View season dates and bag limits.

Mississippi's public lands are subject to special seasons and regulations that may vary from statewide seasons and regulations. It is always suggested to check the rules and regulations for the specific location you are interested in hunting before visiting. See more information on MDWFP's Wildlife Management Areas.

Chronic Wasting Disease:

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) was discovered in Mississippi in February 2018. Since then, proactive measures have been enacted for continued surveillance and management. Some measures include: 

  • Supplemental feeding of wildlife, including feeders, salt licks, and mineral licks, is banned within any MDWFP-defined CWD Management Zone. 
  • Only meat from cervids (deer, elk, moose, etc.) that has been completely deboned or bone-in quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached, hides with no head attached, finished taxidermy products, antlers with no tissue attached, and cleaned skulls or skull plates may be transported outside the CWD Zones or into Mississippi from any other state or country. 
  • Hunters may only transport a deer head outside of a MDWFP-defined CWD Management Zone to a permitted taxidermist participating in the CWD collection program. A CWD sample number must be obtained from the participating taxidermist prior to transporting the deer head outside of the MDWFP-defined CWD Management Zone. This sample number must accompany the deer head while in transport and be available for inspection by Law Enforcement upon request. The deer head must be delivered to the participating taxidermist within 5 days of receiving the sample number. 

MDWFP urges hunters to submit the heads of harvested deer for CWD sampling, especially if the deer was harvested in a CWD Zone. See more information on Chronic Wasting Disease.

Additional Rules & Regulations

Fluorescent Orange and Pink

When hunting deer during any firearms season for deer, a hunter must wear in full view at least five hundred (500) square inches of solid unbroken fluorescent orange or pink unless hunting in a stand at least twelve feet above ground or in a fully enclosed deer stand or blind. However, hunters must wear fluorescent orange or pink while traveling to and from their stand. Hunters are also encouraged to carry a light while walking into the woods before daylight or leaving after dark. 

Tracking and/or Retrieval of Wounded Deer after Legal Hunting Hours

It shall be lawful for any licensed or exempt hunter or tracker to track or pursue a deer that was legally shot and wounded during legal hunting hours, into the night after legal hunting hours, and to dispatch the deer if the deer is found alive. A licensed or exempt hunter or tracker tracking or pursuing a wounded deer into the nighttime hours may use reasonable means to assist the pursuit, including, but not limited to lights, and blood-trailing/ tracking dogs. If blood-trailing/tracking dogs are used, no more than two (2) dogs may be used. If the deer being tracked is discovered alive, but wounded, the hunter or tracker may dispatch the deer by using a handgun with a barrel no longer than six (6) inches chambered in a caliber no larger than .45 caliber. 

Hunting out of Season

If a person is convicted of killing any deer out of season, he may be fined not less than $100, and his license may be revoked for a year by the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.

Headlighting

Anyone who hunts or kills any deer with any lighting device is subject to a maximum fine of $5,000, five days in jail, and the loss of hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges for three years. This does not apply to a deer killed in an accident with a motor vehicle. Any equipment used to hunt or kill deer at night with a lighting device that is subject to seizure is considered contraband property and will be seized by the enforcement officer. This equipment is subject to forfeiture and may become property of the State of Mississippi.

Additional Resources

White-Tailed Deer Program

The MDWFP White-tailed Deer Program's goal is to provide a quality white-tailed deer population statewide and offer maximum outdoor recreational opportunity to the public without negatively affecting the resource.

Velvet Season

Permits for the 2024 Velvet Season will be available to purchase August 1, 2024 at anywhere you can purchase a hunting and fishing license.