The traditional Mississippi deer seasons are all but here with archery season beginning Oct. 1 in the majority of the state and statewide gun season opening Nov. 19.
Here’s what hunters should know about harvest reporting, dates, chronic wasting disease and legal deer.
You are viewing: When Does Deer Season Start In Mississippi
Mississippi does not require deer hunters to report their harvests except during the early archery season for bucks which takes place in September. However, there is a system in place for reporting harvests and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks is asking hunters to use it on a voluntary basis.
Biologists have long said reporting harvests can improve management by providing data on a county-by-county basis.
“Harvest data is critical for monitoring populations and what’s happening on the county level,” said Russ Walsh, MDWFP Wildlife chief of staff. “It is voluntary during the regular season, but the data is critical to have.”
Hunters may report their harvests by downloading the Game Check app on their mobile phone or through the agency’s website. To report a harvest or download the app, visit https://www.mdwfp.com/wildlife-hunting/game-check/deer-game-check/.
‘I was pretty speechless’:Mississippi deer hunter takes 150-class velvet buck
Deer hunting:Seniors to get draw hunt at prime wildlife management areas this season
CWD management zones and testing
Read more : When Does Whismur Evolve
Testing deer for CWD, a disease that is considered always fatal for deer, is not required, but MDWFP urges hunters to provide tissue samples of harvested deer for testing.
Walsh said hunters need to know if their deer is positive because hunters are warned against consuming an infected animal. He said the agency needs to know because knowing its prevalence and where it is in the state aids in management.
For convenience, MDWFP has provided 63 freezers across the state where hunters can leave deer heads with 6 inches of neck attached for testing. The agency has also partnered with a number of taxidermy businesses that will have deer tested at the customer’s request.
Counties in CWD management zones have changed with some added and others removed this year. Within these zones, special regulations are in place to slow the spread of the disease such as a supplemental feeding ban and carcass transportation restrictions
MSU Deer Lab:‘If someone sees a collared deer, shoot it.’
Counties in the Issaquena CWD Management Zone include:
- Claiborne County
- Issaquena County, east of the Mississippi River and south of MS 14
- Warren County
Counties in the North Mississippi CWD Management Zone include:
- Alcorn County
- Benton County
- Desoto County
- Lafayette County
- Marshall County
- Panola County
- Prentiss County
- Tate County
- Tippah County
- Tishomingo County
- Union County
Look who’s back:GPS-tracked deer crosses Mississippi River into South Delta, again
Hunting seasons for deer
Delta, Northeast, North Central, East Central, and Southwest deer management units
- Archery: Oct. 1- Nov. 18, Either sex on private land, open public land, and Holly Springs National Forest.
- Youth: 15 years and under, Nov. 5-18, Either sex on private land and authorized state and federal land.
- Youth: 15 years and under, Nov. 19-Jan. 31, Either sex on private land. On open public land, youth must follow legal deer criteria.
- Antlerless primitive weapon: Nov. 7-18, Antlerless deer only. Private land only.
- Gun with dogs: Nov. 19-Dec. 1, Either sex on private land and Holly Springs National Forest. Legal bucks only on open public land.
- Primitive weapon: Dec. 2-15, Either sex on private land, open public land, and Holly Springs National Forest. 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. Legal bucks only on open public land.
- Gun with dogs: Dec. 24-Jan. 18, Either sex on private land and Holly Springs National Forest. Legal bucks only on open public land.
- Archery, primitive weapon: Jan. 19-31, Either sex on private land and Holly Springs National Forest. Legal bucks only on open public land. Weapons of choice may be used on private land with the appropriate license.
Southeast Deer Management Unit
- Archery: Oct. 15-Nov. 18, Either sex on private or open public land.
- Youth: 15 years and under, Nov. 5-18, Either sex on private land and authorized state and federal land.
- Youth: 15 years and under, Nov. 19-Feb. 15, Either sex on private land. On open public land, youth must follow legal deer criteria.
- Gun with dogs: Nov. 19-Dec. 1, Either sex on private land. Legal bucks only on open public land.
- Primitive weapon: Dec. 2-15, Either sex on private or open public land.
- Gun without dogs: Dec. 16-23, Either sex on private land. Legal bucks only on open public land.
- Gun with dogs: Dec. 24-Jan. 18, Either sex on private land. Legal bucks only on open public land.
- Archery, primitive weapon: Jan. 19-31, Either sex on private land. Legal bucks only on open public land. Weapon 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. Weapon of choice may be used on private land with the appropriate license.
Deer bag limits and what’s legal
The statewide bag limit for antlered deer is one per day; three per annual season. For antlerless deer, the statewide bag limit is five per annual season. However, there are exceptions.
Deer bag limits
Read more : When The Chi Come Back On 2023
North Central Deer Management Unit: The bag limit for antlered is one per day, four per annual season. The limit for antlerless deer is 10.
Southeast Deer Management Unit: The bag limit for antlered deer is one per day, three per annual season. The bag limit for antlerless deer is one per day, two per annual season.
U.S. Forest Service National Forests: The bag limit for antlered deer is one per day, three per annual season. The bag limit for antlerless deer is one per day, five per annual season except in the Southeast DMU where the antlerless limit is one per day, two per annual season.
Antler requirements
Antler requirements vary across the state. In all deer management units except North Central and Delta, antlers must have at least a 10-inch inside spread or 13-inch main beam. In the Delta DMU, antlers must have at least a 12-inch inside spread or 15-inch main beam. On private land and Holly Springs National Forest, hunters are allowed to take one buck with any size antlers.
In the North Central DMU there are no antler restrictions. All four bucks may have any size hardened antlers.
For youth hunters, there are no antler restrictions on private land and authorized state and federal land. All three bucks may be any antlered deer.
Antler restrictions can differ on public land. Hunters should check regulations for the specific public land before hunting.
Contact Brian Broom at 601-961-7225 or [email protected].
Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: WHEN
