Sportsman's Paradise

Sportsman’s Paradise covers the northern third of Louisiana, the rolling pine-and-bayou country running from the Texas line east to the Mississippi River. The terrain is gently rolling — pine flatwoods and hardwood bottoms in the western parishes, the Macon Ridge and Mississippi alluvial plain in the east — with bayous, sloughs, and a chain of reservoirs scattered through the interior. The region’s name reflects the hunting-and-fishing tradition that has shaped the area for generations. Nineteen parishes cover the region. Caddo holds Shreveport, the largest city, with Bossier across the river holding Bossier City and the Louisiana Boardwalk; Ouachita holds Monroe and West Monroe; Lincoln holds Ruston and Louisiana Tech University; Morehouse holds Bastrop; Madison holds Tallulah; DeSoto holds Mansfield (a Civil War battlefield); Webster holds Minden. Lake Bistineau, Cross Lake, Bayou D’Arbonne Lake, and the southern end of Toledo Bend Reservoir handle the major water recreation; Poverty Point World Heritage Site preserves a 3,400-year-old earthwork complex in West Carroll Parish. Most trips here run outdoor and historical. Shreveport and Bossier City carry the casino, dining, and Louisiana Boardwalk traffic; Poverty Point draws archaeology visitors; the bayou country runs duck hunting, bass fishing, and crawfish-season visits.