40 Miss. Code. R. 2-1.12 - [Effective until 6/30/2025] MAHANNAH WMA REGULATIONS

A. Regulations for Mahannah Wildlife Management Area in Issaquena and Warren Counties.

SPECIES	OPENING DATE	CLOSING DATE	COMMENTS
DEER			For deer hunting regulations see BAG LIMITS, DEER DATA COLLECTION, DEER HUNTING PERMITS, LEGAL BUCKS, SPECIAL BUCK TAGS, and DOG RESTRICTIONS in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
Archery - Permit Only	Oct. 1	Nov. 1	Antlerless deer and legal bucks.
Primitive Weapon - Permit Only	Nov. 7	Nov. 25	Antlerless deer and legal bucks
Youth Gun -	Nov. 2	Nov. 3	Antlerless deer and any antlered buck.
Gun - Permit Only	Dec. 1	Dec. 27	Antlerless deer and Legal bucks.
Archery/Youth Gun	Jan. 1	Jan. 14	Legal bucks only.
Senior Adult - Permit Only	Jan. 16	Jan. 17	Antlerless deer and Legal bucks. See bag limits.
TURKEY	Permit Only		See Turkey HUNTING in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
YOUTH SQUIRREL	Sept. 24	Sept. 30
SQUIRREL & RABBIT	Oct. 1	Dec. 31	Saturdays only, except closed on Nov. 2
SQUIRREL & RABBIT	Jan. 1	Feb. 28	Daily.
SQUIRREL	May 15	June 1	Daily.
RACCOON	Jul. 1	Sep. 30	Friday and Saturday nights only.
RACCOON, OPOSSUM & BOBCAT	Oct. 1 Jan. 1	Dec. 25 Feb. 28	Friday nights only. Daily.
FISHING	Feb 1 Oct 1	Sept 30 Jan 31	Daily. Saturdays only. Fishing not allowed in waterfowl and timber hunting units.
TRAPPING	Jan. 1	Feb. 28
WATERFOWL - Permit Only - Except for youth. Veterans, and active military waterfowl hunts, and the post season light goose conservation order.	See WATERFOWL in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
YOUTH, VETERANS, AND ACTIVE MILITARY WATERFOWL	Open concurrent with the statewide Youth, Veterans, and Active Military Waterfowl Season		See WATERFOWL in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
POST SEASON LIGHT GOOSE CONSERVATION ORDER	See Federal Regulations.		Open after waterfowl season.
QUAIL	Nov. 30 Jan. 1	Dec. 28 Mar. 1	Saturdays and Wednesdays Only. Daily.
DOVE	See DOVE in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS. Migratory Bird Hunting in Special Instructions.
WOODCOCK and SNIPE	Same as Statewide Seasons.		Saturdays and Wednesdays only prior to Dec. 31. Daily from Jan. 1 to the close of the season. See Migratory Bird Hunting in Special Instructions.
Mahannah WMA Will Be Closed To ALL ACTIVITES On Tuesdays from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31. SCOUTING IS ALLOWED ON SATURDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS

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 using the WMA Check-In App and any required license and may be purchased wherever licenses are sold.

2. CLOSED AREA: The Waterfowl Sanctuary, enclosed by the East Sanctuary Road on the east, Anderson Tully Road on the south and the main levee on the west, is closed to ALL ENTRY.

3. BAG LIMITS: Same as statewide bag limits except that during permit hunts on deer the legal buck bag limit is one per hunt and 1 adult gobbler per permitted hunt. All harvested deer count towards statewide bag limits, unless otherwise stated. The bag limit during the Senior Adult Hunt will be 1 legal buck and 1 antlerless deer per hunt.

4. DEER DATA COLLECTION: All deer harvested must be checked at the WMA headquarters 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. ALL antlerless deer heads harvested on Mahannah WMA must be deposited in the Mahannah or Phil Bryant CWD Collection freezer.

5. DEER HUNTING PERMITS: Deer hunting, except for the youth gun hunt and the January archery 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.

6. LEGAL BUCKS: Legal bucks are those with an inside spread of at least 16 inches OR one main beam length of at least 20 inches. During the Youth Only Hunt ONLY, hunters 15 years of age or younger may harvest any antlered buck. During ALL other Permit Only hunts, and the Archery/Youth Gun season (Jan. 1 - Jan 14), a youth hunter must harvest a buck with an inside spread of at least 16 inches OR one main beam length of at least 20 inches.

7. DOG RESTRICTIONS: Deer hunting with dogs is prohibited. Small game hunting with dogs is allowed during any small game season. Hunting, running, or pursuing hogs with the use of dogs is prohibited.

8. TURKEY HUNTING: Turkey hunting is allowed by permit only.

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

10. WATERFOWL: All waterfowl hunts, except for the waterfowl youth, Veterans, and Active Military hunts, and the post season light goose conservation order, are draw hunts only. You may apply online at www.mdwfp.com. See application for hunt dates, application deadlines, and other information about permitted hunts. Shooting hours end at 12 p.m. Waterfowl hunters must be out of the assigned unit and back to Anderson-Tully Road by 1 p.m. except during the youth, Veterans, and Active Military waterfowl hunt which shall run concurrent with the statewide waterfowl youth, Veterans, and Active Military hunt. No boats, blinds, or decoys are to be left out overnight. No persons may leave the Anderson-Tully Road or launch a boat until the waterfowl draw process has been completed. Waterfowl draw hunts will be conducted for Mahannah/Buck Bayou on Mondays. Wednesdays, and Saturdays only.

11. 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. During all WMA deer firearms seasons, no loaded shoulder fired weapons allowed within 100 feet of any road within Mahannah WMA, including ATV trails. 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. No ATV/ORV/Electric Bicycle or boat may be left on the WMA overnight.

12. HORSES: Horseback riding is prohibited during WMA deer and turkey 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 on entire area during nighttime hunting hours.

13. 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. The camping area is located next to the Mahannah WMA Headquarters.

14. SCOUTING is allowed daily prior to Oct. 1, and on any Saturdays, Wednesdays, and on any small game hunting days thereafter. Only those persons drawn to hunt, and waterfowl hunters during waterfowl season, will be allowed on the area during permitted hunts.

15. HIGH WATER: ALL activities, EXCEPT for waterfowl, woodcock, and snipe hunting, will close when the Mississippi River gauge at Vicksburg reaches forty-three (43.0) feet and shall remain so until the Mississippi River level falls to or below 41.0 feet and/or when the Steele Bayou landside gauge reaches 82.0 feet and shall remain so until the Steele Bayou level falls to or below 80.0 feet. Small game hunting during high water is restricted to the area north of Anderson Tully Road and east of the Waterfowl Sanctuary. Closings will be posted at www.mdwfp.com/wma.

16. MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTING: Dove hunting will be allowed daily from 2 p.m. until sunset during the first dove season. No entry prior to 1:00 p.m. on opening day. During waterfowl season, only permitted waterfowl hunters may hunt in the designated waterfowl impoundments.

Notes

40 Miss. Code. R. 2-1.12

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 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 11/28/2022 Amended 6/26/2023 Amended 7/25/2024