Mississippi’s Waterfowl Late Seasons Announced

The Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks approved dates for the 2013-2014 waterfowl hunting season at its July 17 meeting.  “Breeding populations were strong in 2013, which resulted in a liberal season framework of 60 days with a 6-duck limit,” said James Callicutt, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) Waterfowl Program Biologist.  Duck, merganser, and coot seasons will be November 22 – November 24, 2013; November 29 – December 1, 2013; and December 4, 2013 – January 26, 2014.  The daily bag limit will be a total of 6 ducks, including no more than 4 mallards (no more than 2 of which may be females), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 scaup, 2 pintail, 2 canvasback, 1 mottled duck, and 1 black duck.  The merganser daily bag limit will be a total of 5 mergansers, only 2 of which may be hooded mergansers. The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit for ducks, mergansers, and coots.

Late-season Canada, snow, blue, Ross’s, white-fronted goose, and brant seasons will run from November 14, 2013 – January 26, 2014.  Canada geese will have a 3-bird daily bag limit.  The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit for Canada geese and brant.  Snow, blue, and Ross’s geese will have a daily bag limit of 20 birds.  White-fronted geese will have a daily bag limit of 2 birds.  The possession limit for white-fronted geese is 6 and there is no possession limit for snow, blue, and Ross’s geese.  As in past years, there will again be a conservation order for snow, blue, and Ross’s geese during the following dates:  October 1 – November 13, 2013; January 27 – 31, 2014; and February 2 – March 31, 2014.

This year, youth waterfowl hunting days will be November 16, 2013 and February 1, 2014.  Houston Havens, MDWFP Waterfowl Program Leader explains, “Allowing one day of youth waterfowl hunting before the regular waterfowl season allows opportunities for youth to experience waterfowl hunting during a time when weather is relatively mild, and birds are typically concentrated and easier to hunt. This also allows youth to be introduced to hunting before the regular season begins.”

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.).