LOUISIANA LANGIAPPE

“Shoot,” I yelled as birds exploded in all directions from thick reeds just a few feet from us! “There’s another one. Fire! Here comes a straggler. Get him!”

In seconds, my son pumped out three rounds from his Remington Model 870 20 gauge, scoring a double. More birds flushed from dense cover while others raced into the canes to escape on foot as Steven quickly tried to reload. Hastily dropping one shell into the chamber, he nailed another bird struggling to get airborne.

Fortunately, birds that flushed didn’t travel far. We watched where most headed, picked up our kills and took a brief break. Minutes later, reloaded and recomposed from the initial adrenaline rush, we found them again for another round. Repeating this procedure during the next two hours, Steven fired a box of shells before bagging his 15-bird limit.

Sound impossible? Guess again! Cajun sportsmen can target abundant game birds that frequently go unnoticed by others, but provide incredible action. Some hunters occasionally shoot rails or gallinules spotted from a duck blind, but these birds largely go ignored.

Common and purple gallinules both look similar to coots. One of the most striking North American game birds, purple gallinules exhibit blue and green body feathers, purple heads, long yellow legs, white rumps and red bills with yellow tips. Bright blue forehead patches distinguish purple gallinules from their more drab red-patched cousins.

“Common gallinules, often called moorhens, and purple gallinules are common in wetlands through out the state,” advised Jason Olszak, a Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries biologist. “Not many people hunt them. It’s an opportunistic hunt. People get them when they see them. Moorhens are more common through the interior of the state in emergent marshes along the rivers. Purple gallinules are more common in coastal parishes, but people can still find them in inland wetlands around reedy lake shorelines and shallows with abundant lotus and lily pads.”

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People can also bag king rails, the largest of the rail species. Virginia rails closely resemble kings, but are smaller. Sora rails almost look like quail with short, powerful bills. Gallinules and these rail species typically prefer freshwater systems with abundant thick vegetation growing in or near the water edge or matted on the surface.

Alone among the rails, clappers like salty marshes. Also called marsh hens, clappers look like skinny chickens with long bills. They often walk mudflats in coastal marshes looking to snatch invertebrates to eat. People often hear their clack, clack, clack calling.

Cajun sportsmen can shoot rails and gallinules from Sept. 12-27 and again from Nov. 7 to Dec. 30. People may bag up to 15 gallinules per day. People may also bag up 15 king or clapper rails and 25 sora or Virginia rails in any combination per day.

Since rails and gallinules do not respond to decoys or calls, sportsmen must go to them. In September, some people hunt teal at first light and then go looking for rails and gallinules later in the morning. A limit of nearly unpressured gallinules can turn a humdrum teal hunt into an exciting adventure, especially for young children or novice hunters.

Some sportsmen slog through marshes to flush rails and gallinules, but soft mud in many Louisiana wetlands makes that nearly impossible Therefore, most people hunt from small boats. Federal law prohibits people from shooting at migratory birds from boats under motor or sail power, but people can paddle, drift or pole through the marshes shooting rails and gallinules.

Look for these birds along shorelines of sloughs and small channels with abundant matted vegetation and tall reeds that provide significant cover. At low tide, scan exposed mudbanks and grassy edges. At high tide, scrutinize any tall canes. Unlike loner rails, gallinules sometimes congregate in flocks in shallow coves with patches of matted aquatic grass. With their long toes, gallinules nimbly walk over floating lily pads, water hyacinths or other vegetation.

Rails and gallinules seldom see much pressure. Birds typically freeze to avoid enemies, even if the boat passes within a few feet of them. Frequently, shooters bag two or three birds before others scatter or disappear into lush thickets. After birds dart into thick cover, paddle about 30 yards away and wait quietly. Sometimes, they come back out a few minutes later. If they don’t reappear, remember that spot and return to it later.

Rails and gallinules can fly and swim, but prefer to dash into thick weeds to escape their enemies. When they do flush, they seldom fly far, often dropping into a nearby clump of dense canes to hide. Hunters can usually relocate them rather quickly. After busting a flock, wait a few minutes for the birds to settle down and then proceed toward where the majority headed. Even after firing, look for unnoticed birds hiding in thick grass or watch as they burst from cover.

Some people hunt alone, paddling pirogues or other craft with their shotguns ready in a safe, convenient place, but sportsmen can hunt more effectively in teams. One person in the bow keeps a gun ready while the other person paddles, positions the boat and acts as spotter. Paddling up rails and gallinules makes a great way to introduce children to hunting.

“Since people often see a lot of birds, hunting gallinules is a great way to introduce children to hunting,” Olszak recommended. “Gallinules are not that hard to hunt and people can often get close to them. Children sometimes get bored with hunting, but jumping gallinules gives them an opportunity to shoot something.”

With so much marsh everywhere, Cajun sportsmen should find many places to hunt rails and gallinules this season. Approximately 15 miles southeast of Houma, Pointe-Aux-Chenes Wildlife Management Area covers 33,488 acres of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes. Habitat ranges from intermediate to brackish marshes pockmarked by numerous ponds, bayous and canals.

Low rises along canal banks often grow up in thick vegetation.

Accessible only by boat, the Salvador-Timken complex covers 34,520 acres in St. Charles Parish along the northwestern shore of Lake Salvador near Westwego. The area mostly consists of fresh to brackish marsh, ponds, canals and open water. Formerly called Couba Island, Timken Island covers 3,000 acres and separates Lakes Salvador and Cataouatche just east of Salvador WMA.

About 10 miles south of Venice, Pass-A-Loutre WMA spreads through 115,596 acres of delta marshes and bayous. Reachable only by boat, these fertile marshes don’t offer much solid ground, but can hold large numbers of birds.

North of Lake Pontchartrain, Pearl River WMA covers 35,619 acres about six miles east of Slidell. Below U.S. 90, the area contains about 10,000 acres of fresh to brackish marshes, which can provide excellent rail and gallinule habitat.

Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge spreads across about 19,000 acres of fresh to brackish marshes, mixed hardwoods and pine savannahs along the northern shoreline of Lake Pontchartrain. The largest section exists west of Slidell near Lacombe. Another tract sits in the Fritchie Marsh east of Slidell. The refuge allows hunting by permit on certain days. For information about hunting the refuge, see www.fws.gov/bigbranchmarsh.

Cajun sportsmen might also hunt the 137,695-acre Atchafalaya Delta WMA about 25 miles south of Morgan City. Mostly comprised of open water and mudflats, the area does contain about 27,000 acres of vegetated marsh. Along the western shoreline of Lake Pontchartrain, Manchac WMA covers 8,328 acres near Ponchatoula. Mostly salty marsh good for clapper rails, Biloxi WMA covers 35,644 acres south of Lake Borgne in St. Bernard Parish.

For more information about hunting on Louisiana wildlife management areas, see www.wlf.louisiana.gov/wma and click on the specific property.

‘Common gallinules, often called moorhens, and purple gallinules are common in wetlands throughout the state.’

Jason Olszak

LDWF biologist

Daniel Felsher admires a sora rail he killed. The often unwanted birds can provide good action for hunters, especially during the autumn months. The birds have a 15-kill limit per hunter.

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A common gallinule takes a swim along a reedy shoreline. The birds often swim in local waters.

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