Mississippi Deer Season 2026-27: Gun Opens Nov. 21 and Runs to Jan. 20
November 6, 2026
Deer hunting season in Mississippi 2026-27 starts with a three-day velvet archery hunt on September 11-13 and the last legal day falls on February 15, 2027, in the Southeast Unit. That is a long calendar with a lot of moving parts, and the unit you hunt in changes the dates, the legal buck rules and the weapons you can use.
This article breaks the season down by weapon, unit and land type so you can plan without flipping through a PDF. Dates below come from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) 2026-2027 hunting seasons publication and its hunting page, and the agency’s regulations control if anything changes.
If you also chase other game in the state, our guides to turkey hunting season in Mississippi and dove hunting season in Mississippi pair well with your fall plans.
Deer Hunting Season Dates in Mississippi 2026-27
Mississippi splits its whitetail rules into four management units. White-tailed deer regulations are split into the Delta, North Central, Hills and Southeast management unit regions, each with its own regulations. The Delta, North Central and Hills units share one calendar, and the Southeast Unit runs a different one.
Here is the schedule for the Delta, North Central and Hills units, as listed on the MDWFP Wildlife and Hunting page:
| Method | Dates |
|---|---|
| Archery (velvet) | Sept. 11-13 |
| Archery | Oct. 1-Nov. 20 |
| Youth (15 and under) | Nov. 7-20 and Nov. 21-Jan. 31 |
| Antlerless primitive weapon | Nov. 9-20 |
| Gun (with dogs) | Nov. 21-Dec. 1 |
| Primitive weapon | Dec. 2-15 |
| Gun (without dogs) | Dec. 16-23 |
| Gun (with dogs) | Dec. 24-Jan. 20 |
| Archery/primitive weapon | Jan. 21-31 |
The Southeast Unit differs in a few places, according to the same MDWFP page:
| Method | Dates |
|---|---|
| Archery (velvet) | Sept. 11-13 |
| Archery | Oct. 15-Nov. 20 |
| Youth (15 and under) | Nov. 7-20, Nov. 21-Jan. 31 and Feb. 1-15 |
| Gun (with dogs) | Nov. 21-Dec. 1 |
| Primitive weapon | Dec. 2-15 |
| Gun (without dogs) | Dec. 16-23 |
| Gun (with dogs) | Dec. 24-Jan. 20 |
| Archery/primitive weapon | Jan. 22-31 and Feb. 1-15 |
Pro Tip: Download the full 2026-2027 white-tailed deer PDF and keep it on your phone. The legal-deer wording changes row by row, and land type matters as much as dates.
Archery and Crossbow Deer Season in Mississippi
Archery gives you the longest stretch of the fall. In the Delta, North Central and Hills units, archery runs October 1 to November 20, either-sex on private and open public lands. The Southeast Unit opens two weeks later, on October 15, and also gets a late archery and primitive segment that runs into mid-February.
The velvet season is the early window. MDWFP lists it for September 11-13 in all units. The velvet hunt allows one legal buck and requires a special permit, mandatory reporting and CWD sampling. It applies to private land and authorized state and federal lands.
Velvet season permits go on sale August 1, 2026, anywhere you can buy a hunting and fishing license. The velvet buck counts toward your annual buck limit, so think before you pull the string on a marginal animal.
Muzzleloader Deer Season in Mississippi
Mississippi calls its muzzleloader window the primitive weapon season. In every unit it runs December 2-15, and it is either-sex on private and open public lands. That makes it one of the better chances to fill a doe tag on public ground.
A separate antlerless primitive weapon season runs November 9-20 in the Delta, North Central and Hills units. It is antlerless deer only, on private lands. The Southeast Unit has no standalone version of this season.
The late archery and primitive weapon segment closes the year, running January 21-31 in the Delta, North Central and Hills units. In the Southeast Unit it starts January 22 and continues through February 15.
One rule trips up hunters who like other tools. According to Mississippi eRegulations, during open primitive weapon seasons after November 30, a person may use any legal weapon of choice on private land if they hold title to it.
Firearm Deer Season in Mississippi (Rifle and Shotgun)
Gun season opens November 21 in every unit and runs in split segments through January 20, 2027. That date is the one most hunters circle, and it lines up with the end of the youth and archery-only stretch.
- Nov. 21-Dec. 1: Gun with dogs.
- Dec. 2-15: Primitive weapon only.
- Dec. 16-23: Gun without dogs, still hunting only.
- Dec. 24-Jan. 20: Gun with dogs.
On private land and the Holly Springs National Forest, gun seasons are either-sex, with the Yalobusha County portions of the forest excluded, while open public land is legal bucks only. If you hunt a wildlife management area, read the area’s own rules, since they can be stricter.
The dogs-versus-no-dogs split matters even if you never run a hound. Deer move differently when dog hunters are active nearby, and the quiet December 16-23 window is a favorite for still hunters.
Youth and Disabled Hunter Deer Seasons in Mississippi
Hunters 15 and under get the longest season in the state. In the Delta, North Central and Hills units, the youth season runs November 7-20 and again November 21 through January 31. The Southeast Unit adds February 1-15.
Land type decides what a young hunter can shoot. From November 7-20 youth hunt either-sex on private, authorized state and federal, and open public lands. From November 21 on, it is either-sex on private lands, and youth on open public lands follow legal buck criteria.
The research for this article did not turn up a separate disabled hunter deer season for 2026-27 in the MDWFP calendar. Hunters with a disability who need accommodations should contact MDWFP directly through its hunting page.
Antlerless, Late and Holiday Deer Seasons in Mississippi
Antlerless-only hunting is concentrated in the November 9-20 antlerless primitive weapon season on private land. Outside that window, either-sex days on private land are how you take does with a gun or primitive weapon.
Late seasons are where Mississippi stands out. The gun with dogs segment runs December 24 through January 20, covering Christmas and New Year’s. After that, the archery and primitive weapon segment runs through January 31 in most of the state.
In the Southeast Unit, you can hunt into mid-February. MDWFP lists those late rows as bucks-only for the Southeast, and the antlerless limit there is lower than elsewhere, so check the unit table in the PDF before heading out.
Mississippi Deer Hunting Zones, Units and Counties
MDWFP defines the units by highways and counties, not by simple county lines. Per the official season PDF:
- Delta Unit: Areas west of I-55 and north of I-20, plus areas south of I-20 and west of U.S. Highway 61.
- North Central Unit: All private and open public lands in Alcorn, Benton, DeSoto, Marshall, Tate and Tippah counties.
- Southeast Unit: Areas south of U.S. Highway 84 and east of Mississippi Highway 35.
- Hills Unit: The remaining area of the state, which shares the Delta and North Central calendar.
Because the boundaries follow roads, a property near a highway can sit on either side. Pull up a map and confirm the unit before you buy a stand or book a lease.
Deer Bag Limits in Mississippi
The statewide limit on antlered bucks is one per day and three per season, per Mississippi Sportsman’s summary of the 2026-27 rules. One of those three may have hardened antlers that do not meet your unit’s legal antler requirement on private land and in the Holly Springs National Forest. Only one antlered buck may be taken during the September velvet season, and it counts toward the annual limit.
Antlerless limits vary by unit. The Southeast Unit allows one antlerless deer a day and three a season, according to Fish and Game Guide. Confirm antlerless limits for the Delta, North Central and Hills units in the MDWFP bag limit tables.
Pro Tip: Keep a running tally in your phone notes, then report every kill through Game Check right away. It keeps you from overshooting a limit across a season with this many segments.
Antler Point Restrictions and Buck Rules in Mississippi
Mississippi defines a legal buck by antler criteria that differ by unit. Those criteria drive what you can take on open public land, where the gun seasons are legal-bucks-only, and on private land for most of your three-buck limit.
The exception is the one hardened-antler buck. One of your three bucks may fall short of the unit’s antler requirement on private land and in the Holly Springs National Forest.
Youth hunters get extra room. On private land, youth may take any antlered buck, per Fish and Game Guide’s reading of the MDWFP rules. On open public land, youth must follow legal buck criteria after November 20.
Deer Hunting License, Tag and Permit Requirements in Mississippi
Residents need a hunting license, and a deer permit is part of the package for most hunters. Velvet season hunters add a $10 velvet permit, according to Fish and Game Guide.
Mississippi does not use physical tags for most deer. Instead, you report harvests through Game Check. MDWFP offers an app to report white-tailed deer and turkey harvests.
Buy licenses at MDWFP’s licensing system or at license agents. Check the agency’s current fee schedule before you buy, since fees can change between seasons.
Nonresident Deer Hunting in Mississippi
Nonresidents pay more and face a few extra limits. They need the $300 All Game Hunting license, or the $150 7-day version, plus a $100 Deer Permit. The nonresident deer permit also covers the velvet season, per the same source.
Public land is tighter for out-of-state hunters. Nonresidents cannot hunt public land before April 1 for turkey unless drawn, which signals how restrictive MDWFP can be, so check the agency’s nonresident public land rules for deer before you book travel.
If you are planning a bigger Mississippi trip, our bear hunting season in Mississippi guide covers another species worth a look.
Where to Hunt Deer in Mississippi: Public and Private Land
Most Mississippi deer are taken on private land, where either-sex days are more generous. Public land includes wildlife management areas, national forests and other open public ground, and the rules there are tighter.
The key public land rule is simple: gun seasons on open public land are legal bucks only. The Holly Springs National Forest is the exception, where either-sex gun hunting is allowed outside the Yalobusha County portions.
Many WMAs run draw hunts. According to Fish and Game Guide, the deer application window ran July 15 to August 15, 2026, and closed for 2026-27, so for this season look at open-entry areas or private leases.
Hunting Deer on Your Own Property in Mississippi
Landowners get a real advantage on private ground. Private land carries either-sex days across the gun, primitive and archery seasons, and the antlerless primitive weapon season exists only there.
Title owners can also use a weapon of choice after November 30 during primitive weapon seasons, per Mississippi eRegulations. That includes air bows and pre-charged pneumatic air guns.
You still need to follow the limits, report through Game Check and meet the licensing requirements that apply to you. Ask MDWFP whether a landowner exemption applies to your situation before assuming one does.
Blaze Orange, Shooting Hours and Legal Methods in Mississippi
Legal methods are defined by season. Archery is bow and crossbow, primitive weapon seasons are muzzleloader-focused, and gun seasons allow centerfire rifles and shotguns. Dogs are legal only during the segments marked “with dogs.”
The December 16-23 segment is still hunting only, with no dogs. Plan your tactics around that rule if you normally hunt with a drive.
Review the MDWFP General Hunting Rules and Regulations for the current blaze orange requirement and legal shooting hours, since the season PDF does not spell those out. Wear orange regardless of where you hunt, and especially during dog-hunt segments.
Sunday Deer Hunting in Mississippi
Mississippi’s season tables list continuous date ranges and do not carve out Sundays, so the dates above apply to every day of the week they cover. Nothing in the MDWFP season calendar breaks a segment on Sundays.
Land managers can set their own rules. National forests, WMAs and some private leases may have their own Sunday policies, so read the area’s rules before you head out.
Chronic Wasting Disease Rules for Deer Hunters in Mississippi
CWD is a live issue in Mississippi. The velvet season, for instance, requires a special permit, mandatory reporting and CWD sampling. MDWFP also publishes CWD management zones with their own requirements.
If you hunt inside a CWD zone, expect sampling and carcass rules. Check MDWFP’s CWD page before you hunt and before you move any carcass parts.
Pro Tip: Do not move a whole carcass out of a CWD zone until you have read the carcass rules for that zone. Deboned meat and finished taxidermy products are usually the safest items to transport.
Deer Harvest Reporting, Tagging and Transport in Mississippi
Game Check is how you report. MDWFP directs hunters to download its app and use it to log white-tailed deer and turkey harvests, per its hunting page.
- Download the MDWFP app before the season opens.
- Log in and confirm your license information.
- Report each deer right after harvest.
- Keep your confirmation until the deer is processed.
Velvet season carries a mandatory reporting requirement on top of Game Check, along with CWD sampling. For transport, follow MDWFP and any CWD zone rules for carcass parts.
Best Time to Hunt Deer in Mississippi
The rut peaks at different times by zone, according to My Wild Report. MDWFP studies more than twenty years of deer health checks to map conception dates across the state, which is why peak breeding shifts as you move around Mississippi.
For most hunters, the strongest windows are these:
- Early November archery: Bucks start chasing and you still have the bow season to yourself.
- Opening weekend of gun season, Nov. 21: Pressure rises, but so does daytime movement.
- Dec. 16-23: No dogs, quieter woods and still hunting only.
- Late January: Cold snaps push deer to feed hard, especially in the Southeast, where seasons run to mid-February.
Whatever window you choose, scout unit boundaries early and plan your reporting. For more state-specific planning, see our guide to goose hunting season in Mississippi if you want to fill your freezer and your calendar.