40 Miss. Code. R. 2-1.37 - [Effective 6/30/2025] SKY LAKE WMA REGULATIONS

A. Regulations for Sky Lake Wildlife Management Area in Humphreys and Leflore Counties.

SPECIES	OPENING DATE	CLOSING DATE	COMMENTS
DEER			For deer hunting regulations see DEER DATA COLLECTION, LEGAL BUCKS and DOG RESTRICTIONS in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
Archery - Permit Only	Oct. 3	Nov. 2	Antlerless deer and legal bucks. (Thursday, Friday, & Saturday only.)
Youth Gun	Nov. 7	Nov. 9	Antlerless deer and legal bucks. (Thursday, Friday, & Saturday only.)
Primitive Weapon - Permit Only	Nov. 14	Jan. 25	Antlerless deer and legal bucks. (Thursday, Friday, & Saturday only.)
TURKEY	SEASON CLOSED
YOUTH SQUIRREL	Sept. 24	Sept. 30	Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday only.
SQUIRREL	Oct. 1	Jan. 31	Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday only.
	Feb. 1	Feb. 28	Daily
RACCOON	Jul. 1	Sep. 30	Friday and Saturday nights only.
RACCOON, OPOSSUM & BOBCAT	Oct. 1	Jan. 31	Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday only.
	Feb. 1	Feb. 28	Daily
TRAPPING	Feb. 1	Feb. 28
WATERFOWL	Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday only. Shooting hours end at 12 p.m.		See WATERFOWL in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
YOUTH/VETERAN/ACTIVE MILITARY WATERFOWL	Open concurrent with statewide season		See WATERFOWL in Special Instructions
POST SEASON LIGHT GOOSE CONSERVATION ORDER	See Federal Regulations		Open after waterfowl season.
DOVE	Same as statewide seasons.		Shooting hours are from 2:00 p.m. until sunset.
RABBIT		Jan. 31	Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday only.
	Feb. 1	Feb. 28	Daily
QUAIL	Nov. 28	Jan. 31	Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday only.
	Feb. 1	Mar. 1	Daily

B. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS:

1. WMA USER PERMIT: All persons using 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. Visitors to the Sky Lake Boardwalk and Visitor's Center are exempt from the WMA User Permit.

2. BAG LIMITS: Same as statewide bag limits, except the bag limit on antlerless deer is one (1) per day. All harvested deer count towards statewide bag limits, unless otherwise stated.

3. DEER DATA COLLECTION: All deer harvested must be checked at a self-service deer check station located on Sky Lake WMA 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 jawbone). Instructions and equipment will be provided.

4. DEER HUNTING PERMITS: Deer hunting, except for the youth gun hunt, is allowed by special permit only. You may apply online at www.mdwfp.com. See application for hunt dates, application deadlines, and other information about permitted hunts.

5. 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.

6. DOG RESTRICTIONS:

a. Deer hunting with dogs is prohibited.

b. Small game hunting with dogs is allowed during any small game season.

c. Hunting, running, or pursuing hogs with the use of dogs is prohibited.

7. SMALL GAME HUNTING: Small game seasons for species not listed will be open on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday during their respective statewide season dates until January 31. After January 31 these seasons will be open daily.

8. LEGAL WEAPONS: Only centerfire rifles, shotguns with slugs, primitive weapons, and centerfire handguns may be used for deer hunting during the youth deer hunt. Other deer seasons are restricted to archery and primitive weapons.

9. WATERFOWL: Waterfowl hunting closes at 12 p.m. All hunt participants, spent shot shells, and equipment must be removed from the WMA by 1 p.m., except during the Youth/Veteran/Active Military waterfowl hunt which shall run concurrent with the statewide waterfowl youth, Veteran and Active Military hunt.

10. OFF-ROAD MOTORIZED VEHICLES/ATVs: ORVs/ATVs/Electric Bicycles are allowed on designated roads or trails for hunting and fishing access only. Off-road use of ORVs/ATVs/Electric bicycles is allowed for retrieval of harvested deer or hogs. Additionally, electric bicycles may be ridden on marked foot-traffic trails only by users 65 years of age and older. They may not be ridden on any leveed roads or trails.

11. HORSES: Horseback riding is prohibited during WMA deer seasons. At all other times, horseback riding is restricted to roads open to motorized vehicles and designated ATV trails. Raccoon hunting from horses is allowed during nighttime hunting hours.

12. CAMPING: Camping is allowed in designated areas only. Camping is limited to 14 consecutive days. Camping equipment may not be left unattended for more than 24 hours. All camping equipment and garbage must be removed before final departure.

13. SCOUTING: Scouting is allowed daily from February 1 - September 30 and on Sunday - Wednesday from October 1 - January 31.

Notes

40 Miss. Code. R. 2-1.37

Miss. Code Ann. §§ 49-1-29, 49-1-49, 49-4-4, 49-4-8, 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 April 2018 Amended 7/7/2018 Updated May 2019 Amended 6/28/2019 Updated August 2019 Amended 10/28/2019 Amended 6/17/2020 Amended 6/17/2021 Amended 6/27/2022 Amended 6/26/2023 Amended 7/25/2024 Amended 6/30/2025