MDWFP News

Proposed Rules for 2019-2020 Deer Season
Proposed Rules for 2019-2020 Deer Season
5/14/2019 11:14:51 AM
From MDWFP

Public and Private Land

• Increase antlerless bag limit to five (5), except remain two (2) in the Southeast Zone.
• Bonus tag for hunters that submit a CWD-positive deer during hunting season and choose to relinquish the meat.

Private Land Only

• Allow one of three-buck bag limit to be any antlered deer.

WMAs and Open Public Land

• Allow antlerless harvest Dec. 2–15 (primitive weapon) on open public lands and certain WMAs.
• Only youth may harvest sub-criteria antlered deer.

Upper Sardis WMA and Holly Springs National Forest

• Allow antlerless harvest from Oct. 1–Jan. 31.
• Allow one of three-buck bag limit to be any antlered deer.

PHIL BRYANT WMA PROPOSED HUNT PLAN

Backwoods Unit

• 4 subunits: Deer, waterfowl, and small game
• Group hunting and camping
• Draw a party of 4 per hunt (16 hunters per hunt)
• Wednesday – Sunday
• Every other week starting October 1 – January 14
• Group bag limit of 4 legal bucks and 8 antlerless deer

Buck Bayou Unit

Deer draw hunts (same as Mahannah)

• October – archery only
• November/December – Gun
• Jan 1 – 14 – Open archery hunting
• Small game seasons same as Mahannah

Waterfowl Hunts

• 41 units on Mahannah and Buck Bayou
• Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday

Ten Point

Deer Draw Hunts

• Thursday – Sunday
• Oct/Nov – Archery
• December – Gun
• Youth/Handicapped only -- Dec 26 – Jan 12

Waterfowl and small game – open on days not deer hunting (Mon-Wed)

GooseGoose Lake

• Boating or walk-in access only

Deer Draw Hunts

• Thursday – Sunday
• October 3– January 12 – Archery

Waterfowl and Small Game – Monday–Wednesday

General Regulations

Deer

• Season Bag Limit – 3 deer, of which only 1 may be a legal buck (Antler Criteria of 16/20)
• Mandatory CWD sample submission for all antlerless deer
• Trapping ---- Jan. 1 – February 28 daily

Fishing

• From Oct. 1 – Jan. 14, fishing is allowed on small game/waterfowl hunting days.

ATV Use

• Retrieval only
• Designated road and trails only

Horses

• Prohibited Oct. 1 – Jan. 14.
• From Jan. 15 – Sept. 30, designated roads and trails for recreational use
  only.

High Water/Flooding

• Mahannah and Phil Bryant WMAs will be closed to all activities, except waterfowl hunting, at 82ft on the SB landside gauge.
• Waterfowl hunting shall open daily on 10 Point and Goose Lake units during the waterfowl season after 82ft on the SB landside gauge.
• Waterfowl hunting is draw only on Mahannah and Buck Bayou Units during the waterfowl season after 82ft on the SB landside gauge.