Mississippi Deer News
 The Deer pen controversy May 14, 2013 Mississippi, MSNewsNow.com ... controversy over the legality of keeping native Mississippi deer behind fences. The PEER committee, an investigative arm of state government, says it is not legal. The Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks disagrees... PEER reviews wildlife programs, makes recommendations, deer enclosures May 1, 2013 Mississippi, Mississippi Business Journal (blog) ... some citizens have questioned the expanded use of privately owned pens for deer management and whether the use of such is consistent with state law... Because the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks and the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks manage wildlife for the benefit of the people of Mississippi, the commission should ensure that: it documents its basis for making policy decisions; its decisions are based on the best scientific information available ... QDMA promotes healthier deer April 18, 2013 Mississipppi, Hattiesburg American ...The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks has been working to help produce bigger, healthier bucks by setting restrictions on what you can and what you can’t shoot... along comes the QDMA, or Quality Deer Management Association, to help even further in producing more trophy deer, and not just the bucks. The QDMA is a non-profit wildlife organization dedicated to ensuring the future of white-tailed deer, wildlife habitat and America’s hunting heritage... ... The purpose of the report is to provide deer hunters, managers, and others with information concerning Mississippi's White-Tailed Deer resource. The report contains biological and sociological data used by the MDWFP to monitor and manage the state's White-Tailed Deer population... Mulling return to doe days April 7, 2013 Mississippi, Jackson Clarion Ledger With the large numbers of deer in Mississippi and other parts of the Southeast, few hunters think about the days when antlerless deer could only be harvested on certain “doe days” ... Some of the areas where doe days are proposed, weather, floods, increased human population and changing land use are cited as factors in a lower deer harvest, but in one area located southwest of Mississippi, another threat has raised its ugly snout — a swelling number of swine combined with coyotes... Primitive weapon *season now civilized on private, leased land March 29, 2013 Mississippi, Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal ... A bill allowing the use of “any legal” hunting method, including modern, repeating centerfire rifles, on private and leased lands during most deer seasons in Mississippi was signed into law Monday. Listed as House Bill 1139 ... the new law eliminates the practicalities of primitive weapon season for hunters on private and leased land ... Soybeans: Perfect (and costly) deer food March 27, 2013 Mississippi, Delta Farm Press ... Five million pounds of plant biomass — that’s about how much Mississippi’s 1.75 million to 1.9 million deer eat in a day... “Soybeans are the perfect deer food — there’s nothing better than soybean plants from the standpoint of palatability, digestibility, and food protein." ... says Bronson Strickland, associate Extension professor with the Mississippi State University Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture... Deer hunting weapons bill goes to Miss. governor March 14, 2013 Mississippi, SunHerald.com ... primitive weapon deer season in Mississippi. A bill that would allow hunters to use weapons of choice on private land during this brief part of deer season is headed to the desk of Gov. Phil Bryant... House Bill 1139 would apply only if the hunter is the landowner or is leasing the land, a member of a hunting club, or a guest... Mississippi likely to drop primitive-arms seasons for deer February 19, 2013 NOLA.com ... A bill with strong support in the Mississippi Legislature would remove the primitive-arms requirements during certain seasons in the state.... "The archery guys are throwing fits because they see it as a first step to eliminating archery season," [Cliff Covington, president-elect of the Mississippi Wildlife Federation] ... it may be an attempt to eventually return to a true primitive-weapons season... Mississippi's 1.7 Million Deer on the Move January 11, 2013, WTOK This is the time of year when drivers must be especially alert because of the possibility of deer jumping out onto the road... The Mississippi Department of Transportation says about 20 percent of crashes occur in the morning, and more than half occur between 5 p.m. and midnight... Jackson, Deer wanderings a danger in cities January 10, 2013 Mississippi, Jackson Clarion Ledger Harry Clark ... “Mother’s always saying, ‘They’re my deer,’” ... “Another neighbor put an orange collar on [a deer] because he didn’t want her to get shot since she was domesticated. She would walk into my neighbor’s house and spend the night ... Unfortunately, a young, eager hunter shot her. We were heartbroken.” ... Brandel Russell, president of the Mississippi Bowhunters’ Association, said there are ways to keep deer out of yards ... “ ...the smell of a dog will deter the deer from coming into your yard ... Motion sensors work real well.” Deer Herd Status, Deer moving into populated areas January 6, 2013 Mississippi, Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal ... Mississippi’s deer herd is approaching 2 million ... Oxford is Mississippi’s pilot city for a new deer population control plan ... he’s seen hunters take 60 to 80 deer each season – and also instill fear of being hunted into deer who have been living in the city for generations... Oxford is the only city with the control program ... This deer club has an overabundance of does January 4, 2013 MIssissippi, NOLA.com The Grand Buck Hunting Club in Wilkinson County, Miss ... "Biologists told us a few years ago our doe-to-buck ratio was three to one ... A big part of that is because of the work involved, Bardwell [club member] said. "We're so lazy now; we don't want to clean the does ... We're not meat hunters here... Big-buck hunters don't like bringing in slickheads" First Tracks December 18, 2012 Mississippi, Jackson Clarion Ledger I've heard old-timers recall seeing their first deer tracks in Mississippi. It's usually some variation of everyone at the barber shop piling into trucks and excitedly rushing out to someone's farm to see a real-live deer track... Total acreage of restored and exiting hardwood forestland presently exceeds 250,000 acres of South Delta landscape. As these new forests grow, wildlife that have long been absent are making a comeback. Deer gun season reopens in MS Dec. 15 December 7, 2012 Mississippi, KAIT ... Mississippi's white-tailed deer hunting season with guns reopens Dec. 15 and runs through Dec. 23. Mississippi deer hunting with guns season reopens Dec. 15 December 7, 2012 Jackson Clarion Ledger Wildlife officials say legal bucks must meet the antler criteria within the appropriate deer management zone. The bag limit on antlerless deer is one per day not to exceed five per license year ... Deer hunters find little luck on opening day November 18, 2012 Mississippi, Jackson Clarion Ledger ... At Copiah Wildlife Management Area near Barlow ... few shots were heard and hunter after hunter trickled in with empty truck beds... Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks biologist William T. McKinley spent his morning visiting clubs in Madison and Yazoo counties. “There was a lot of hunter activity, but deer movement was unexpectedly slow,” ... White-tailed deer gun season opens Nov. 17 November 7, 2012 MIssissippi, Madison County Journal ... Hunting with dogs is allowed during this season. Legal deer include either-sex on private lands and legal bucks on open public lands.... Avoid tagged deer while hunting this fall October 1, 2012 Misissippi, WTVA When hunters in Lowndes and surrounding counties see deer with colored ear tags this fall, researchers at Mississippi State University hope they will allow the research subjects to roam....Researchers hope to determine whether antler size in young deer is a predictor of antler size at maturity. Bucks in the project are tagged as fawns or yearlings and monitored with trail cameras until they reach five to six years old.... second year of the project ... Outlook is positive for deer hunters September 27, 2012 Mississippi, Jackson Clarion Ledger “Since last year's heavy mast crop and warm winter conditions reduced statewide deer observations and harvest, the silver lining from last year is that many bucks had the chance to get a year older,” said Justin Thayer of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks | Search for news and information by keyword above or find links to state news stories organized by topic. Mississippi data: About 1.75 million deer in 2013, about 2 million in 2011. Estimated $1 billion economic impact on state. Other useful links: - The 2012-2013 Deer Hunting Seasons - Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality - Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Scroll down to see more tweets Deer Management Goals: Department wildlife biologists continue to inform and educate sportsmen relative to deer management needs and issues. Our goals are to provide insight into current deer management needs while providing the leadership to identify and guide future issues. from Deer Program Report |
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