40 Miss. Code. R. 2-1.7 - [Effective until 6/30/2025] CANAL SECTION WMA AND JOHN BELL WILLIAMS WMA REGULATIONS

A. Regulations for Canal Section and John Bell Williams WMAs - Itawamba, Monroe, Prentiss, and Tishomingo Counties.

SPECIES	SEASON	COMMENTS
DEER		For deer hunting regulations see CLOSED AREAS, LEGAL BUCKS, DOG RESTRICTIONS, DEER DATA COLLECTION, YOUTH/HANDICAP DEER HUNTING, ARCHERY ONLY AREA, and LEGAL WEAPONS in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
Archery	October 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 only.
Primitive Weapon	Dec. 2 - 15	Antlerless deer and legal bucks.
Gun	Dec. 16 - 23	Antlerless deer and legal bucks.
Gun	Dec. 24 - until 47 days of regular gun hunting for entire deer season.	Legal Bucks only.
Primitive Weapon	Day after the final day of Gun season - Jan. 31	Antlerless deer and legal bucks.
YOUTH TURKEY	March 8 - 14	See ACKER LAKE TURKEY HUNTING
TURKEY - PERMIT ONLY TURKEY	March 15 - March 31. April 1 - May 1	See TURKEY HUNTING PERMITS 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	July 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 WATERFOWL	Open concurrent with the statewide Youth Waterfowl Season.

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 using the WMA Check-In App and any required license.

2. CLOSED AREAS:

a. No deer or hog hunting from the Tenn-Tom Waterway Levee.

b. No loaded centerfire rifles or primitive weapons allowed on the Tenn-Tom Waterway levee.

c. Hunters must be past the toe of the levee before loaded weapons for deer hunting are allowed.

3. HIGH WATER: All hunting seasons (excluding waterfowl season) are closed for 24 hours from south of Walker's Levee boat ramp road to north of Ironwood Bluff Road on the WMA when the 5 a.m. Tombigbee River gauge at Fulton reads 16.0 ft or higher. Also, hunting seasons (excluding waterfowl season) are closed for 24 hours for all areas of the WMA lying north of HWY 278, south of HWY 6, west of the Tombigbee River and east of Town Creek when the 5 a.m. Tombigbee River gauge at Bigbee reads 17.0 ft. or higher. River gauge readings may be obtained from www.mdwfp.com/wma.

4. ARCHERY ONLY AREAS: Archery only deer hunting areas include the portions of the WMA between the Tenn-Tom Waterway and the waterway levee from AB3 Waterfowl Impoundment south to Hwy. 45/25 at Aberdeen and between the Tombigbee River and the Tenn-Tom Waterway from Hwy. 6 south to the intersection of the old Tombigbee River and the Tenn-Tom Waterway.

5. 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.

6. LEGAL BUCKS: Legal bucks are those with an inside spread of at least 12 inches OR one main beam length of at least 15 inches. For hunters 15 years of age or younger any antlered buck is a legal buck.

7. DEER DATA COLLECTION: All deer harvested must be checked at a check station and recorded on WMA Daily Visitor 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 John Bell Williams WMA must be deposited in a CWD Collection freezer.

8. 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.

9. YOUTH/HANDICAP DEER HUNTING:

a. Only youth and handicapped hunters are allowed to deer hunt on the Acker Lake Tract.

b. Only youth and handicap hunters will be allowed ATV access on the Acker Lake Handicap Hunting Area each day of the deer seasons. Only handicapped hunters will be allowed vehicular access is only allowed on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays during the gun and primitive weapon seasons.

c. All handicap hunters must pre-register by contacting the Jackson Office (601-432-2199).

10. ACKER LAKE TURKEY HUNTING:

a. Only youth and handicapped hunters will be allowed to turkey hunt this area on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays.

b. Only handicapped hunters will be allowed ATV and vehicular access on those days and youth hunters will be allowed ATV access.

c. On Wednesday through Saturday of each week, all hunters are allowed to hunt.

d. All handicap hunters must pre-register by contacting the Jackson Office (601-432-2199).

11. TURKEY HUNTING PERMITS: Turkey hunting from March 15 - 31 is allowed by special permit only on Canal Section and John Bell Williams. You may apply online at www.mdwfp.com. See application for hunt dates, application deadlines, and other information about permitted hunts.

12. LEGAL WEAPONS: Only centerfire rifles, shotguns with slugs, primitive weapons, and centerfire handguns may be used for deer hunting. The AB3 Waterfowl Impoundment and Matubby Creek Island are closed to all firearms. EXCEPTION: Only archery equipment is allowed for deer hunting in the ARCHERY ONLY DEER HUNTING AREA.

13. WATERFOWL: The WMA may be hunted each day from one-half hour before sunrise until 12 p.m. All decoys, boats, and blinds must be removed from the hunting area by 1 p.m. each day.

14. OFF-ROAD MOTORIZED VEHICLES/ATVs/WATERCRAFT: ORVs/ATVs/Electric Bicycles are not allowed on Canal Section WMA. ORVs/ATVs are allowed on John Bell Williams WMA only for the retrieval of harvested deer or hogs. Watercraft left unattended must be registered or have the owner's name and phone number permanently and legibly written and attached to the hull. Watercraft not in compliance with these regulations or if left unattended more than 30 days may be confiscated and disposed of by MDWFP.

15. HORSES: Horseback riding is prohibited during WMA deer and turkey seasons. At all other times, horseback riding is restricted to hard surface roads. No hunting from horses allowed on Canal Section or John Bell Williams WMAs.

16. CAMPING: No camping allowed.

Notes

40 Miss. Code. R. 2-1.7

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 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