PATTERSON, La. – The Louisiana State Museum opens a new exhibition at the Wedell-Williams Aviation & Cypress Sawmill Museum titled Lunkers, Specklebellies, and Cocodries: Business and Leisure on the Louisiana Bayou. This rotating exhibition celebrating hunting and fishing in Sportsman’s Paradise opens to the public on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. at the museum located at 118 Cotten Road in Patterson, LA.
For many Louisianans, there is no better way to spend time than bass fishing, or waterfowl and alligator hunting. From Cane River Lake to Bayou Black and Lake D’Arbonne to Lacassine Pool, anglers seek out lunkers (large-size bass) year-round. Each year, hunters across the state eagerly await waterfowl hunting season, beginning with teal ducks in September and specklebelly (white-fronted) geese and other species in November. Similarly, many hunters look forward to alligator hunting season, the east zone opening in August, and the west in September. In the “Sportsman’s Paradise” of Louisiana, these activities are not just pastimes but a way of life revolving around remote camps, favorite dishes, and time with family and friends.
"Growing up in Louisiana, I know how much our lives revolve around the fertile bayous,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “This exhibition revels in the natural abundance of Louisiana, which provides generously for us financially, culturally, and spiritually."
This exhibition explores the worlds of bass fishing and waterfowl, alligator, and deer hunting in Louisiana, from the rich habitat that supports the wildlife to the men and women who not only cast and shoot but create lures and decoys, cook the catch, and fashion high-end luxury goods out of the leather. It also traces the evolution of fishing and hunting regulations, from early conservation measures to modern game management.
Lunkers, Specklebellies, and Cocodries: Business and Leisure on the Louisiana Bayou will be on display in the Wedell-Williams Aviation and Cypress Sawmill Museum through September 2025. The museum is located at 118 Cotten Road in Patterson and is open between 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Admission to the museum is free and school groups are welcome.