2026 Youth Squirrel Hunts

When: February 7, 2026
Where: 6 locations throughout Mississippi (see below)
Time of Day: 7 am to 1 pm
Cost: Free (Guns and Ammunition provided)
Availability: 20 youth participants per event
Application Deadline: January 23, 2026
Youth must be 10 to 15 years of age (on event date) to participate.
Hunt sites:
Hunt sites for 2026
- Camp McCain (Grenada County/Grenada area)
- Copiah County WMA (Copiah County/Hazlehurst area)
- Mahannah/Phil Bryant WMAs (Issaquena County/Vicksburg area)
- Pascagoula River WMA (Jackson County/Vancleave to Lucedale area)
- Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee NWR (Oktibbeha, Winston, Noxubee counties/Starkville area)
- Tallahala WMA (Scott, Newton, Smith, Jasper counties/Forest area)

Events will begin in the morning, and the general program after checking in and completing any necessary paperwork will be:
- Hunting basics and firearms safety
- Practice shotgun shooting
- Squirrel hunt with treeing dogs
- Field dressing squirrels
A liability waiver completed by parent/guardian will be required to participate, and an adult parent/guardian is required to accompany youth during the event. The waiver may be submitted on the day of the event. If the first choice hunt site applied for is full, we will try to accommodate with the second choice, if available. Events will be mostly held outdoors for the duration (approximately 7:00 am - 1:30 pm). Event staff will supervise all shooting and hunting activities. More specific event information will be provided after participants are selected. For more information, contact rick.hamrick@wfp.ms.gov or 601-432-2199.
* Youth must be 10 to 15 years of age (on event date) to participate.
* Events will begin by 7:30 am, so you will need to be able to arrive by that time on the morning of the event.
* If submitting applications for multiple youth, please submit individual applications for each youth.