Nuisance Nutrias and Beavers

Daytime Take

During daylight hours, landowners or their designees may remove nutrias and beavers causing damage to their property without a special permit. Nutrias may be removed by any means; legal methods for beavers include water set traps and firearms.

Nighttime Take

Landowners or their designees must follow additional regulations for nighttime take of nutrias and beavers. On private property, the landowner, or his lessee or agent with the landowner’s written permission and contact information in his possession, may take nutrias and beavers from one-half hour after official sunset to one-half hour before official sunrise.

Legal methods for nighttime take include any legal firearm which may be used with or without the aid of artificial light, infrared, or laser sighting devices, or night vision devices. Sound suppressors on the firearm(s) are permitted, but anyone using such a weapon must have a valid permit issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in their possession.

Anyone taking part in these activities at night must notify the sheriff’s office of the parish in which the property is located 24 hours in advance of any such activity or immediately upon taking a nutria or beaver. 

In addition, you may not participate or be present during nighttime hunting activities if you have been convicted of a class three or greater wildlife violation within the previous five years or are prohibited from legal use of a firearm or participation in a hunting activity.