The Louisiana Wildlife Federation (LWF) and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) are excited to present the annual Youth Hunters of the Year Award!

Every year a panel of judges names one boy and one girl whose story best represents the joy, thrill, and camaraderie of hunting.

Youth hunters must be Louisiana residents who were 15 years old or younger at the time of the hunt, and the hunt must have taken place within the 2026 calendar year (January 1 through December 31, 2026).  Applications for 2026's Youth Hunter of the Year are due January 31, 2027.

The two winners will receive a plaque in recognition of their achievement and a gift card. Winners will also be recognized at LWF’s 61st Annual Conservation Achievement Awards banquet on April 3, 2027 in Baton Rouge. Every youth who enters will also be included in a drawing for a $100 gift card.

To enter the 2026 Youth Hunter of the Year contest:
• Complete and submit the nomination form when it is opened.
• Submit a short story written by the applicant describing the hunt
• Submit photo(s) from the hunt

Eligibility Requirements:
• Hunter must be a Louisiana resident
• Hunter must be 15 years old or younger at the time of the hunt
• The hunt must take place between January 1 and December 31, 2026
• Short story must be written by the youth
• The hunt does not have to result in the harvesting of an animal
• One entry per youth hunter
• Previous winners are not eligible

NOTICE: Parent/guardian signature on the application grants permission for the Louisiana Wildlife Federation (LWF) and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) to publish photographs, names, and likenesses of your minor child, for use in LWF’s and LDWF’s print, online, social media, and video marketing materials, as well as other publications