Waterfowl Hunting Information

Waterfowl Draw Hunt Information
The MDWFP has numerous waterfowl hunting opportunities on its Wildlife Management Areas.  Hunters can freelance waterfowl hunt on many areas like Sunflower, Malmaison, O'Keefe, Pascagoula, Nanih Waiya, or Canal Section WMAs.  Or if you are after a more structured experience with defined hunting units and on-site personnel available for questions, perhaps one of our areas offering a limited access hunting opportunity is of more interest to you.  Wildlife Management Areas like Howard Miller, Charlie Capps, Mahannah, Trim Cane, Tuscumbia (Unit 2), Muscadine, and Sky Lake all have limited access waterfowl hunts.  If you are interested in applying for reservations for a waterfowl draw hunt, Apply in mid-October for regular season duck hunts or early August for early teal season hunts to apply.

Draw Hunt Procedures for Standby Hunting Areas
Standby hunting is where hunters can arrive at the WMA the morning of waterfowl hunt days for an opportunity to fill vacancies as a result of reservation holders not showing up for their hunt.  Standby procedures may be different from one area to the next based on hunter input for that area or what we have found works best for that area.  For standby procedures on each area. 

• Howard Miller WMA
• Mahannah WMA
• Muscadine WMA
• Trim Cane WMA
• Tuscumbia WMA (Unit 2)
• Neshoba County Lake
• Lake Bogue Homa

Waterfowl Draw Hunt Statistics
The chance of getting a pre-season reservation waterfowl hunt varies from one WMA to the next.  Harvest success, word-of-mouth, location, and waterfowl use all play an important role in dictating how many people apply for a certain WMA. Also, how many dates hunters choose and how they prioritize those dates can influence their chances of being drawn.  For example, prioritizing for all available hunt dates within a draw period increases your likelihood of being drawn.  The following table shows how many people applied, how many were drawn, and the percent chance of getting drawn for our WMAs and State Lakes that offer a waterfowl hunting lottery.  Percentages larger than 100% during some draw periods are a result of fewer applicants than available spots. 

First Draw Period

 Second Draw Period

 Third Draw Period

 Fourth Draw Period

 Fifth Draw Period

Waterfowl Hunt Unit Maps
The MDWFP offers a variety of mapping tools to help hunters get a feel of an area before they get a chance to visit it.  Our Geographic Information System Program offers an interactive mapping application with updated aerial photography, topographical maps, and GPS locations.  They also have maps of waterfowl hunting units for our Wildlife Management Areas that delineate hunting areas. Our Wildlife Management Area Program has maps and area regulations for all WMAs.

Habitat Status on Selected Waterfowl Hunting Areas
Waterfowl habitat status on selected WMAs is updated annually prior to the regular duck season.

• Howard Miller WMA - The conventional rice that was planted produced very well.  Portions of the rice fields have been harvested with a stripper-header to leave tall stubble for hunter cover.  Most moist-soil areas have strips of corn and Sudan grass planted in them for hunter cover and supplemental waterfowl foods.  Most moist-soil areas are in excellent condition, dominated by wild millet and sprangletop with little competition from non-desirable vegetation.
• Mahannah WMA - Moist-soil plants have responded fairly well after prolonged spring flooding and abundant July rains.   Sudan grass was planted in strips to provide hunter cover.  Coffeeweed is abundant in some impoundments.  Overall, the area's waterfowl food abundance is fair. In addition, the WMA has provided flooded habitat for shorebirds, wading birds, and early migrant waterfowl since September.
• Muscadine Farms WMA - Planted crops have benefited from the July rains, and have produced an abundance of waterfowl foods.  Moist-soil plants are growing well.  Some areas were disked or mowed to clear dense areas of natural vegetation before flooding.  Overall, waterfowl foraging and roosting habitat on Muscadine will be excellent, and some impoundments have been flooded since September.
• Twin Oaks WMA - Moist soil plant abundance is good in waterfowl impoundments and GTR openings.  Millet has also been planted to supplement natural foods. 
• Malmaison WMA - The Malmaison green tree reservoir (GTR) had a good moist soil growing season.  A lot of natural waterfowl foods were produced by the June rains.  Waterfowl food plots were planted to millet in the GTR and produced well.  Waterfowl foraging and resting habitat should be good in the GTR.
• O'Keefe WMA - The waterfowl impoundments on O'Keefe WMA contain a wide variety of waterfowl foods.  The contract farmer grew soybeans with alternating strips of corn.  The strips of corn were left standing for waterfowl food and hunter cover.  Moist soil production was very good in most impoundments and some areas were supplemented with millet plantings.  Some manipulations were completed to clear dense areas of undesirable vegetation before flooding. 
• Charlie Capps WMA - The large-scale habitat improvement project with Ducks Unlimited has been completed.  Moist-soil plants responded well to abundant rainfall this summer.  Impoundments have a diversity of waterfowl foods and abundant cover.  Managers have done their best to mow/disc arears for waterfowl access in most impoundments.
• Trim Cane WMA - Trim Cane WMA had a good to excellent moist-soil response in summer 2012. The milo, Egyptian wheat, and millet plantings also did well in most impoundments.  Some additional nuisance vegetation control efforts were conducted within several of the impoundments, which improved the wetland habitat diversity.  With adequate rainfall this fall and winter, Trim Cane promises to provide quality wintering waterfowl habitat. Updated water level and hunting information may be obtained by calling (662)552-5886.
• Tuscumbia WMA - Due to timely rains, waterfowl habitat looks great
  within impoundments planted with millets, sorghum sudan, and Egyptian
  wheat.  Also, a habitat improvement project to create an additional 10 acres of openings within impoundments and solve drainage issues throughout the area concluded in early September.  Updated water level and hunting information may be obtained by calling 662-284-0740.