Game Check

Conservation Benefits

White-tailed deer are the most sought after game animal in Mississippi, with 88% of hunters reporting that they pursued deer in the 2018–2019 season. Today Mississippi’s deer herd faces mounting challenges, such as Chronic Wasting Disease, that can have localized or statewide impacts. Harvest reporting of white-tailed deer allows for more precise resource management. It would:

• Provide - for the first time - timely and efficient county-level harvest data that is integral for improving adaptive approaches to management.
• Provide deer population data that is critical for managing Chronic Wasting Disease.
• Demonstrate to the hunting community that harvest management and bag limits are important.
• Provide hunters the opportunity to be actively engaged in white-tailed deer management.