Mississippi State Waterfowl Stamp 

How Your Stamp Supports Conservation 

Each year, Mississippi Waterfowl Stamp sales generate over $500,000 in dedicated conservation funding.  

Your Stamp Supports: 

• Wetland Habitat Development: Leverages state funds with partner dollars to improve habitat and management capability on Mississippi Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs).
• Infrastructure and Water Management: Repairs levees, pumps, and water-control structures; funds pumping to flood managed wetlands for public hunting.
• Research and Science: Supports applied research through Mississippi State University and other partners to better understand waterfowl and wetland systems and to provide relevant information to waterfowl hunters.
• Private Landowner Partnerships: Provides cost-share programs for landowners developing wetland habitat on Mississippi private lands.
• Waterfowl Breeding Habitat: Funds habitat work and protection in Canadian waterfowl breeding areas that produce the majority of ducks which will winter in Mississippi.
• Surveys and Monitoring: Funds aerial waterfowl surveys to track timing of migration and winter distributions in Mississippi and contributes to other collaborative waterfowl monitoring throughout the Mississippi Flyway.
• Youth Education: Sponsors the Gunner Palmer Memorial Youth Waterfowl Hunting and Education Camp, introducing young hunters to the importance of wetland and waterfowl management.

Your Purchase Makes a Difference 

When you buy a Mississippi Waterfowl Stamp, you’re not just buying a license requirement — you’re investing in the future of hunting and conservation in our state. 
 Your purchase helps maintain the places where we hunt, fish, and connect with nature — from the managed wetlands of our WMAs to the breeding grounds of the Prairie Pothole Region. 

The next time you’re sitting in a duck blind, watching the sunrise over a wetland, know that your stamp helped make that moment possible. 

Don’t Forget Your HIP Survey! 

The Harvest Information Program (HIP) is an essential tool for understanding migratory bird harvests across the country. All licensed waterfowl (and other migratory game bird) hunters are required to participate each year for each state they choose to hunt. 

When hunters register for HIP, they answer a few short questions about the types and numbers of migratory birds they harvested the previous season. These responses help biologists gather accurate data on harvest trends and hunter activity. 

HIP Data Helps MDWFP: 

• Estimate harvest rates and hunter participation
• Inform season frameworks and bag limits
• Guide conservation priorities based on species use
• Strengthen partnerships with other state and federal agencies 

By completing HIP when you buy your license, you help ensure that Mississippi’s waterfowl management decisions are based on strong, science-driven data.

What is Hip?

History of the Mississippi Waterfowl Stamp 

Mississippi’s Migratory Waterfowl Stamp was first introduced in 1976 with a $2 fee for both residents and non-residents. Over the years, as conservation efforts expanded, the cost was gradually adjusted to meet program needs. From the beginning, every dollar collected has been invested in work that sustains both wildlife and outdoor recreation opportunities across the state. 

Mississippi’s waterfowl stamp is more than a collectible—it’s a cornerstone of wetland conservation and hunting opportunity.