Mississippi’s Early Migratory Game Bird Seasons Announced

The Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks approved dates for the 2013-14 early hunting seasons for migratory birds on July 17, 2013.  Early migratory game bird hunting seasons set during the July meeting include resident Canada geese, early teal, snipe, woodcock, and rails.  This year, early seasons will be similar to recent years.

The early teal season is Sept. 14-29, 2013.  The bag limit for September teal is 6 per day with no more than 18 in possession.  The hunting season for resident Canada geese is Sept. 1-15, 2013.  The daily bag limit is 5 Canada geese with a possession limit of 15. The hunting season for rails, moorhens, and gallinules is Sept. 14-Nov. 22, 2013.

Daily bag limit for clapper rails, king rails, moorhens, and gallinules is 15 singly or in aggregate, and the possession limit is 45 singly or in aggregate.  Daily bag limit for Virginia rails and sora rails is 25 singly or in aggregate, and the possession limit is 75 singly or in aggregate.  The hunting season for snipe is Nov. 14, 2013-Feb. 28, 2014.  Daily bag limit is 8 snipe with a possession limit of 24 birds.  Woodcock season is Dec. 18, 2013-Jan. 31, 2014.  The daily bag limit is 3 woodcock with a possession limit of 9 birds.

For more information regarding waterfowl in Mississippi, visit our website at www.mdwfp.com/waterfowl 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.).