Application period open for waterfowl draw hunt

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks has made procedural changes to waterfowl draw hunts on wildlife management areas for the 2020-21 hunting season. Due to ongoing health concerns from COVID-19, drawing procedures have been altered to limit close interactions between individuals who are visiting or working on these areas. New procedures for the upcoming hunting season are outlined below:

• All waterfowl draw hunt applications for the season (up to 5 draw periods per WMA) will be open concurrently from Oct. 1 to Oct. 15 and all drawings will be completed by Nov. 1.
• Hunting units will be assigned when draw winners are notified.
• Drawn hunters will have 48 hours to confirm their reservation online before it goes back into a second refill drawing.
• Applicants who are not initially drawn will be entered into the refill drawing for a chance to fill any hunting positions that were not confirmed.
• Drawn hunters and their guests must sign in by 5 a.m. the morning of their hunt and will proceed to their hunting unit.
• Howard Miller, Mahannah and Muscadine Farms WMAs will have stand-by opportunity for non-drawn hunters to show up the morning of a hunt for a chance to fill any vacant hunting units.

Applications for WMA draw hunts can be found online. Hunters are reminded that not all WMAs with waterfowl hunting opportunity require a draw permit to hunt, and specific regulations for each WMA should be reviewed before hunting.

For more information regarding waterfowl in Mississippi, visit the MDWFP website at or call 601-432-2199.