Mississippi Changed Their Primitive Weapons Laws

Key Regulation Changes for the Upcoming Deer Hunting Season




Mississippi's 2014 - 2015 deer hunting season brings with it several major regulation changes. These regulation changes are intended to aid in the proper management of Mississippi's deer herd while providing maximum opportunity to hunters.


During any open season on deer with primitive weapons after November 30, hunters may use any legal weapon of choice on private lands only, if the person is the title owner of the land, the lessee of the hunting rights on the land, a member of a hunting club leasing the hunting rights on the land, or a guest of a person specified above. If the hunter is required to have a hunting license, the hunter must possess a valid Primitive Weapon License, Sportsman's License, or Lifetime Sportsman's License.


Additionally, on private lands only, the antlerless bag limit has changed to five antlerless deer per year with no daily limit. However, the antlerless bag limit on U.S. Forest Service National Forests has been reduced to three antlerless deer per year with a daily limit of one. These bag limit changes are intended to allow more flexibility for hunters managing herds on private lands, while attempting to reduce harvest on U.S. Forest Service National Forests with lower deer densities. If hunting on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), hunters need to read WMA-specific regulations as bag limits may differ among WMAs.


Hunters are urged to practice good hunter ethics and follow all safety rules to avoid hunting and firearm-related accidents. Also new for this upcoming deer season are changes in "hunter orange" regulations. When hunting deer during any open gun season for deer, a hunter must wear in full view at least five hundred square inches of solid unbroken fluorescent orange unless hunting in a stand at least twelve feet above ground or in a fully enclosed deer stand or blind. However, hunters must wear hunter orange while traveling to and from their stand. Hunters are also encouraged to carry a light while walking into the woods before daylight or leaving after dark.