Mississippi’s Deer Primitive Weapon Season Opens December 1st

The Primitive Weapon Season for deer in all deer management zones will open Saturday, December 1^st and extend through Friday, December 14^th.  Antlerless deer and legal bucks are eligible for harvest.  Participating hunters may take both an antlerless deer and a legal buck during the same day.

According to Lann M. Wilf, North Region Deer Program Biologist, the pre-rut period is beginning throughout most of the state.  “Hunters may expect to see bucks beginning to chase does, which always makes for an exciting hunt.  Furthermore, deer movement seems to be greater during the first two weeks of December.  As a result, we usually see many mature bucks harvested across the state during the primitive weapon season.”

Legal weapons are primitive firearms and crossbows. “Primitive Firearms,” for the purpose of hunting deer, are defined as single or double barreled muzzle-loading rifles of at least .38 caliber; or single shot, breech loading, metallic cartridge rifles (.35 caliber or larger) and replicas, reproductions, or reintroductions of those type rifles with an exposed hammer; or single or double-barreled muzzle-loading shotguns, with single ball or slug. All muzzle-loading Primitive Firearms must use black powder or a black powder substitute with percussion caps, #209 shotgun primers, or flintlock ignition.

Hunters can find information about the three Deer Management Zones, season dates, and hunting regulations at www.mdwfp.com/deer or in the 2012-2013 Mississippi Outdoor Digest.

Mississippi Wildlife Fisheries and Parks

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP), formerly known as the Mississippi Game & Fish Commission, is an agency of the government of the U.S. state ofMississippi responsible for programs protecting Mississippi fish and wildlife resources and their habitats, as well as administering all state parks; it has its headquarters in Jackson. The agency issues hunting and fishing licenses, advises on habitat protection, and sponsors public education programs. It is also responsible for enforcement of Mississippi's fish and game laws. It is separate from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, which is the governing body for the state's natural salt-water resources and law enforcement thereof (i.e. Gulf of Mexico, ocean-going vessels, etc.).