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Mississippi Hunting Seasons
Dates and bag limits for major species. Detailed regulations are found in 2008-2009 Mississippi Hunting Regulations pamphlet or on the state’s Web site: www.mdwfp.com. To obtain licenses, call 1-800-5GO-Hunt (546-4868).HUNTER EDUCATION
All persons born on or after Jan. 1, 1972 must have completed an approved hunter education course to be allowed to purchase a hunting license.
DEER
Mississippi has two Deer Management zones. Each zone has special regulations on legal description of antlered bucks, and special regulations for youth hunters under 16 years old.
Management Zone 1
Daily limit is 1 antlered buck per day. The season limit is 3 antlered bucks. A “legal antlered buck” has antlers with 4 or more points. Antlerless deer limit is 1 per day and 3 per season, except that two additional antlerless deer can be taken by bow and arrow.
Archery: Oct. 1-Nov. 21 (either sex, private/open public lands)
Youths: Nov. 15-21; Dec. 2-15; Jan. 22-31 (either-sex deer; private lands & approved state/federal public lands)
Gun with dogs: Nov. 22-Dec. 1 (either sex, private lands; legal bucks, open public lands).
Primitive Weapon: Dec. 2-15 & Jan. 22-31 (either sex, private & open public lands)
Gun without dogs: Dec. 16-19 (either sex, private lands; bucks only, public lands); Dec. 20-21 (either sex private & open public lands); Dec. 22-23 (either sex, private lands; legal bucks, open public lands).
Management Zone 2
Daily limit is 1 antlered buck per day. The season limit is 3 antlered bucks. Legal antlered buck has antlers with 4 or more points and either a minimum inside spread of 10 inches or a minimum main-beam length of 13 inches. Antlerless deer limit is 1 per day and 3 per season, except that two additional antlerless deer can be taken by bow and arrow.
Archery: Oct. 15-Nov. 21 (either sex, private/open public lands)
Youths: Nov. 12-21; Dec. 2-15; Jan. 22-Feb. 15 (either-sex; private & approved state/federal public lands)
Gun with dogs: Nov. 22-Dec. 1 (either sex, private lands; legal bucks, open public lands)
Primitive Weapon: Dec. 2-15 (either sex, private/open public lands) & Jan. 22-Feb. 15 (legal bucks only).
Gun without dogs: Dec. 16-19 (either sex, private lands; legal bucks, open public lands); Dec. 20-21 (either sex, private & open public lands); Dec. 22-23 (either sex, private lands; legal bucks, open public lands).
DUCKS, COOTS & MERGANSERS
Statewide: Nov. 27-Jan. 25
Youth days: Jan. 31-Feb. 1
Limits: Ducks, 6 per day, but no more than 4 mallards (no more than 2 can be hens), 3 mottled ducks, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 1 scaup, 1 pintail and 1 black duck. Coots: 15 per day. Mergansers: 5 per day of which no more than two hooded merganser. Take of coots and mergansers are in addition to duck limits. Possession limit is twice the daily limits.
The canvasback season is closed.
GEESE
Blue, Snow, Ross’ & Specklebelly Geese: Nov. 15-Jan. 25. Canada And Brant Geese: Nov. 17-Jan. 25.
Limits: Snow, Blue & Ross: 20 per day with no possession limit; White-fronted (specklebelly) & Brant: 2 per day; Canada: 3 per day.
Conservation Order (Snow, Blue & Ross geese only): Oct. 1-Nov. 14; Jan. 26-30; Feb. 2-March 31.
MOORHENS, GALLINULES, RAILS
Sept. 27-Dec. 5. Limits: Moorhens/gallinules, daily limit is 15 singly or aggregate. Possession limit 30 singly/aggregate. King & clapper rails, daily limit is 15 singly/aggregate. Possession limit is 30 singly/aggregate. Sora & Virginia rails, daily & possession limits are 25 singly/aggregate.
DOVES
North Zone: Oct. 3-Nov. 9; Jan. 1-11 (first split Sept. 1-21) North of U.S. 84 plus areas south of U.S. 84 and west of Miss. 35.
South Zone: Oct. 11-26; Dec. 7-Jan. 15 (first split Sept. 1-14). Areas south of U.S. 84 and east of Miss. 35.
Limit: 15 daily.
CROWS
Nov. 1-Feb. 28. No limit.
SNIPE
Nov. 8-Feb. 22. Limit 8 daily.
WOODCOCK
Dec. 13-Jan. 26. Limit 3 daily.
QUAIL
Nov. 27-March 7. Limit 8 daily.
RABBIT
Oct. 18-Feb. 28. Limit 8 daily.
SQUIRREL
State divided into three zones. Limit 8 daily.
Zone 1: Oct. 4-Feb. 28. (North of Miss. 82, plus portions of Sunflower and Washington counties south of Miss. 82) Youth-only: Sept. 27-Oct. 3.
Zone 2: Oct. 18-Feb. 28. (Areas between Miss. 82 and Miss. 84, plus portions south of Miss. 84 and west of I-55.) Youth-only: Oct. 11-17.
Zone 3: Oct. 25-Feb. 28. (Areas south of Miss. 84 and east of I-55). Youth-only: Oct. 18-24.
Note: Youth-only hunts open for ages 15 and younger. The youth hunter much be in the immediate vicinity and under the direct supervision of an adult 21 years of age or older. If youth hunter is under 12 years old, then supervising adult must be a licensed or a license-exempted hunter.
TURKEY/FALL SEASON
Limited Counties: State is divided into three zones, Delta, North-Central and Southwestern.
Oct. 15-Nov. 15. Limit 2 turkeys of either sex for the season.
Note: Tags are mandatory for the fall season. Minimum of 100 acres owned/leased. One tag issued per 500 acres or part of 500 acres. Tags specific to that property. Tags must be affixed to the turkey until turkey is processed.
RACCOON
Through Sept. 30 (opened July 1; 1 per party per night); Oct. 1-31 (5 per day, 8 per party); Nov. 1-Feb. 28 (no limit)
OPOSSUM & BOBCAT
Oct. 1-31 (5 per day, 8 per party limit); Nov. 1-Feb. 28 (no limit).
