40 Miss. Code. R. 2-1.23 - [Effective 6/30/2025] SUNFLOWER WMA REGULATIONS

A. Regulations for Sunflower Wildlife Management Area in Sharkey County.

SPECIES	SEASON	COMMENTS
DEER		For deer hunting regulations see LEGAL BUCKS, DEER DATA COLLECTION, DOG
		RESTRICTIONS, and LEGAL WEAPONS in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
Archery	Oct. 1 through the Friday prior to Thanksgiving.	Antlerless deer and legal bucks.
Youth Deer	Saturday two weeks prior to opening day of Gun season through the Friday prior to Thanksgiving.	Antlerless deer and legal bucks.
Gun	Saturday prior to Thanksgiving through Dec. 1	Legal bucks.
Primitive Weapon	Dec. 2 -15	Antlerless deer and legal bucks.
Gun	Dec. 16 -23	Legal bucks.
Gun	Dec. 24 - Jan 22	Legal bucks with dogs
Primitive Weapon	Jan 23 - 31	Legal bucks.
TURKEY	Permit only	See TURKEY HUNTING in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
YOUTH SQUIRREL	Sept. 24 - 30
SQUIRREL	Oct. 1 - Feb. 28 May 15 - June 1
RABBIT	Saturday nearest Oct. 15 - Feb. 28
RACCOON	Jul. 1 - Sep. 30	Friday and Saturday nights only.
RACCOON, OPPOSUM, & BOBCAT	Oct. 1 - Feb. 28
TRAPPING	Nov. 1 - Feb. 28
WATERFOWL	Same as statewide seasons.	See WATERFOWL in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
YOUTH, VETERANS, and ACTIVE MILITARY WATERFOWL	Open concurrent with the statewide Youth Waterfowl Season	See WATERFOWL in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.

B. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS:

1. WMA USER PERMIT: All persons participating in hunting, fishing, or trapping on this wildlife management area, except those exempt from purchasing an annual hunting or fishing license, must carry on their person an annual statewide Wildlife Management Area User Permit. This permit is required in addition to completing the daily visitor use permit or by using the WMA Check-In App and any required license and may be purchased wherever licenses are sold.

2. BAG LIMITS: Same as statewide bag limits except that the bag limit on antlerless deer is one (1) and on antlered deer is two (2), and 1 adult gobbler per permitted hunt. All harvested deer count towards statewide bag limits, unless otherwise stated.

3. DEER DATA COLLECTION: All deer harvested must be recorded on DAILY VISITOR USE PERMIT card before leaving the area. All deer harvested must be checked at a self-service data collection station and recorded on WMA Daily Use Permit Card or WMA Check-In App by the hunter who harvested them before leaving the WMA. If WMA personnel are not available to check the deer, the hunter is responsible for collecting and legibly recording ALL biological data (weight, antler measurements, and jawbones). Instructions and equipment will be provided.

4. LEGAL BUCKS Legal bucks are those with an inside spread of at least 15 inches OR one main beam length of at least 18 inches. For hunters 15 years of age or younger any antlered buck is a legal buck.

5. DOG RESTRICTIONS: Small game hunting with dogs is allowed during any small game season. Hog hunting with dogs is allowed during any deer with dogs season. Hog hunting with dogs is allowed during daylight hours only during Feb. 1 - 28 with weapons legal for small game.

6. LEGAL WEAPONS: Only centerfire rifles, shotguns with slugs or buckshot, primitive weapons, and centerfire handguns may be used for deer hunting.

7. WATERFOWL: Shooting hours end at 12:00 noon in the greentree reservoir, except during the youth, veterans, and active military waterfowl hunt which runs concurrent to statewide seasons.

8. NO HUNTING from or within 100ft of the toe of the greentree reservoir levees or from or within 100ft of pipeline rights-of-ways during deer firearm seasons.

9. OFF-ROAD MOTORIZED VEHICLES/ATVs: ORVs/ATVs/Electric Bicycles are allowed on designated roads or trails, and only for the retrieval of harvested deer or hogs. Before operating ORVs/ATVs/Electric Bicycles, users must obtain an ATV/UTV permit from the U.S. Forest Service and be familiar with the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) published annually by the U.S. Forest Service. The MVUM explains when and where ORVs/ATVs/Electric Bicycles may be used. Permits and MVUMs are available from the Delta Ranger District office in Rolling Fork, MS, and MVUMs online at www.fs.usda.gov/main/mississippi/maps-pubs.

10. HORSES: Hunting from horseback is allowed.

11. CAMPING: Camping is allowed subject to U.S. Forest Service regulations.

12. HIGH WATER LEVEL CLOSURE: ALL activities, EXCEPT for waterfowl hunting, will close when the Steele Bayou landside gauge reaches 90.0 feet and shall remain so until the Steele Bayou level falls to or below 88.0 feet.

Notes

40 Miss. Code. R. 2-1.23

Miss. Code Ann. §§ 49-1-29, 49-4-4, and 49-5-13.

Updated April 2014 Amended 7/5/2015 Updated April 2016 Amended 6/26/2016 Updated April 2017 Amended 6/24/2017 Updated August 2017 Amended 10/22/2017 Updated April 2018 Amended 7/7/2018 Updated May 2019 Amended 6/28/2019 Updated September 2019 Amended 10/28/2019 Amended 6/17/2020 Amended 6/17/2021 Amended 6/27/2022 Amended 6/26/2023 Amended 12/11/2023 Amended 7/25/2024 Amended 7/1/2025