BATON ROUGE — Louisiana now has its first recreational alligator hunting season after Gov. Jeff Landry signed Act 37 into law.

The bill was authored by Sen. Robert Allain III, a Republican from Franklin, and is supported by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. It establishes a recreational alligator harvest program for Louisiana residents.

"We have an estimated three million alligators in Louisiana right now," said Allain. "I'm proud to have helped expand recreational hunting opportunities here in our Sportsman's Paradise. We're offering a new way to address nuisance or overabundant alligators while still maintaining our important commercial alligator industry and controlled harvest limits."

The law gives the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission the authority to set a recreational alligator hunting season, along with harvest quotas and tag allotments by area. The Commission can also extend, curtail or prohibit recreational take of alligators in an area when necessary.

Louisiana residents who want to participate must have a basic hunting license, an alligator hunting license and recreational harvest tags from LDWF. Those tags will be distinguishable from commercial tags.

The recreational season will open later than the commercial season to avoid conflicts. The legal harvest method is hook and line and recreational hides, meat or any parts cannot enter commercial markets.

Hunters must have permission from the landowner or use public lands identified by LDWF, similar to deer hunting requirements. Recreational alligator hunters are also required to remain on the property on which they are authorized to hunt.