Deer season is on the way. See dates, bag limits for Mississippi hunters
Mississippi boasts one of the largest white-tailed deer populations in the country, making it a prime destination for hunters.
Ahead of deer season, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks released dates and bag limits for deer, small game, birds and spring turkey.
MDWFP split the state into four units, with the Coast in the Southeast Management Unit. Local wildlife management areas offer hunting spots including Ward Bayou WMA, Pascagoula WMA and Chickasawhay WMA.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of your next visit.
Deer: Southeast Management Unit
· Archery: Sept. 11-13, One legal buck. Special permit, mandatory reporting and chronic wasting disease sampling required. Private land and authorized state and federal land.
· Archery: Oct. 15-Nov. 20, Either sex on private and open public land.
· Youth: Nov. 7-20, Either sex on private land and authorized state and federal land.
· Youth: Nov. 21-Jan. 31, Either sex on private land. On open public land, youth must follow below legal deer criteria.
· Youth: Feb. 1-15, Legal buck on private and open public land.
· Gun with dogs: Nov. 21-Dec. 1, Either sex on private land. Legal bucks only on open public land.
· Primitive weapon: Dec. 2-15, Either sex on private and open public land. Weapons of choice may be used on private land with the appropriate license.
· Gun without dogs: Dec. 16-23, Either sex on private land. Legal bucks only on open public land.
· Gun with dogs: Dec. 24-Jan. 20, Either sex on private land. Legal bucks only on open public land.
· Archery, primitive weapon: Jan. 21-31, Either sex on private land. Legal bucks only on open public land. Weapons of choice may be used on private land with the appropriate license.
· Archery, primitive weapon: Feb. 1-15, Legal bucks only on private and open public land. Weapons of choice may be used on private land with the appropriate license.
Deer: Delta, North Central and Hills Management Units
· Archery: Sept. 11-13, One legal buck. Special permit, mandatory reporting and chronic wasting disease sampling required. Private land and authorized state and federal land.
· Archery: Oct. 1-Nov. 20, Either sex on private and open public land.
· Youth: Nov. 7-20, Either sex on private land and authorized state and federal land.
· Youth: Nov. 21-Jan. 31, Either sex on private land. On open public land, youth must follow below legal deer criteria.
· Antlerless primitive weapon: Nov. 9-20, Antlerless deer only on private land.
· Gun with dogs: Nov. 21-Dec. 1, Either sex on private land and Holly Springs National Forest, excluding parts of Yalobusha County. Legal bucks only on open public land.
· Primitive weapon: Dec. 2-15, Either sex on private and open public land. Weapons of choice may be used on private land with the appropriate license.
· Gun without dogs: Dec. 16-23, Either sex on private land and Holly Springs National Forest, excluding parts of Yalobusha County. Legal bucks only on open public land.
· Gun with dogs: Dec. 24-Jan. 20, Either sex on private land and Holly Springs National Forest, excluding parts of Yalobusha County. Legal bucks only on open public land.
· Archery, primitive weapon: Jan. 21-31, Either sex on private land and Holly Springs National Forest, excluding parts of Yalobusha County. Legal bucks only on private and open public land. Weapons of choice may be used on private land with the appropriate license.
Buck bag limits
The bag limit for antlered buck deer is one per day, three per annual season. One of the three deer may have hardened antlers that do not meet antler requirements.
Only one antlered buck can be harvested during the September archery season. Hunters 15 years of age and younger do not have to follow antler restrictions.
In the North Central Deer Management Unit, the limit is one buck per day, four per annual season, with no antler restrictions.
Antlerless deer limits vary by region.
· North Central DMU: No daily limit, 10 per season.
· Hills and Delta DMU: No daily limit, five per season.
· Southeast DMU: One per day, three per season.
In U.S. Forest Service National Forests, the daily limit is one per day, five per season, except for the Southeast DMU, where the seasonal limit is three.
Antler requirements
MDWFP’s antler requirements vary by DMU to account for regional differences in soil quality and habitat.
· Delta DMU: 12-inch inside spread or 15-inch main beam
· Hills DMU: 10-inch inside spread or 13-inch main beam
· Southeast DMU: 10-inch inside spread or 13-inch main beam
· North Central DMU: No antler restrictions apply to this zone. Hunters may harvest bucks with any hardened antler.
Youth hunters: For youth hunters 15 years of age and younger, hunting on private land and authorized state and federal lands, all of the buck bag limit may be any antlered deer.
Small game
· Youth squirrel: Sept. 24-30, eight daily bag limit
· Squirrel - Fall season: Oct. 1-Feb. 28, eight daily bag limit
· Squirrel - Spring season: May 15-June 1, four daily bag limit
· Rabbit: Oct. 17-Feb. 28, eight daily bag limit
· Bobwhite quail: Nov. 26-March 7, eight daily bag limit
· Frog: April 1-Sept. 30, 25 per night
· Raccoon: July 1-Sept. 30, one per party, per night
· Opossum, raccoon and bobcat - food and sport: five daily bag limit
· Opossum, raccoon and bobcat - food, sport and pelt: eight per party
· Trapping: Nov. 1-March 15, no limit
Migratory game bird and spring turkey procedures vary by species and DMU. To view bag limits, dates and possession limits, see MDWFP’s list of regulations.
