For Mississippi’s nearly 50,000 turkey hunters, the day they have been anticipating is almost at hand. The spring turkey season opens on March 15th and ends May 1st. Hunters aged 15 and under get an earlier opportunity with the Youth season beginning on March 8th. Bag limits for the spring season are one adult gobbler or one gobbler with at least a 6 inch beard per day, not to exceed three per spring season. Youth hunters 15 years of age and younger may harvest one gobbler of choice per day, not to exceed three per spring season.
Throughout much of the Magnolia State, the 2017 spring season should be a slight improvement over the last few years. Turkey populations in portions of north and central Mississippi are on an upwards trend following successive years of good hatches. In southern Mississippi, numbers are still not at levels hunters in these regions enjoyed in the past, but the reports from the field indicate that a turnaround may have begun. Early spring weather has seemingly primed gobbling activity, which should lead to a fast and furious start to the 2017 season in areas of sufficient populations.
Hunters that wish to hunt on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are urged to check area-specific regulations before going afield, as season dates and bag limits on some WMAs differ from the statewide framework. Hunters must purchase a WMA User Permit in addition to the required hunting license prior to hunting on any WMA.
For more information regarding wild turkeys in Mississippi and turkey hunting opportunities, visit us at www.mdwfp.com/turkey or call us at (601) 432-2199. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mdwfp or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDWFPonline.
