Mississippi is a special deer-hunting state. If you want to harvest trophy bucks, you'll find them here, or if you want to fill your freezer with free-range game meat, then there are plenty of chances to do that, too.
Whatever your motivations for hunting the Mississippi deer season, your first step is to be on top of all relevant season dates, regulations, and bag limits. This guide will explore these dates and additional insights to help you execute a successful Mississippi deer season hunt.
2026 Mississippi Deer Season Hunting Dates
Mississippi is divided into five hunting zones, each with differing regulations, seasons, and allocations based on the different types of deer seasons with legal taking, including archery, youth season, antlerless primitive weapon, gun with dogs, and gun without dogs.
Due to the differing regulations and zone-based approach, we always recommend checking the latest from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, which is responsible for establishing season dates and enforcing rules related to conservation and animal management.
Mississippi Deer Season Dates 2026–2027 | |
|---|---|
Delta, North Central, and Hills Deer Management Units
| Southeast Unit
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Mississippi offers a generous youth hunting season for hunters 15 and younger. Youth hunters can use any legal firearm or archery equipment during the youth season.
Zones, Regulations, and Hours for Mississippi Deer Hunting Season
Mississippi is divided into different hunting zones known as deer management units. These units are as follows:
- Delta Unit: West of I-55, north of I-20, and areas south of I-20 and west of the U.S. Hwy 61.
- North Central Unit: Private and public lands in Alcorn, Benton, Desoto, Marshall, Tate, and Tippah counties.
- Southeast Unit: Areas south of U.S. Hwy 84 and east of MS Hwy. 35.
- Hills Unit: All areas except the Delta, North Central, and Southeast Deer Management Units.
Legal hunting hours run from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. However, checking the MDWFP website for all updates and zone-specific timings is essential.
Bag Limits and Restrictions on Antlered Deer
Mississippi public hunting lands have special regulations, so bag limits can vary by area. Check the unit and land type you plan to hunt before you head out.
The statewide limit on antlered bucks is one per day and three per season. Hunters in the North Central Unit can take four bucks per season. On private land and in the Holly Springs National Forest, one of your bucks can have hardened antlers that don’t meet your unit’s legal buck requirements.
Antlerless limits vary by unit:
- Delta and Hills (private land): five per season, with no daily limit
- North Central (private land): ten per season
- Southeast (private land): three per season, with a limit of one per day
- National forests: one per day, up to five per season (three per season in the Southeast Unit)
A legal buck must meet one of two antler requirements, either inside spread or main beam length:
- Delta Unit: 12" inside spread or 15" main beam length
- Hills Unit: 10" inside spread or 13" main beam length
- Southeast Unit: 10" inside spread or 13" main beam length
- North Central Unit: Any hardened antler
Licensing and Permits
All hunters, residents or non-residents, ages 16 to 65, must have a valid hunting license to hunt deer in Mississippi. Exceptions include residents who are visually impaired, paraplegics, multiple amputees, or disabled, as judged by the Social Security Administration, who are not required to purchase a hunting license.
Hunters born after January 1, 1972, must also have a hunter education certificate before successfully applying for a Mississippi hunting license. You also need a Deer Permit and, for archery and primitive weapon seasons, an Archery/Primitive Weapon/Crossbow permit. You can buy licenses online through the MDWFP licensing portal.
How to Prepare for a Successful Deer Season in Mississippi
A little pre-season planning puts you in a better position when opening day arrives. Follow these steps to prepare for your hunt.
- Choose your hunting zone. Deciding on your intended zone during the pre-season is a helpful first step, because it shapes the rest of your plan.
- Pick your public land. Once you have a zone, choose the public land you want to hunt. This gives you a specific area to focus your scouting on.
- E-scout with the HuntWise app. Use the aerial and topographical features to look for trails, lakes, rivers, and mixed environments. Mark anywhere deer may travel between bedding areas, food sources, and water.
- Scout in person and set up trail cameras. Visit the spots you marked in the app, and put up trail cameras where allowed. The footage gives you real-time insight into deer movement patterns and behavior.
- Push away from access points. The farther you go into harsh or isolated areas, the less likely you are to run into other hunters. Use your scouting to find routes that take you there.
Each step builds on the one before it, so you head into the season with a plan and a spot you know. Start early, and you will have time to adjust before opening day.
Dress Wisely
During the Mississippi hunting season, you can expect mild to cool weather, so pack accordingly with moisture-wicking thermal underwear, insulating outer layers, and camo. A solid pair of waterproof boots is non-negotiable, and an extra pair of socks or two can be a lifesaver.
Keep up to date with weather patterning on the HuntWise app to choose the best days to hunt and plan your gear accordingly!
Your Mississippi Season Success Starts With HuntWise
Whatever you want to get out of your next whitetail hunt, Mississippi offers it. With vast and varied seasons, large deer population numbers, and a strong hunting tradition to back it all up, make it Mississippi if you're looking for your next deer hunt.
Since we know your excitement is building about the 2025 Mississippi deer hunting season, go ahead and download the HuntWise app to stay on top of the tricky season zones and dates, changing deer behavior patterns, weather shifts, mapping insights, and more. Use HuntCast, WindCast, and RutCast to monitor deer movement and behavior and choose dates that offer the best weather conditions for a successful hunt.
Download the app and start your free trial now to be ready for opening day.
Content most recently reviewed and updated for the latest season dates and details October 23, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: When does deer season start in Mississippi?
A: Archery season opens October 1, 2026, in the Delta, North Central, and Hills units, and October 15, 2026, in the Southeast Unit. A special velvet archery season ran September 11 through 13, 2026, and it required a permit.
Q: When does gun season start for deer in Mississippi?
A: The first gun season opens November 21, 2026, and runs through December 1, 2026, with dogs allowed. Gun season continues December 16 through 23 without dogs, and December 24, 2026, through January 20, 2027, with dogs.
Q: What is the deer bag limit in Mississippi?
A: The statewide limit is one buck per day and three bucks per season, with four allowed in the North Central Unit. Antlerless limits on private land are five per season in most units, ten in North Central, and three in the Southeast Unit.
Q: What is a legal buck in Mississippi?
A: A legal buck must meet the antler requirement for the unit you hunt, and it can meet either the spread or the beam requirement. The Delta Unit requires a 12-inch inside spread or a 15-inch main beam, while the Hills and Southeast units require a 10-inch inside spread or a 13-inch main beam. The North Central Unit allows any hardened antler.
Q: Do you need a license to hunt deer in Mississippi?
A: Yes. Residents ages 16 through 64 need a hunting license; residents 65 and older are exempt but must carry proof of age; and non-residents 16 and older need a license. You also need a Deer Permit, and hunters born on or after January 1, 1972, must complete hunter education before buying a license.
Q: What are the deer management units in Mississippi?
A: Mississippi has four deer management units: Delta, North Central, Hills, and Southeast. Each unit has its own season dates, antler rules, and bag limits, so confirm your unit before you hunt.
Q: When is the youth deer season in Mississippi?
A: The youth season for hunters 15 and under runs November 7 through 20, 2026, and again from November 21, 2026, through January 31, 2027. In the Southeast Unit, it also runs February 1 through 15, 2027, for legal bucks.
