In the 2022 Legislative Season, House Bill 1035 was passed, establishing a velvet buck season in Mississippi. To participate in this season, hunters will be required to obtain a special Velvet Season Permit. Permits for the 2024 Velvet Season will be available to purchase August 1, 2024 at anywhere you can purchase a hunting and fishing license.

Here's what you need to know to be ready to hunt this September:

When: September 13-15, 2024

Where: Private Lands and opted-in public lands. As of the 2024 Velvet Season, there are no Wildlife Management Areas or open public lands (those that follow statewide regulations) participating in the Velvet Season. For any public land entities that set their own rules and regulations, we encourage hunters to check their regulations to determine if they are participating in Velvet Season.

What: Only one (1) legal buck for the respective Deer Management Unit may be harvested. Find your Deer Management Unit here. Please note, this is one (1) legal buck per person statewide during the 3-day velvet season, and will count towards your annual antlered deer bag limit.

With: Archery Only - Longbows, recurves, compound bows, and crossbows. There is no minimum or maximum draw weight. There is no minimum length arrow. Fixed or mechanical broadheads may be used.

Price: All hunters, unless exempt or have a lifetime license, must possess a valid Velvet Season Permit. The cost of the permit for residents is $10.00. For non-residents, this permit is included in your deer permit, which is $100.00.  

*Any non-resident that has a deer permit that does not expire until after the Special Velvet Buck Season, will not need to renew your deer permit prior to your expiration date to participate.

Additional Rules to note:

  • Bag Limit - The bag limit is one (1) legal buck, and this buck will count towards your annual antlered deer bag limit. 
  • Mandatory Harvest Reporting - Hunters (including license exempt hunters) must report their harvest by 10:00 p.m. the day of harvest. Hunters can report via the MDWFP Smartphone App or MDWFP web portal.
  • Mandatory CWD Sampling - All harvested bucks must be submitted for CWD sampling to a MDWFP CWD Drop-off freezer or to an MDWFP participating taxidermist within 5 days of harvest.
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