Mississippi Hunting Guide
Mississippi offers some of the nation’s most significant hunting opportunities for waterfowl, deer, and turkey. The state’s diverse landscape supports dense game populations, and permissive regulations (and gun laws) make hunting a straightforward process.
What to Hunt
Due to the diverse landscape available in Mississippi, the state offers strong seasonal hunts for several popular game species.
Turkey
Jakes may not be taken in Mississippi. However, the state supports a relatively strong gobbler population, despite a recent decline in overall turkey numbers. Out of state licenses can be costly, but strong turkey hunting opportunities are generally found throughout the state. Mississippi is home primarily to Eastern turkeys, and the largest populations are usually found in the southwestern region of the state.
Waterfowl
Due to its proximity to both the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River, the state offers very significant duck and waterfowl hunting. The Mississippi River delta in particular is a popular winter location for migrating waterfowl. Mississippi is also home to teal, geese, woodcock, snipe, moorhens, gallinules, rails, doves, and crows. Mississippi also offers a draw for more structured hunts with on-site personnel in several of their Wildlife Management Areas.
Deer
While hunt pressure is moderate, the state supports a large enough deer density that success rates remain high. There is a daily limit of one antlered buck per day and three per season. For antlerless deer, there is a bag limit of 2-5 per season depending on the zone. It is not permitted to kill or agitate spotted fawns. Deer season in Mississippi is divided into archery, youth gun, primitive weapons (with special dates for antlerless deer), and gun (with and without dogs)..
Other Mississippi game species include: Squirrel, Rabbit, Bobwhite Quail, Frog, Raccoon, Opossum, Raccoon, Bobcat, Teal, Canada Geese, Woodcock, Snipe, Gallinules, Rails, Mourning and White-winged Doves, Crows, Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots, etc. found in the "Hunting Seasons" section at bottom of the page.
Where to Hunt
Mississippi offers significant public land for hunters to enjoy.
Wildlife Management Areas
Mississippi maintains over 50 Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) across the entire state. These areas are open to hunting and other outdoor recreational activities. However, WMAs are subject to certain restrictions. Familiarize yourself with Mississippi WMA regulations before hunting in these areas.
National Forests
Mississippi is home to over 2000 total acres of national forests. These areas are open to hunters and feature popular game species, including white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and bobwhite quail.
National Wildlife Refuges
Mississippi has 15 separate National Wildlife Refuges that hunters can enjoy. These are found in the southern and western portions of the state, with notable concentration in the northwest area.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lands
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains many public areas around Mississippi. Much of this land can be found around lakes and is very well-suited to a variety of waterfowl hunting.
Licensing Fees
All hunters between the ages of 16 and 64 in Mississippi must have hunting licenses, with few exceptions. Note that additional fees may apply for some species and methods of take. Discounts are available for seniors, youth, and military.
| License | Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| Sportsman's License (Includes Fall Turkey Permit, Archery/Primitive Weapon/Crossbow) | $45.00 | N/A |
| All Game Hunting (Does not include Archery/Primitive/Crossbow, Fall Turkey Permit or WMA User Permit) | $25.00 | $300.00 |
| 7-Day All Game Hunting | N/A | $150.00 |
| Small Game Hunting | $10.00 | $85.00 |
| Fall Turkey Permit | $5.00 | $20.00 |
| Wildlife Management Area User Permit | $15.00 | $30.00 |
| Trapping License | $25.00 | $205.00 |
Hunter Education
All persons born after January 1, 1972 are required to have passed a hunting education course in Mississippi. However, children ages of 12-16 may hunt without completing this course if they are supervised by a licensed hunter at least 21 years of age. These courses are available in-person or online.
Youth Hunting
Mississippi offers youth deer hunting in November. This brief season is open for hunters age 15 and under. Residents under the age of 16 are not required to obtain a hunting license, but they must be supervised by a licensed adult.
Trapping
A trapping license is required for anyone 16 years of age or older who traps the following animals: bobcat, mink, muskrat, opossum, otter, raccoon, weasel, beaver, coyote, fox, nutria, and skunks.
Trapping season typically runs from November through March. There is no daily or season limit on furbearers in Mississippi. Landowners trapping on their own land are not required to be licensed. Trappers may only trap on private land with the landowner’s permission. Trappers must visit their traps at least every 36 hours, and traps must be properly marked or they may be taken away. Using bait, recordings of animal calls, or electric calls is not permitted, but liquid scents are permitted.
Hunting Seasons
| Game | Season Begins | Season Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Deer | Sep 15 2023 | Feb 15 2024 |
| Turkey | Oct 15 2023 | Nov 15 2023 |
| Mar 15 2024 | May 1 2024 | |
| Squirrel | Sep 30 2023 | Feb 28 2024 |
| May 15 2024 | Jun 1 2024 | |
| Rabbit | Oct 14 2023 | Feb 28 2024 |
| Bobwhite Quail | Nov 23 2023 | Mar 02 2024 |
| Frog | Apr 1 2023 | Sep 30 2023 |
| Raccoon | Jul 1 2023 | Sep 30 2023 |
| Opossum, Raccoon, and Bobcat | Sep 30 2023 | Feb 28 2024 |
| Sept. Teal | Sep 9 2023 | Sep 24 2023 |
| Sept. Canada Geese | Sep 1 2023 | Sep 30 2023 |
| Woodcock | Dec 18 2023 | Jan 31 2024 |
| Snipe | Nov 14 2023 | Feb 28 2024 |
| Gallinules (Common & Purple) | Sep 1 2023 | Dec 31 2023 |
| Rails: Clapper and King | Sep 1 2023 | Dec 31 2023 |
| Rails: Sora and Virginia | Sep 1 2023 | Dec 31 2023 |
| Mourning and White-winged Doves | Sep 2 2023 | Jan 28 2024 |
| Crows | Nov 4 2023 | Feb 29 2024 |
| Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots | Nov 24 2023 | Feb 29 2024 |
| Geese: Canada, White-fronted, Snow, Blue, Ross’, and Brant | Nov 10 2023 | Jan 31 2024 |
*Hunting dates for this species may vary by zone, method of take, or subspecies of animal. Visit the state’s website here to find out more.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is not to be construed as legal advice or acted upon as if it is legal advice: it is provided for informational purposes only. While we strive to provide accurate, up-to-date content, we cannot guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or currency of the information.