agents cited the following:

• Edward Kirkland, 50, of Saint Francisville, for hunting migratory game birds with an unplugged gun
• Raymond Smith, 50, of Ferriday, for placing bait to take migratory game birds, hunting migratory game birds over a baited area, and hunting migratory game birds with an unplugged gun
• Raymond Smith IV, 18, of Ferriday, for hunting migratory game birds over a baited area
• Drake Smith, 25, of Ferriday, for hunting migratory game birds over a baited area
• Lindsey Lee, 23, of Natchez, Miss., for hunting without a non-resident hunting license.

In Rapides Parish on Sept. 6, agents cited five individuals for taking over the limit of doves. Those were:

• Anthony Palermo, 26, of Lecompte
• Terri Palermo, 59, of Lecompte
• James C. Morace, 23, of Deville
• Emily M. Morace, 24, of Deville
• William C. Barton, 38, of Marksville;

Agents arrested Chris Lacombe, 36, of Marksville, for possession of a firearm by convicted felon, hunting with unplugged gun and possession of a stolen firearm in Avoyelles Parish on Sept. 6.

In Vernon Parish on Sept. 6, agents cited Jimmie West, 25, of Leesville, and Marvin Tarver, 23, of Mooringsport, for violating non-toxic shot requirements on a Wildlife Management Area (WMA).

In Concordia Parish on Sept. 6, agents cited Sawyer Perkins, 25, of Vidalia, for hunting migratory game birds over a baited area and placing bait to take migratory game birds.

On September 7, in West Baton Rouge Parish, agents cited two men from Bueche, for hunting migratory game birds over a baited area.  Those two were:

• Danny Catoir, 20
• Wyatt Bonaventure, 19

Intentional concealment of wildlife carries a $900 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail. State charges for hunting over the limit of doves and hunting doves with an unplugged gun brings a $400 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail for each offense. Hunting without non-resident hunting licenses and violating non-toxic shot requirements on a WMA carries up to a $350 fine for each offense.

Illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon carries a $1,000 to $5,000 fine and 10 to 20 years of jail. Possession of a stolen firearm brings one to five years in jail.

All migratory game bird baiting cases are filed with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecution in Federal Court.