PASCAGOULA RIVER WMA REGULATIONS

PASCAGOULA RIVER WMA REGULATIONS. A. Regulations for Pascagoula River Wildlife Management Area in George and Jackson Counties. SPECIES SEASON COMMENTS DEER For deer hunting regulations see DEER DATA COLLECTION, LEGAL BUCKS, and AREA RESTRICTIONS in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS. Archery Oct. 15 through the Friday prior to Thanksgiving Antlerless deer and legal bucks. Youth Gun 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 - Dec. 1 WITH DOGS in DEER HUNTING WITH DOGS AREA only. Legal bucks only. Primitive Weapon Dec. 2 - Dec. 15 Legal bucks only. Gun Dec. 16 - Dec. 23 WITHOUT DOGS. Legal bucks only. Gun December 24 until 47 days of regular gun hunting for entire deer season. WITH DOGS in DEER HUNTING WITH DOGS AREA only. Legal bucks only. Primitive Weapon Day after the final day of Gun Season through February 15 Legal bucks only. YOUTH TURKEY March 8 – 14 TURKEY March 15 – May 2 March 15 – March 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 RACCOON Jul. 1 - Sep. 30 Friday and Saturday nights only. RACCOON, OPOSSUM & BOBCAT Oct. 1 - Feb. 28 TRAPPING Nov. 1 - Feb. 28 WATERFOWL Same as statewide seasons. RABBIT Saturday nearest Oct. 15 - 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. AREA RESTRICTIONS: a. DEER HUNTING WITHOUT DOGS AREA: That portion of the WMA located in Jackson County east of the Pascagoula River and north of Big Slough. Deer hunting with dogs is prohibited. Small game hunting with dogs is allowed during any small game season. Hog hunting with dogs allowed during daylight hours only Feb. 16 – 28 with weapons legal for small game. b. DEER HUNTING WITH DOGS AREA: That portion of the WMA located in George County and the portion located in Jackson County west of the Pascagoula River and south of Big Slough. Small game hunting with dogs is allowed during any small game season. Hog hunting with dogs is allowed during any deer with dog season. In addition, hog hunting with dogs is allowed during daylight hours only during Feb. 16 – 28 with weapons legal for small game. 3. BAG LIMITS: Same as statewide bag limits, except the bag limit on antlerless deer is one (1) per day. All harvested deer and turkey count towards statewide bag limits, unless otherwise stated. 4. DEER DATA COLLECTION: All deer harvested must be checked at the WMA Headquarters or at the first self-service data collection station encountered and recorded on WMA Daily Use Permit Card or WMA Check-In App by the hunter who harvested them before leaving 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 10 inches OR one main beam length of at least 13 inches. For hunters 15 years of age or younger, any antlered buck is a legal buck, except during gun seasons with dogs, when a legal buck is a buck with an inside spread of at least 10 inches OR one main beam length of at least 13 inches. 6. LEGAL WEAPONS: Only centerfire rifles, shotguns with slugs or buckshot, primitive weapons, and centerfire handguns may be used for deer hunting. 7. OFF-ROAD MOTORIZED VEHICLES/ATVs/WATERCRAFT: 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 only allowed for retrieval of harvested deer or hogs. Deer hunting is not allowed from designated ORV/ATV trails. ORVs/ATVs/Watercraft left unattended in the Big Swamp must be stored at one of the three designated storage areas. These areas must be maintained in a neat and orderly manner. ORVs/ATVs left unattended must have the owner’s name and phone number permanently and legibly written and attached to the handlebars. Watercraft left unattended must be registered or have the owner’s name and phone number permanently and legibly written and attached to the hull. ORVs/ATVs/Watercraft not in compliance with these regulations or left unattended on the area more than 30 days may be confiscated and disposed of by the MDWFP. 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. 8. HORSES: During WMA deer and turkey seasons, horseback riding is restricted to roads open to motorized vehicles. Raccoon hunting from horses is allowed during nighttime hours. 9. CAMPING: Camping is allowed only in designated areas, or on sandbars and along rivers and creeks, provided such camp is visible from a boat. Camping is limited to 14 consecutive days. All campsites must be maintained in a neat and orderly manner. Camping equipment may not be left unattended for more than 24 hours. All camping equipment and garbage must be removed before final departure. 10. HIGH WATER: Hunting seasons (excluding waterfowl season) are closed when the Pascagoula River gauge at Merrill reads 18.0 ft or higher or Graham Ferry reads 15.0 ft or higher. Deep Slough and Graham Lake Roads in Jackson County will be closed when the river gauge at Graham Ferry reads 12.0 ft or higher. Roads will be re-opened when conditions are suitable for vehicle use that will minimize road damage. River stages can be obtained from www.mdwfp.com/wma or by calling 228-769-6508. The earliest daily reading will determine WMA closure for the entire day. 11. HOUSEBOATS: Houseboats are not allowed to be anchored, secured, or otherwise attached to any lands or structure within WMA boundaries. 12. TREE REMOVAL: No timber or firewood may be cut or removed from the WMA without written permission from the Area Manager, to include the removal of live, dead, floating, or submerged timber. PASCAGOULA RIVER WMA – LAND BETWEEN THE CREEKS UNIT REGULATIONS. A. Regulations for Pascagoula Wildlife Management Area – Land between the Creeks Unit SPECIES OPENING DATE CLOSING DATE COMMENTS DEER For deer hunting regulations see BAG LIMITS, DEER DATA COLLECTION, DEER HUNTING PERMITS, LEGAL BUCKS, and DOG RESTRICTIONS in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS. Archery – Permit Only Oct. 15 Oct. 30 Antlerless deer and legal bucks. Youth Gun – Permit Only Oct. 31 Dec. 18 Dec. 1 Dec. 27 Antlerless deer and legal bucks. Gun Dec. 4 Dec. 13 Antlerless deer and legal bucks. – Permit Only Jan. 15 Jan. 24 Gun - Senior Adult by permit only Jan. 1 Jan. 10 Antlerless deer and legal bucks. YOUTH TURKEY – Permit Only March 8 April 4 See YOUTH TURKEY HUNTING in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS. TURKEY – Permit Only April 9 April 25 See TURKEY HUNTING PERMITS in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS. YOUTH SQUIRREL Sept 24 Sept 30 SQUIRREL Feb. 1 Feb. 28 See SQUIRREL HUNTING in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS. NO OTHER SEASONS shall be open and no other animals shall be hunted or disturbed. The Commission may expand, shorten, restrict or otherwise alter, the hunting opportunities set forth herein, in order to best manage the animal population(s) on the management area. Any changes in hunting opportunities may be affected by Executive Order. 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: a. Deer: One (1) antlerless deer and one (1) legal buck per permitted hunt. All harvested deer and turkey count towards statewide bag limits, unless otherwise stated. Youth are allowed harvest of one (1) antlerless deer during specified seasons. b. Turkey: One (1) legal turkey per permitted hunter. c. Squirrel: Ten (10) per day. 3. DEER DATA COLLECTION: All harvested deer must be checked at the Unit deer data station 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. 4. DEER HUNTING PERMITS: Deer hunting 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. 5. YOUTH DEER HUNTING PERMITS: Youth deer hunting 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: During the Land between the Creeks Unit Youth Only Hunt, ONLY hunters 15 years of age or younger may harvest any antlered buck. During ALL other Permit Only hunts, a youth hunter must harvest a buck with an inside spread of at least 12 inches OR one main beam length of at least 15 inches. 7. TURKEY HUNTING: Turkey hunting 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. 8. YOUTH TURKEY HUNTING: Youth turkey hunting 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. 9. SQUIRREL HUNTING: Squirrel hunting is allowed only during the youth squirrel season Sep. 24 – 30 and from Feb. 1 – Feb. 28 10. DOG RESTRICTIONS: Hunting with dogs is prohibited, except squirrel hunting with dogs is allowed during squirrel season. 11. LEGAL WEAPONS: Centerfire rifles, shotguns with slugs, centerfire handguns, primitive weapons, and archery equipment may be used for deer hunting. Buckshot is prohibited. 12. OFF-ROAD MOTORIZED VEHICLES/ATVs: ORVs/ATVs are allowed to be driven to designated parking areas and for retrieval of harvested deer or hogs. During Turkey Season, electric carts may be used on any WMA road open to motorized vehicles for turkey hunting access during turkey season only. During all WMA deer firearms seasons, no loaded shoulder fired weapons allowed within 100 feet of any road within a WMA. Access to the unit via watercraft is prohibited during permitted deer and turkey hunts. The landings at Carter Landing (Black Creek) and Holly Landing (Red Creek) may be accessed by watercraft for non-consumptive purposes. 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. 14. HORSES: Horseback riding is allowed on roads outside of any open hunting season. 15. CAMPING: Camping is allowed in designated camping areas during permitted draw hunts only. 16. SCOUTING is allowed daily from May 2 – October 14 and Feb. 1 – March 14. From October 15 – Jan 31 scouting is allowed Wednesdays only and from March 15 – May 1 is allowed on Thursdays only. Only those persons drawn to hunt and/or accompanying adult for youth will be allowed on the area during permitted deer hunts. During permitted turkey hunts, only the hunter and their partner will be allowed on the area. 17. FISHING: Fishing is only allowed on Saturdays and Sundays from May – August in Doyle’s Pond. 18. TREE REMOVAL: No timber or firewood may be cut or removed from the WMA without written permission from the Area Manager, to include the removal of live, dead, floating, or submerged timber.