Mississippi 2013 Deer Archery Seasons Open October 1 & October 15

Hunters are looking forward to the opening day of the 2013 – 2014 Mississippi deer hunting season.  Archery season opens on October 1 in the Hill and Delta Zones and opens on October 15 in the Southeast Zone.  Hunters need to be aware that the archery season opening date for the Southeast Zone listed in the 2013 – 2014 Mississippi Outdoor Digest is incorrect.

New this year during archery season is the addition of crossbows as legal archery equipment.  Longbows, recurves, compound bows, and crossbows are all legal archery equipment and can be used during all deer hunting seasons.  There is no minimum draw weight, maximum draw weight, or minimum arrow length requirements; fixed or mechanical broadheads may be used.

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) wants to remind all Wildlife Management Area (WMA) hunters that they are required to wear a full-body harness (fall-arrest system) while climbing a tree, installing a tree stand that uses climbing aids, or while hunting from a tree stand on a WMA.  While required only on WMAs, and Pearl River Valley water supply district lands, the MDWFP urges all hunters to wear and know how to properly use a full-body harness while hunting from an elevated position.  Hunters should take time before the hunt to ensure that all safety equipment is working properly.  Remember, the most important part of the hunt is making it home.

For more information regarding deer or deer hunting opportunities in Mississippi, visit our website at www.mdwfp.com/deer or call us at (601) 432-2199. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mdwfp or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDWFPonline.

Mississippi Wildlife Fisheries and Parks

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP), formerly known as the Mississippi Game & Fish Commission, is an agency of the government of the U.S. state ofMississippi responsible for programs protecting Mississippi fish and wildlife resources and their habitats, as well as administering all state parks; it has its headquarters in Jackson. The agency issues hunting and fishing licenses, advises on habitat protection, and sponsors public education programs. It is also responsible for enforcement of Mississippi's fish and game laws. It is separate from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, which is the governing body for the state's natural salt-water resources and law enforcement thereof (i.e. Gulf of Mexico, ocean-going vessels, etc.).