All turkeys harvested during the spring turkey season must be reported to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Park Game Verification System by 10 p.m. on harvest day. As part of the game verification process, all turkey hunters must carry an up-to-date harvest report with them during the spring hunt. The reporting record can be either (a) the MDMFP reporting application on a smartphone with hunter profile and subsequent catch history; (b) a paper copy of the MDWFP`s harvest reports; or (c) provided by the hunter. Before a turkey is removed from the harvest site, hunters must at least document its name and date in the harvest report log. There are three ways to complete the game verification process and get a confirmation number. Hunters can either (a) register the harvest in the MDWFP reporting app on a smartphone; (b) enter the harvest through the Game Check website at www.mdwfp.com/gamecheck or (c) call the Game Check Reporting Hotline at 1-800-BE-SMART. The hunting manual summarizes hunting regulations for private and public property. For more information on wildlife management area (WMA) regulations, see the WMA regulations brochures. The capture of wild game on land or water where maize, wheat, cereals, foodstuffs or other substances have been deposited by means other than normal harvesting or agricultural planting shall be prohibited, unless otherwise specified below. Persons who own, lease or otherwise have written permission to take deer on land of at least 640 contiguous acres or at least 150 contiguous acres to take deer on land of at least 640 contiguous acres if adjacent to land with a valid permit for the management of antlerless deer or private land Deer can apply for permits and tags antlerless deer, to authorize the harvesting of a certain number of antlerless deer on the registered plot during the established deer hunting season. A group with adjacent plots can apply together, provided that the entire area meets the space requirements.

For more information, see MyFWC.com/Deer. All birds of prey (eagles, hawks, ospreys, owls, kites and vultures) and other non-wild birds are protected and cannot be hunted, harassed, bought or sold. English sparrows, starlings, blackbirds and crows can be caught in accordance with regulations. The following threatened species are also protected: black bear, Florida leopard, gray bat, Indiana bat, all sea turtles, gopher turtle, sawway turtle (black, ringed, yellow-spotted), black pine snake, eastern indigo snake, rainbow snake and southern chicken-nosed snake. Residents who are visually impaired, paraplegic, multiple amputees, classified as totally disabled by the Social Security Administration or completely disabled by the Veterans Administration do not need to obtain a hunting or fishing license. [Code MS. 49-7-5 and 49-7-9] Residents exempted under these criteria must have proof of age, residence, disability or other physical impairment in the course of their hunting and fishing activities. All previously issued exempt licenses for DISABILITIES are null and void. Merritt Island NWR offers regular season waterfowl licences for $27.50. Waterfowl permits are available for the start and regular season in the following areas: The person may not buy, sell or offer for sale wildlife, wild birds or wild fish (whether they have entered or left the Mississippi) or exchange them for property or other considerations, except as follows: Legally caught deer skins and tendons can be bought or sold at any time, and raccoon and muskrat carcasses can be sold as food during the open fishing season, and raccoon carcasses can be sold to raccoons during firearms season. It is also illegal to buy or sell wild animals native to the state of Mississippi. Rifles, shotguns, pistols, air rifles, longbows, compound bows, curved bows, crossbows and birds of prey (hawks, hawks and owls) can be used.

Portable triggers can be used. Arrows or bolts used to capture deer or wild turkeys must have a broad head with at least two sharp edges and a minimum width of 7/8 inches. Only preloaded pneumatic rifles (PCPs) that fire single bullets or bolts/arrows of at least .30 caliber to take deer and at least .20 to take turkey. PCP air guns are commercially manufactured air guns that are loaded from an external high-compression source such as an air compressor, air tank or external hand pump and are specially designed to drive a bolt, boom or other projectile commonly used for hunting. Legal filming times for the resident game are half (1/2) hour before sunrise to half (1/2) hour after sunset. The legal check-in times for migratory birds are half (1/2) hour before sunrise until sunset. Raccoons, foxes, opossums, beavers and bobcats can be legally hunted at night, with or without light and with dogs, except during the spring turkey season. For legal deer, see “Deer Hunting” for legal sizes and catch restrictions. Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975 must complete an approved hunter safety course before purchasing a Florida hunting license that allows them to hunt without adult supervision. To learn more about these and other programs, visit us at MyFWC.com/HunterSafety. Weapons that can be legally used during primitive weapons season are all archery equipment and primitive firearms. “Primitive firearms” intended for deer hunting are defined as single or double barrelled muzzle-loading rifles of .38 calibre or higher; OR breech-loading metal cartridge rifles (.35 calibre or more) and replicas, reproductions or reproductions of such rifles with an exposed hammer; OR single or double barrel muzzle-loading shotguns, bullet or single screw shotguns.

All primitive muzzle-loading weapons must use black powder or a black powder substitute with percussion caps, #209 shotgun primers, or flintlock ignition. “Black powder substitute” is defined as a substance designed, manufactured and specifically intended for use as a propellant in muzzle-loading firearms or other black powder firearms, with the exception of advanced smokeless powder. Metal cartridges can be loaded with black powder or modern smokeless powder (cartridges purchased in sports stores). Telescopic sights are allowed during hunting with any primitive firearm during primitive firearm season. During a season open for deer with primitive weapons after November 30, a person may only use any legal weapon of his or her choice on private property if he or she owns the land, leases the hunting rights on the land, is a member of a hunting club that leases hunting rights on the land, or a guest of the above-mentioned person. If the person must have a hunting licence, they must have a licence to carry a primitive weapon, a sports licence or a sporting licence for life. FWC cooperatively manages public hunting on 6 million hectares in our WMA system. The FWC cannot grant permission to hunt in other areas. Land that is not fenced or fenced, including some waters, may not be open for hunting.