40 MAC Pt. 2, R. 1.46
“PHIL BRYANT” WMA REGULATIONS
Cite as 40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, R. 1.46
“PHIL BRYANT” WMA REGULATIONS.
A. Regulations for Phil Bryant Wildlife Management Area in Issaquena and Warren
Counties.
1.
Backwoods 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 Group Draw
– Permit Only
Oct. 1
Nov. 1
Antlerless deer and legal bucks.
Gun Group Draw –
Permit Only
Nov. 4
Jan. 13
Antlerless deer and Legal bucks.
Senior Adult –
Permit Only
Jan. 14
Jan. 15
Antlerless deer and Legal bucks.
See bag limits.
TURKEY
Permit Only.
See Turkey HUNTING in
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
YOUTH SQUIRREL
Sept. 24
Sept. 30
SQUIRREL &
RABBIT – Group
Draw
Oct. 1
Jan. 14
Open to hunters drawn during
group draw hunts.
SQUIRREL &
RABBIT
Jan. 15
Feb. 28
Daily.
SQUIRREL
May 15
June 1
Daily.
RACCOON
Jul. 1
Sep. 30
Friday and Saturday nights only.
RACCOON,
OPOSSUM &
BOBCAT
Jan. 15
Feb. 28
Daily.
TRAPPING
Jan. 15
Feb. 28
WATERFOWL –
Group Draw Permit
Only
Open concurrent with state waterfowl season for hunters drawn during
the group draw.
WATERFOWL
Open on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday from Jan. 15 – Jan. 31.
See WATERFOWL in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
YOUTH/VETERAN/
ACTIVE MILITARY
WATERFOWL
Open concurrent with statewide
youth and veteran/Active Military
waterfowl days.
See WATERFOWL in SPECIAL
INSTRUCTIONS.
WOODCOCK –
Group Draw Only
Open concurrent with Statewide
Season.
Open to hunters drawn during
group draw hunts.
WOODCOCK
Jan. 15
Jan. 31
Daily.
SNIPE – Group Draw
Only
Open concurrent with Statewide
Season.
Open to hunters drawn during
group draw hunts.
SNIPE
Jan. 15
Feb. 28
Daily
FISHING – Group
Draw
Oct. 1
Jan. 14
Open to hunters drawn during
group draw hunts.
FISHING
Jan. 15
Sept. 30
Daily
Backwoods units are closed to scouting from Oct. 1 – January 14.
2.
Buck Bayou Unit.
SPECIES
COMMENTS
OPENING
DATE
CLOSING
DATE
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. 1
Oct. 30
Antlerless deer and legal bucks.
Youth Gun –
Oct. 31
Nov. 1
Antlerless deer and any antlered
buck.
Primitive Weapon
– Permit Only
Nov. 5
Nov. 29
Antlerless deer and legal bucks
Gun - Permit Only
Dec. 1
Dec. 31
Antlerless deer and Legal bucks.
Archery/
Youth Gun
Jan. 1
Jan. 13
Legal bucks only.
Senior Adult –
Permit Only
Jan. 14
Jan. 15
Antlerless deer and Legal bucks.
See bag limits.
TURKEY
Permit Only.
See Turkey HUNTING in SPECIAL
INSTRUCTIONS.
YOUTH SQUIRREL
Sept. 24
Sept. 30
SQUIRREL &
RABBIT
Oct. 1
Dec. 31
Saturdays only, except closed on
Oct. 31
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. 31
Feb. 28
Friday nights only.
Daily.
TRAPPING
Jan. 1
Feb. 28
WATERFOWL -
Permit Only - Except
for
youth/veteran/Active
Military waterfowl
hunts, the September
teal season, and the
post season light
goose conservation
order.
See WATERFOWL in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
YOUTH/VETERAN/
ACTIVE MILITARY
WATERFOWL
Open concurrent with the
statewide Youth/Veteran/Active
Military Waterfowl Season
See WATERFOWL in SPECIAL
INSTRUCTIONS.
POST SEASON
LIGHT GOOSE
CONSERVATION
ORDER
See Federal Regulations.
Open after waterfowl season.
WOODCOCK
Same as Statewide Seasons.
Woodcock hunting is allowed on
any small game hunting day during
legal woodcock season.
SNIPE
Same as Statewide Seasons.
Snipe hunting is allowed on any
small game hunting day during
legal snipe season.
FISHING
Jan. 15 Sept. 30
Oct. 1 Jan. 14
Daily
Saturdays only.
The Buck Bayou Unit Will Be Closed To ALL ACTIVITES On Tuesdays from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31.
SCOUTING IS ALLOWED ON SATURDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS.
3.
Ten Point 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. 1
Nov. 29
Antlerless deer and legal bucks.
Gun
– Permit Only
Nov. 30
Dec. 20
Antlerless deer and legal bucks
Youth and
Handicapped Gun –
Permit Only
Dec. 24
Jan. 10
Antlerless deer and legal bucks.
Senior Adult –
Permit Only
Jan. 14
Jan. 15
Antlerless deer and Legal bucks.
See bag limits.
TURKEY
Permit Only
See Turkey HUNTING in
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
YOUTH SQUIRREL
Sept. 24
Sept. 30
SQUIRREL &
RABBIT
Oct. 1
Jan. 14
Open only on Monday, Tuesday,
and Wednesday.
SQUIRREL &
RABBIT
Jan. 15
Feb. 28
Daily.
SQUIRREL
May 15
June 1
Daily.
RACCOON
Jul. 1
Sep. 30
Friday and Saturday nights only.
RACCOON,
OPOSSUM &
BOBCAT
Jan. 15
Feb. 28
Daily.
TRAPPING
Jan. 15
Feb. 28
WATERFOWL
Open on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday during statewide waterfowl
seasons. See WATERFOWL in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
YOUTH/VETERAN/
ACTIVE MILITARY
WATERFOWL
Open Concurrent with statewide
seasons.
See WATERFOWL in SPECIAL
INSTRUCTIONS.
WOODCOCK
Same as Statewide Seasons.
Woodcock hunting is allowed on
any small game hunting day
during legal woodcock season.
Open daily from Jan. 15 - 31
SNIPE
Same as Statewide Seasons.
Snipe hunting is allowed on any
small game hunting day during
legal snipe season.
Open daily from Jan. 15 – Feb. 28
FISHING
Jan. 15 Sept. 30
Oct. 1 Jan. 14
Daily
Open only on Monday, Tuesday,
and Wednesday.
Scouting is allowed daily prior to Oct. 1, and on any small game hunting days thereafter. Only
those persons drawn to hunt are allowed on the unit during permitted hunts.
4.
Goose Lake 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 Only
– Permit Only
Oct. 1
Jan. 13
Antlerless deer and legal bucks.
Senior Adult –
Permit Only
Jan. 14
Jan. 15
Antlerless deer and Legal bucks.
See bag limits.
TURKEY
Permit Only.
See Turkey HUNTING in
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
YOUTH SQUIRREL
Sept. 24
Sept. 30
SQUIRREL &
RABBIT
Oct. 1
Jan. 14
Open only on Monday, Tuesday,
and Wednesday.
SQUIRREL &
RABBIT
Jan. 15
Feb. 28
Daily.
SQUIRREL
May 15
June 1
Daily.
RACCOON
Jul. 1
Sep. 30
Friday and Saturday nights only.
RACCOON,
OPOSSUM &
BOBCAT
Jan. 15
Feb. 28
Daily.
TRAPPING
Jan. 15
Feb. 28
WATERFOWL -
Open on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday during statewide waterfowl
seasons. See WATERFOWL in SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS.
YOUTH/VETERAN/
ACTIVE MILITARY
WATERFOWL
Open concurrent with statewide
seasons.
See WATERFOWL in SPECIAL
INSTRUCTIONS.
WOODCOCK
Same as Statewide Seasons.
Woodcock hunting is allowed on
any small game hunting day
during legal woodcock season.
Open daily from Jan. 15 - 31
SNIPE
Same as Statewide Seasons.
Snipe hunting is allowed on any
small game hunting day during
legal snipe season.
Open daily from Jan. 15 – Feb. 28
FISHING
Jan. 15 Sept. 30
Oct. 1 Jan. 14
Daily
Open only on Monday, Tuesday,
and Wednesday.
Scouting is allowed daily prior to Oct. 1, and on any small game hunting days thereafter. Only
those persons drawn to hunt are allowed on the units during permitted hunts.
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: Season bag limit of 3 deer, of which only 1 may be a legal buck.
All harvested deer and turkey count towards statewide bag limits. The bag limit during the Senior
Adult Hunt will be 1 legal buck and 1 antlerless deer per hunt. Bag limit for turkeys is 1 adult
gobbler per permitted hunter.
Backwoods Unit: Group bag limit of 4 legal bucks and 8 antlerless deer. All
harvested deer and turkey count towards the Phil Bryant WMA and statewide bag limits.
3. DEER DATA COLLECTION: All deer harvested must be checked at a WMA
check 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. Deer harvest on
Goose Lake Unit must be checked in at either the Hwy 61 Boat Ramp or Ten Point Unit data
collection station. Deer harvested on Buck Bayou Unit must be checked in at the Buck Bayou
Visitor Permit station at the Buck Bayou parking area, see map for location. Once the jawbone is
removed, ALL antlerless deer heads harvested on Phil Bryant WMA must be tagged and deposited
in the Mahannah or Phil Bryant CWD Collection freezer.
4. DEER HUNTING PERMITS: You may apply online at www.mdwfp.com. See
application for hunt dates, application deadlines, and other information about permitted hunts.
5. 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 Buck Bayou 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 16
inches OR one main beam length of at least 20 inches.
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: Turkey hunting will be allowed by special permit only.
8. LEGAL WEAPONS: Only centerfire rifles, shotguns with slugs, primitive
weapons, and centerfire handguns may be used for deer hunting.
9. WATERFOWL: 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. for all hunt units. Ten Point and Goose Lake Units are open to waterfowl hunting,
no draw, on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays during the statewide waterfowl season.
Shooting hours end at 12 p.m. for all hunt units. Waterfowl hunters must check-out by 1 p.m.
except during the youth/veteran waterfowl hunt which shall run concurrent with the statewide
waterfowl youth/veteran hunt. No boats, blinds, or decoys are to be left out overnight. Waterfowl
hunting shall open daily on the Ten Point and Goose Lake units during the waterfowl season while
the Steele Bayou Landside Gauge is at or above 82.0 feet.
Backwoods Unit: Only open to waterfowl hunting to those drawn for the group hunts from opening
day of waterfowl season – Jan. 14. Backwoods unit is open to waterfowl hunting on Monday,
Wednesday, and Saturday from Jan. 15 – 31 and during the Youth/Veteran Waterfowl days. From
Jan 15 – 31, shooting hours will end at 12 p.m. and waterfowl hunters must check-out by 1 p.m.
Buck Bayou Unit: All waterfowl hunting will be managed through the Mahannah WMA waterfowl
hunting process. No persons may leave Anderson-Tully Road or launch a boat until the waterfowl
draw process has been completed for the Buck Bayou and Mahannah Units. Waterfowl draw hunts
will be conducted for Mahannah / Buck Bayou on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays ONLY.
10. 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
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.
Goose Lake: ORVs/ATVs are prohibited on Goose Lake Unit.
11. 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.
12. 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. Camping for
Goose Lake Unit is ONLY allowed at the Ten Point or Mahannah WMA Campgrounds.
Backwoods: Camping for Backwoods Unit 4 is only allowed at the Mahannah WMA
campground.
13. SCOUTING:
a.
Backwoods: No scouting allowed from Oct. 1 – Jan. 14. Open daily
from Jan. 15 – Sept. 30.
b.
Buck Bayou: 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.
c.
Ten Point and Goose Lake Units: Scouting is allowed daily prior to
Oct. 1, and on any small game hunting days thereafter. Only those persons drawn to hunt are
allowed on the units during permitted hunts.
14. HIGH WATER: Phil Bryant WMA will be closed to all activities, except
waterfowl hunting, when the Mississippi River gauge at Vicksburg reaches 43 ft. and shall remain
so until the Mississippi River level falls to or below 41.0 ft. and/or when the Steele Bayou landside
gauge reaches 82.0 ft. and shall remain closed until the Steele Bayou level falls to or below 80ft.
Waterfowl hunting shall open daily on the Ten Point and Goose Lake units during the waterfowl
season after 82 feet on the Steel Bayou Landside Gauge. Previously drawn hunters for the
Backwoods unit may only waterfowl hunt during Mahannah permitted waterfowl hunts.
15. PARKING: Buck Bayou visitors must park in the Buck Bayou Unit parking
area only. See map for location. Visitors from Buck Bayou Unit and Mahannah WMA may not
park at Backwoods Units Campsites between October 1-January 31.