40 Miss. Code. R. 2-1.19 - [Effective until 6/30/2025] PEARL RIVER WMA REGULATIONS

A. Regulations for Pearl River Wildlife Management Area in Madison County.

SPECIES	SEASON	COMMENTS
DEER		For deer hunting regulations see DEER DATA COLLECTION, LEGAL BUCKS, LEGAL WEAPONS, and DOG RESTRICTIONS in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
Archery	October 1 through the Friday prior to Thanksgiving.	Antlerless deer and legal bucks.
Youth Gun	Saturday two weeks prior to the opening day of Primitive Weapon season through the Friday prior to Thanksgiving.	Antlerless deer and legal bucks.
Primitive Weapon	Saturday prior to Thanksgiving - Jan. 31.	Antlerless deer and legal bucks.
YOUTH TURKEY	March 8 - 14
TURKEY	March 15 - May 1 March 15 - Mar. 31 - Non-Residents by permit only through the Non-Resident Public Land Draw.
YOUTH SQUIRREL	Sept. 24 - 30
SQUIRREL	Oct.1 - Feb. 28 May 15 - June 1
RABBIT	Saturday nearest Oct.15 - Feb. 28
WATERFOWL	Same as statewide seasons.	See SPECIAL YOUTH AREA, HANDICAPPED AREA, AND WATERFOWL IMPOUNDMENTS in Special Instructions. No waterfowl hunting west of Pipeline Road except for youth hunters during waterfowl season.
RACCOON	Jul. 1 - Sep. 30	Friday and Saturday nights only.
RACCOON, OPOSSUM, & BOBCAT	Oct. 1 - Feb. 28
TRAPPING	Nov. 1 - Feb. 28

Whenever the opening date set above falls on a Sunday, the season shall begin on the preceding Saturday.

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.

2. CLOSED NO ACCESS AREA: The area around Turcotte Lab and the Hunter Safety Shooting Area within the Waterfowl Refuge is a NO ACCESS AREA.

3. SPECIAL YOUTH AREA, HANDICAPPED AREA, AND WATERFOWL IMPOUNDMENTS: Hunting in the Youth Area is allowed by youth hunters only with the following exceptions: deer hunting during the archery season, raccoon hunting, and trapping is allowed. Waterfowl hunting is allowed by youth hunters during the entire waterfowl season. Waterfowl hunting is allowed in the waterfowl impoundments by special permit. Hunting in the Special Handicapped area is restricted to handicapped hunters only. Contact the Jackson Office at 601-432-2199 for access to the Special Handicapped area.

4. 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.

5. DEER DATA COLLECTION: All deer harvested must be checked at the self-service deer check stations located on the Madison County Pipeline Road, on Rocks Road, and on Beach Bluff Road 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.

6. LEGAL BUCKS: Legal bucks are those with an inside spread of 10 inches or more OR a main beam of at least 13 inches. For hunters 15 years of age or younger any antlered buck is a legal buck.

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

8. LEGAL WEAPONS: Only archery equipment and primitive weapons may be used by adults for deer hunting. Youth Hunters 15 years of age and younger may use centerfire rifles, primitive weapons, or shotguns with slugs during the youth season and primitive weapon season for deer.

9. OFF-ROAD MOTORIZED VEHICLES/ATVs: ORVs/ATVs/Electric Bicycles are allowed only 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.

10. HORSES: No horses allowed.

11. CAMPING: No camping allowed.

12. FISHING: No fishing allowed in the waterfowl impoundments or in Fisheries Experimental Ponds.

Notes

40 Miss. Code. R. 2-1.19

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

Updated April 2014 Amended 7/5/2015 Updated April 2015 Amended 6/26/2016 Updated April 2017 Amended 6/24/2017 Updated April 2018 Amended 7/7/2018 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