Circle the date: MDWFP releases dates, bag limits for 2022 to 2023 hunting season

Published 4:46 pm Monday, July 11, 2022

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JACKSON — Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks have released the season dates and bag limits for the upcoming season. MDWFP’s fiscal year starts July 1, 2022 and they released the dates for the 2022 to 2023 season Monday during the ongoing frog and raccoon season.

Hunters across the state can harvest one antler buck in a day and three across the season. Only one buck with hardened antlers may fall short of the legal requirements of 10 inch inside spread or a 13 inch main beam on private lands. The limit for deer on private lands that are anterless, either bucks or does, is five. In the National Forest it is one per day and a limit of five per season.

There is a new season for deer hunters to partake in. A special velvet archery season will open Sept. 16 and close Sept. 18. Hunters must buy a special permit which costs $10 and becomes available after Aug. 1, they must be a legal buck, must be reported and hunters must submit a sample for Chronic Wasting Disease testing.

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Here are the other deer seasons.

  • Archery
    • Oct. 1 to Nov. 18
  • Youth Firearm (15 and under)
    • Nov. 5 to Nov. 18
    • Nov. 19 to Jan 21
  • Anterless Primitive Weapon
    • Nov. 7 to Nov. 18
  • Gun with Dogs
    • Nov. 19 to Dec. 1
  • Primitive Weapon
    • Dec. 2 to Dec. 15
  • Gun without dogs
    • Dec. 16 to Dec. 23
  • Gun with dogs
    • Dec. 24 to Jan. 18
  • Archery/Primitive Weapon
    • Jan. 19 to Jan. 31

Fall Turkey seasons is open Oct. 15 and closes Nov. 15 but is by permit only on private lands in specific counties. Lincoln, Franklin, Amite and Copiah Counties are open but hunters must submit an application to the Jackson office. Spring Turkey season will open March 15 and close May 1 with a bag limit of one gobbler per day and three per season.

Small game

  • Youth Squirrel
    • Sept. 24 to Sept. 30 with a daily limit of 8.
  • Fall Squirrel
    • Oct. 1 to Feb. 28 with a daily limit of 8
  • Spring Squirrel
    • March 15 to June 1 with a daily limit of 4
  • Rabbit
    • Oct. 15 to Feb. 28 with a daily bag limit of 8
  • Bobwhite Quail
    • Nov. 24 to March 4 with a daily limit of 8
  • Frog
    • April 1 to Sept. 30 with a daily bag limit of 25 per night
  • Raccoon
    • July 1 to Sept. 30 with a daily bag limit of 1 per party/night
  • Trapping
    • Nov. 1 to March 15 with no bag limit

Migratory bird season kicks off with Canada Geese, Gallinules and Rails on September 1.

  • Sept. Teal
    • Sept. 10 to Sept. 25 with a daily bag limit of six and possession of 18
  • Sept. Canada Geese
    • Sept. 1 to Sept. 30 with daily bag limit of five and possession of 15
  • Woodcock
    • Dec. 18 to Jan. 31 with daily bag limit of 3 and possession of 9
  • Gallinules (Purple and Common)
    • Sept. 1 to Oct. 2 with a daily bag limit of 15 singly or aggregate with possession of 45 singly or aggregate
    • Nov. 25 to Jan. 1 with a daily bag limit of 15 singly or aggregate with possession of 45 singly or aggregate
  • Rails (Clappers and King)
    • Sept. 1 to Oct. 2 with a daily bag limit of 15 singly or aggregate with possession of 45 singly or aggregate
    • Nov. 25 to Jan. 1 with a daily bag limit of 15 singly or aggregate with possession of 45 singly or aggregate
  • Rails (Sora and Virginia)
    • Sept. 1 to Oct. 2 with a daily bag limit of 25 singly or aggregate with possession of 75 singly or aggregate
    • Nov. 25 to Jan. 1 with a daily bag limit of 25 singly or aggregate with possession of 75 singly or aggregate
  • Mourning and White winged Doves North (North Zone is defined as areas north of US84 plus south of US84 and west of Highway 35)
    • Sept. 3 to Oct. 14 daily limit of 15 singly or aggregate and possession of 45 singly or aggregate
    • Nov. 19 to Nov. 27 daily limit of 15 singly or aggregate and possession of 45 singly or aggregate
    • Dec. 24 to Jan. 31 daily limit of 15 singly or aggregate and possession of 45 singly or aggregate
  • Mourning and White winged Doves South (South Zone is defined as areas south of US84 and east of Highway 35
    • Sept. 3 to Sept. 18 daily limit of 15 singly or aggregate and possession of 45 singly or aggregate
    • Oct. 8 to Nov. 6 daily limit of 15 singly or aggregate and possession of 45 singly or aggregate
    • Dec. 19 to Jan. 31 daily limit of 15 singly or aggregate and possession of 45 singly or aggregate
  • Crows
    • Nov. 5 to Feb. 28 with no daily limit or possession
  • Ducks, Mergansers and Coots
    • Nov. 25 to Nov. 27. The duck daily bag limit is a total of six ducks including no more than four mallards, no more than two can be females, one molted duck, two black ducks, one pintail, three wood ducks, two canvasbacks and two redheads. The Daily bag limit for scaup is one per day. Mergansers daily bag limit is five, only two can be hooded. The coot daily limit is 15. Possession limit is three times the daily bag limits.
    • Dec. 2 to Dec. 4. The duck daily bag limit is a total of six ducks including no more than four mallards, no more than two can be females, one molted duck, two black ducks, one pintail, three wood ducks, two canvasbacks and two redheads. The Daily bag limit for scaup is one per day. Mergansers daily bag limit is five, only two can be hooded. The coot daily limit is 15. Possession limit is three times the daily bag limits.
    • Dec. 9 to Jan. 31. The duck daily bag limit is a total of six ducks including no more than four mallards, no more than two can be females, one molted duck, two black ducks, one pintail, three wood ducks, two canvasbacks and two redheads. The Daily bag limit for scaup is one per day from Dec. 9 to Dec. 17 and two per day from Dec. 18 to Jan. 31. Mergansers daily bag limit is five, only two can be hooded. The coot daily limit is 15. Possession limit is three times the daily bag limits.
  • Geese: Canada, White-fronted, Snow, Blue, Ross and Brant
    • Nov. 11 to Nov. 27 daily limit of 5 Canada Geese, 20 Snow, Blue and Ross, 3 White-fronted and 1 Brant with possession limits of 15 for Canada’s, no limit on Snow, Blue and Ross, 9 White-fronted and 3 Brant
    • Dec. 2 to Dec. 4 daily limit of 5 Canada Geese, 20 Snow, Blue and Ross, 3 White-fronted and 1 Brant with possession limits of 15 for Canada’s, no limit on Snow, Blue and Ross, 9 White-fronted and 3 Brant
    • Dec. 9 to Jan. 31 daily limit of 5 Canada Geese, 20 Snow, Blue and Ross, 3 White-fronted and 1 Brant with possession limits of 15 for Canada’s, no limit on Snow, Blue and Ross, 9 White-fronted and 3 Brant
  • Youth, Veterans and Active Military Waterfowl Days
    • Feb. 4 to Feb. 5 , 2023
  • Light Goose Conservation Order (Special Permit Needed)
    • Oct. 1 to Nov. 10 no daily limit or possession limit
    • Nov. 28 to Dec. 1 no daily limit or possession limit
    • Dec. 5 to Dec. 8 no daily limit or possession limit
    • Feb. 1 to Feb. 3 no daily limit or possession limit
    • Feb. 6 to March 31 no daily limit or possession limit