Last Updated on October 25, 2022 by Brian Grossman
Making plans for Mississippi’s 2022-2023 deer season? You’ve come to the right place! Here are the dates for archery, primitive weapons and firearms, as well as the general rules and regulations you need to know for the upcoming season.
At their May 19, 2022 meeting, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Commission unanimously approved the proposed 2022-2023 deer season dates and regulations, including the new archery velvet buck hunt in September. All the dates are listed below, so you can start planning now for your fall deer hunting adventures in the Magnolia State.
While we make every attempt to ensure our information is correct, always check the official regulations provided by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks before heading afield.
Deer Season Dates
Statewide
ARCHERY VELVET BUCK SEASON:
Antlered bucks only on private land. Bucks DO NOT have to be in velvet.
- Sept. 16 – 18, 2022
BAG LIMIT:
One legal buck that counts toward the annual antlered deer bag limit
All harvested bucks must be submitted for CWD sampling to a MDWFP CWD drop-off freezer or to a MDWFP participating taxidermist within 5 days of harvest.
Learn more about the new Mississippi velvet buck season.
Delta, Northeast, North Central, East Central & Southwest Units
ARCHERY SEASON:
Either-Sex on private land, open public land, and Holly Springs NF
- Oct. 1 – Nov. 18, 2022
YOUTH SEASON (15 and under)
Either-Sex on private lands and authorized state and federal lands.
- Nov. 5, 2022 – Jan. 31, 2023
EARLY PRIMITIVE WEAPON:
Antlerless deer only on private lands.
- Nov. 7-18, 2022
GUN (WITH DOGS):
Either-Sex on private land and Holly Springs NF. Legal Bucks only on open public land.
- Nov. 19 – Dec. 1, 2022 and Dec. 24, 2022 – Jan. 18, 2023
PRIMITIVE WEAPON:
Either-Sex on private land, open public land, and Holly Springs NF. Weapon of choice may be used on private land with appropriate license.
- Dec. 2 – 15, 2022
GUN (WITHOUT DOGS):
Either-Sex on private land and Holly Springs NF. Legal Bucks only on open public land.
Dec. 16 – 23, 2022
ARCHERY / PRIMITIVE WEAPON:
Either-Sex on private land and Holly Springs NF. Legal Bucks only on open public land. Weapon of choice may be used on private land with appropriate license.
Jan. 19 – 31, 2023
Southeast Unit
ARCHERY SEASON:
Either-Sex on private and open public land.
- Oct. 15 – Nov. 18, 2022
YOUTH SEASON (15 and under)
Either-Sex on private lands and authorized state and federal lands.
- Nov. 6 – Feb. 15, 2023
GUN (WITH DOGS):
Either-Sex on private land. Legal Bucks only on open public land.
- Nov. 19 – Dec. 1, 2022 and Dec. 24, 2022 – Jan. 18, 2023
PRIMITIVE WEAPON:
Either-Sex on private land and open public land. Weapon of choice may be used on private land with appropriate license.
- Dec. 2 – 15, 2022
GUN (WITHOUT DOGS):
Either-Sex on private land. Legal Bucks only on open public land.
Dec. 16 – 23, 2022
ARCHERY / PRIMITIVE WEAPON:
Either-Sex on private land. Legal Bucks only on open public land. Weapon of choice may be used on private land with appropriate license.
Jan. 19 – 31, 2023
Legal Bucks only on private and open public land. Weapon of choice may be used on private land with appropriate license.
Feb. 1 – 15, 2023
Bag Limits
Antlered Bucks:
The statewide bag limit on antlered bucks is one per day and three per season. One of the three can have antlers that don’t meet the legal antler requirements for the unit on private land and Holly Springs National Forest.
For youth hunters 15 and younger, hunting on private land and authorized state and federal lands, all three of the buck bag limit may be any antlered deer.
The antlered buck bag limit in the North Central Unit is one buck per day and four per season. No antler restrictions apply in this Unit.
Antlerless Deer:
Private lands: The statewide annual bag limit on antlerless deer is five. The antlerless bag limit for private lands in the North Central DMU is 10 per season. Only two antlerless deer may be harvested from the Southeast Unit. There is no daily bag limit on antlerless deer in the Northeast, North Central, East Central, Southwest, and Delta units. Only one antlerless deer per day may be harvested in the Southeast unit.
U.S. Forest Service National Forests: The bag limit is one per day and five per season except in the Southeast Unit, which is two per season.
Legal Deer Hunting Weapons
Archery
Any longbow, recurve, compound bow or crossbow may be used for deer hunting. There is no minimum draw weight. Fixed or mechanical broadheads may be used.
Primitive Weapons
Any legal archery equipment or primitive firearm may be used during the primitive weapons season. A primitive firearm is any single or double-barreled muzzleloading rifle at least .38 caliber OR single shot, breech-loading, metallic cartridge rifles .35 caliber or larger. Scopes are permitted.
During any open season on deer with primitive weapons after November 30, a person may use any legal weapon of choice, including pre-charged pneumatic weapons (air guns or bows), on private lands only, if the person is the title owner of the land, the lessee of the hunting rights on the land, a member of a hunting club leasing the hunting rights on the land, or a guest of a person specified above.
Gun
Any firearm is legal during Mississippi’s gun deer seasons. There are no caliber or magazine restrictions. Archery equipment and primitive weapons can be used during gun season as well.
For Additional Information
For additional information on Mississippi’s 2022-2023 deer season, be sure to check out the official Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks website. Always check the latest official hunting regulations before heading afield.
