Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 40 - Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks › Part 2 - Wildlife › Chapter 1 - Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) › Rule 40-2-1.12 - MAHANNAH WMA REGULATIONS

Current through June 25, 2024
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. 3
Antlerless deer and legal bucks.
Primitive Weapon - Permit Only
Nov. 9
Nov. 27
Antlerless deer and legal bucks
Youth Gun -
Nov. 4
Nov. 5
Antlerless deer and any antlered buck.
Gun - Permit Only
Dec. 3
Dec. 29
Antlerless deer and Legal bucks.
Archery/Youth Gun
Jan. 1
Jan. 14
Legal bucks only.
Senior Adult - Permit Only
Jan. 18
Jan. 19
Antlerless deer and Legal bucks. See bag
								limits.
TURKEY
Season Closed
See Turkey HUNTING in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
YOUTH SQUIRREL
Sept. 23
Sept. 29
SQUIRREL & RABBIT
Oct. 1
Dec. 31
Saturdays only, except closed on Nov. 4
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
Sept 30
Daily.
Oct 1
Jan 31
Saturdays only. Fishing not allowed in waterfowl
								and timber hunting units.
TRAPPING
Jan. 1
Feb. 28
WATERFOWL - Permit Only -Except for youth waterfowl
								hunts, the September teal season, and the post season light goose conservation
								order.
See WATERFOWL in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
YOUTH WATERFOWL
Open concurrent with the statewide Youth Waterfowl
								Season
See WATERFOWL in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
POST SEASON LIGHT GOOSE CONSERVATION ORDER
See Federal Regulations.
Open after waterfowl season.
QUAIL
Nov. 25
Dec. 23
Saturdays Only.
Jan. 1
Mar. 2
Daily.
DOVE
See DOVE in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS. Migratory Bird
								Hunting in Special Instructions.
WOODCOCK
Same as Statewide Seasons.
See Migratory Bird Hunting in Special
								Instructions.
SNIPE
Same as Statewide Seasons.
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. 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 on this WMA is closed.
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 hunts, September teal season,
				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 waterfowl hunt which shall run concurrent with the statewide waterfowl
				youth 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 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. Closings will be posted at
www.mdwfp.com/wma
.
16. MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTING: 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 the
				regular waterfowl season and deer draw hunts, snipe and dove may only be hunted
				on Saturdays and Wednesdays in the designated "snipe/dove area" as shown on the
				Mahannah WMA map during the legal season for the species. Prior to and after
				the regular waterfowl season and deer draw hunts: Migratory game birds may be
				hunted daily on the WMA during the legal season for those species. During the
				regular waterfowl season and deer draw hunts: In waterfowl impoundments,
				migratory game birds may ONLY be hunted in assigned units while on permitted
				waterfowl hunts during the legal season for the species.