When anyone uses one of our WMAs, they are required to fill out a Daily Visitor Permit card. The MDWFP changed to a two-part permit card for all WMAs in 2004. Some WMAs use "On-Dash" cards and the others use "On-Person" cards. With either type of card the WMA user should fill out Part A of the card and deposit it in one of the permit stations before using the WMA. Then Part B is filled out and placed on the dash of the vehicle or retained with the user while on the WMA. When exiting the WMA, the user should complete the back of Part B and deposit it in the box at a permit station. WMA users are not required to deposit Part B in the same permit station box in which they deposit Part A. Consult the WMA Regulations to determine which type of card is used on each specific WMA.

On select WMAs during deer season, hunters are required to check-in their harvested deer at one of the self-check stations. Hunters are also asked to fill out the back of Part B of the permit card with their harvest for any species harvested. During turkey season, turkey hunters are asked to fill out a special permit card with birds observed, gobbles heard, and harvest information.

But why is this important and why do biologists need this information? The answer is a simple one: so the biologists will know how many users there are during specific times of the year and how many animals are harvested. Biologists use this data when recommending season structure and bag limits. When deer or turkeys are not checked-in, biologists do not get accurate harvest numbers. This leads to recommendations based on poor data which can lead to over-harvest or under-harvest on some WMAs.

Compliance checks are conducted on WMAs throughout hunting seasons. During these checks, WMA Managers and Conservation Officers patrol WMAs and check for permit cards on the dash of vehicles or in possession by hunters, depending on the WMA regulations. Then, at the end of the day, WMA Managers match the names with the permit cards in the permit stations to calculate hunter compliance. On three selected WMAs during the 2005 turkey season, permit card compliance ranged from 42 - 88%. On these same WMAs during the 2005 - 2006 deer season, compliance ranged from 83 - 100%. Non-compliance includes failure to display the card, failure to properly fill out the card, failure to place Part A and Part B in the permit station box, and not having a permit card at all.

During a special antlerless deer hunt on three WMAs in central Mississippi during the 2005 - 2006 hunting season, hunter use was high. Hunter use during this hunt consisted of from 38 - 56% of the hunter man-days for the entire month. However, the reported harvest only ranged from 12 - 21 deer. Conservation Officers patrolling these WMAs during the hunt reported hearing multiple shots in multiple directions. There were also reports from hunters seeing harvested deer that were taken off the WMAs without being checked at the check-in stations.

This antlerless hunt was designed to give hunters more opportunity to harvest antlerless deer on WMAs where antlerless opportunity was limited in the past. If only the reported harvest numbers were evaluated without knowing the circumstances surrounding the hunt (i.e., high hunter use, high number of shots fired, and reports of deer not checked at the check-in stations), opportunity might be increased when it may not be needed to meet harvest goals.

Hunters and WMA users depend on biologists and WMA personnel to make season structure and bag limit regulations that will not negatively impact the resource. In turn, biologists depend on hunters and WMA users to turn in harvest and use data so these decisions can be made correctly. Without quality data and quality regulations, the resource will suffer.

Next time you are using one of the WMAs, be sure to properly fill out your permit card, check-in your harvested game, follow all regulations, and most of all be safe and have fun!? WI