Information on Harvest of Turtles and Other Non-Game Wildlife
A COMMERCIAL FISHING LICENSE IS NOT THE PROPER LICENSE FOR THE TAKE OF TURTLES, FROGS, SALAMANDERS, OR SNAKES.
The harvest of non-game wildlife (including turtles, frogs, snakes, salamanders, lizards) is regulated by Rules on:
- Endangered Species
- Non-game Species in Need of Management
- Turtle and Tortoise Eggs
- Mussels
The harvest, possession, shipment, sale and transport of turtle or tortoise eggs of any species is prohibited (40 MISS Admin. Code Part 5 Rule 2.2).
Summary of 40 MISS Admin Code Part 5 Rule 2.3 on Non-game Species in Need of Management:
Either a Resident Sportsman's license or Resident All Game Hunting and Freshwater Fishing License, or a Small Game Hunting and Freshwater Fishing License or a Non-Resident All Game Hunting License is required for the possession of Non-Game species for personal use.
- Non-Game Wildlife or their parts taken from wild Mississippi populations may NOT be bought, possessed, transported, exported, sold, offered for sale, shipped, bartered, or exhibit it for Commercial purposes.
- A person can possess no more than 20 non-game reptiles, or 20 non-game amphibians, or 4 Bluenose Shiners, with no more than 4 being the same species (not including bull frogs, alligators, and alligator snapping turtles).
Alligator Snapping Turtles:
A person can only possess and harvest ONE (1) Alligator Snapping Turtle with a minimum top shell length (carapace) of 24 inches or greater per license year.
Common Snapping Turtles, Smooth Soft-shell Turtles, and Spiny Soft-shell Turtles:
A person can only harvest ONE (1) turtle of the three species listed above per day.
Possession and harvest from the wild is no more than FOUR (4) turtles of the three species listed above per license year.
All other non-game turtles:
A person may possess and harvest from the wild no more than 10 other non-game turtles per license year. No more than FOUR (4) can be of the same species or subspecies.
- It is illegal to harvest turtles between April 1 to June 30.
- See the list of endangered species of amphibians and reptiles that cannot be taken.
All Mississippi waters are closed to the commercial harvest of mussels (40 MISS Admin. Code Part 3 Rule 3.3).
