(KLFY) – The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is cracking down on hunting guide violations.

In fact, a Kaplan man, accused of repeated hunting guide violations was arrested Thursday.

Ryan Frederick, 43, was previously cited back in December for six counts of failing to comply with hunting guide regulations. Authorities say that Frederick had his hunting license revoked and was illegally facilitating guided goose hunts. Agents set up surveillance on Frederick and observed him take customers out on guided hunts in a rice field near Kaplan.

Agents told News 10 that guided hunts without the proper license are illegal, and they’re keeping an eye out for violators.

“This past year in 2022, we were really cracking down on it.,” Sergeant Michael Hebert with the LDWF said. 

He told News 10 that people who advertise themselves as a hunting or fishing guide for compensation need to have a basic hunting or fishing license as well as a guide license. Agents, however, are catching more and more people in Acadiana and across the state giving guided tours without one.

“We were getting complaints of people taking clients out to go duck hunting, hunt geese, woodcock ducks, and they did not have any type of hunting guide license,” Sergeant Hebert added. 

It’s a new requirement that’s only a few years old. In 2021, agents gave warnings during an educational period. Now hunting or fishing guides without the proper license will face hefty fines and citations.

“Not only is it the right thing to do, but we have these set in place to help with our ecosystem out there to be able to manage these resources, that way we know how many ducks are being taken in every year and how many fish are being taken every year. The money that these people provide that goes into the funding helps with conservation and rebuilding back our ecosystem and the wildlife and fisheries and the resources of this state,” Hebert added. 

He said that the guided license is a requirement but also a privilege.

“It’s a privilege to go out there and enjoy the resources of the state, to be able to hunt, to be able to fish, and there’s a small price you have to pay to be able to go do those things,” he said. 

To make sure you have the proper licenses, head to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ website.