No Special Primitive Weapons Season for deer in Southeast Zone

Mississippi's special primitive weapons season for white-tailed deer will not take place in the Southeast Deer Management Zone because of lower deer numbers.

The special primitive weapons season will only take place in the Hill and Delta Deer Management Zones, which started Monday and concludes on Nov. 20.

The Southeast Zone includes the three Coastal Counties: Harrison, Hancock and Jackson.

"We don't have the numbers in the Southeast and the habitat isn't as good in the Delta and Hills," Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks spokesman Jim Walker said. "The population can't sustain primitive weapons seasons like the two other Zones."

The special primitive weapons season also will not take place on Wildlife Management Areas due to higher hunter numbers and unique management objectives for these areas.

Primitive season helps hunters in areas with higher deer densities earlier opportunities to achieve antlerless harvest objectives prior to the rut. Only archery equipment and primitive firearms are used.

"Primitive firearms," for the purpose of hunting deer, are defined as single or double barreled muzzle-loading rifles of at least .38 caliber; OR single shot, breech loading, metallic cartridge rifles (.35 caliber or larger) and replicas, reproductions, or reintroductions of those type rifles with an exposed hammer; OR single or double barreled muzzle-loading shotguns, with single ball or slug. All muzzle-loading primitive firearms must use black powder or a black powder substitute with percussion caps, #209 shotgun primers, or flintlock ignition.

"Deer Management Assistance Program data indicate many deer populations across Mississippi are at or greatly above habitat carrying capacity," MDWFP Central Region Deer Biologist David Graves said. "Participation in the special primitive weapons season is important to reduce antlerless deer numbers in areas where deer populations are high. Meeting antlerless deer harvest objectives early in the season will increase the potential for increased buck observation and harvest during the rut."

This story was originally published November 14, 2015 at 11:53 AM with the headline "No Special Primitive Weapons Season for deer in Southeast Zone ."