Mississippi Youth Gun Deer Season Opens November 9

Mississippi Wildlife Fisheries and Parks 11.05.13

Deer season for youth hunters ages 15 and under begins Saturday, November 9. Youth get the first chance with firearms at our state’s deer herd. Youth may use any modern firearm and may harvest one buck with hardened antler and one doe per day, not to exceed three bucks and five does the entire deer season. The spread and main beam antler criteria do not apply to youth hunters.

Recent rainfall, combined with moderate temperatures across most of the state has food plots up and growing. In areas where acorns are not abundant, hunters can expect increased activity in food plots.

MDWFP reminds hunters that beginning November 9 all hunters, including archery hunters, must wear hunter orange unless they are inside a fully enclosed stand. MDWFP also encourages hunters to HUNT SMART and HUNT SAFE. The most important part of the hunt is making it home safely, so take time before your hunt to be sure you have all the proper safety equipment. Deer hunters should have the following: hunter education certification, hunter orange, a full-body harness for tree stands, an emergency signal device such as a whistle or cell phone, and a hunting plan that includes notifying someone where you are going hunting.

According to Lann Wilf, MDWFP Deer Program Leader, numerous nice bucks have been harvested across the state with archery equipment already this season. Camera surveys are revealing excellent antler growth and a high percentage of mature bucks in the herd. This is sure to create a lot of smiles over the Youth Gun Deer Season.

Hunters can find information about deer hunting, season dates, and hunting regulations at www.mdwfp.com/deer or in the 2013 – 2014 Mississippi Outdoor Digest.

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.).