Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 40 - Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks › Part 2 - Wildlife › Chapter 1 - Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) › Rule 40-2-1.28 - BLACK PRAIRIE WMA REGULATIONS

Current through June 25, 2024
A. Regulations for
				Black Prairie Wildlife Management Area in Lowndes County.
SPECIES
OPENING DATE
CLOSING DATE
COMMENTS
DEER
For deer hunting regulations see DEER HUNTING
								PERMITS, LEGAL BUCKS, and DOG RESTRICTIONS in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
Youth Gun - Permit Only
Oct. 28
Dec. 25
Oct. 29
Dec. 30
Antlerless deer and legal bucks.
Gun - Permit Only
Nov. 2
Nov. 9
Nov. 16
Nov. 23
Nov. 5
Nov. 12
Nov. 19
Nov. 26
Antlerless deer and legal bucks.
Gun - Permit Only
Dec. 15
Jan. 19
Dec. 19
Jan. 21
Legal bucks only.
Archery Only
Oct. 1
Dec. 20
Jan. 8
Jan. 22
Oct. 27
Dec. 24
Jan. 12
Jan. 26
Antlerless deer and legal bucks.
TURKEY - Permit Only
Apr. 5
Apr. 12
Apr. 19
Apr. 26
Apr. 7
Apr. 14
Apr. 21
Apr. 28
See TURKEY HUNTING PERMITS in SPECIAL
								INSTRUCTIONS.
SQUIRREL and RABBIT
Oct. 14 Nov. 6
Nov. 13
Nov. 20
Nov. 27
Dec. 4
Dec. 12
Dec. 20
Dec. 31
Jan. 15
Jan. 22
Jan. 29
Feb. 5
Feb. 19
Feb. 26
Oct. 27 Nov. 8
Nov. 15
Nov. 22
Dec. 1
Dec. 9
Dec. 14
Dec. 24
Jan. 5
Jan. 18
Jan. 26
Feb. 2
Feb. 16
Feb. 23
Feb. 28
RACCOON
Jul. 1
Sep. 30
Friday and Saturday nights only.
RACCOON, OPOSSUM, & BOBCAT
Oct. 1
Feb. 28
TRAPPING
No trapping allowed.
DOVE
See DOVE HUNTING in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
The WMA is closed to hunting during special event
								dates (see SPECIAL EVENTS section below).
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. BAG LIMITS: Same as
				statewide bag limits EXCEPT:
a. Turkey - A bag
				limit of one (1) legal gobbler per permit.
b. Rabbit - party limit of 8 rabbits per
				day.
c. Deer - One legal buck and
				three antlerless deer per year. All harvested deer count towards statewide bag
				limits, unless otherwise stated.
3. DEER HUNTING PERMITS: Deer hunting will be
				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.
				Hunters must check in a 1½ year old or older doe during their permitted
				gun hunt to be issued a permit to harvest one (1) legal buck. This buck permit
				will be valid for the duration of the permitted hunt and during the legal bucks
				only deer hunt (Dec. 15 - 19).
4.
				DEER DATA COLLECTION: All deer harvested must be checked at the Area
				Headquarters and recorded on WMA Daily Use Permit Card or WMA Check-In App by
				the hunters 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.
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: 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.
7. TURKEY HUNTING
				PERMITS: Turkey hunting will be 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.
8. LEGAL WEAPONS: Only
				archery equipment, centerfire rifles, shotguns with slugs, primitive weapons,
				and centerfire handguns may be used for deer hunting.
9. SPECIAL EVENTS:
a. Hunting dog field trials and other special
				events will be allowed by special use permit only. These permits may be
				obtained from the MDWFP, see Area Manager for additional information.
b. Special events will be restricted to the
				following dates: Sept. 9 -10, Dec. 2 -3, Dec. 10 -11, Dec. 15-19, Dec. 25-30,
				Jan. 6 -7, Jan. 13 -14, Jan. 19-21, Jan. 27 -28, Feb. 3 - 4, Feb. 17 - 18, and
				Feb. 24 - 25.
c. The WMA is closed
				to hunting during special event dates. Anyone participating in permitted
				special events must obey conduct rules as designated and posted by club or
				group permitted to hold event.
10. DOVE HUNTING: A youth dove hunt will be
				held on a designated field Sept. 4, 2023, from 2 p.m. - sunset. Youth dove
				hunters must register prior to the special youth dove hunt. Dove hunting will
				be allowed on designated fields after the Sept. 4 youth hunt, from 2 p.m. -
				sunset, on Wednesdays and Saturdays only, during the first season only. The
				number of hunters on the dove field is limited to 75.
11. OFF-ROAD MOTORIZED VEHICLES/ATVs:
				ORVs/ATVs/Electric Bicycles are allowed for the retrieval of harvested deer or
				hogs only. 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.
12. HORSES:
				During WMA deer seasons, horseback riding is restricted to roads open to
				motorized vehicles. Raccoon hunting from horses is allowed during nighttime
				hours.
13. CAMPING: No camping
				allowed.
14. FISHING: Fishing is
				allowed. Boats prohibited.