Wildlife Removal Laws in Mississippi: What You Can and Cannot Do

Mississippi is home to a wide range of wildlife — from wild hogs tearing up pastures to raccoons raiding attics in Jackson suburbs. When an animal becomes a problem on your property, your first instinct may be to handle it yourself. Before you set a trap or relocate anything, though, you need to understand exactly what the law allows.

Wildlife removal laws in Mississippi are managed primarily by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP), and the rules differ significantly depending on the species, your role as a property owner, and the method you plan to use. Getting this wrong can mean fines, loss of hunting privileges, and even jail time.

This guide walks through every major aspect of Mississippi’s wildlife removal framework so you know exactly where you stand before taking action.

Can You Remove Wildlife Yourself in Mississippi?

The short answer is yes — but only for specific animals and under specific conditions. Mississippi law draws a clear line between officially designated nuisance species and all other wildlife, including game animals and protected species.

Under Miss. Code Ann. § 49-7-1, nutria, beaver, fox, skunks, coyotes, and wild hogs are classified as “nuisance” animals, and nuisance animals may be hunted, trapped, taken, killed, chased, or pursued on private lands. This gives property owners meaningful flexibility when these species are causing damage.

No license is required for a resident landowner hunting or trapping nuisance animals on his own land. That is a significant exemption. If you own the property and the animal is on the nuisance list, you can act without purchasing a hunting or trapping license. However, this exemption only applies to resident landowners — not tenants, guests, or hired help acting on your behalf without written authorization.

For protected species causing damage, landowners must contact the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks for assistance. The department may issue special permits for controlling these animals. Attempting to remove a protected species on your own — without that permit — is a violation regardless of the damage being caused.

Pro Tip: Even if you qualify for the landowner exemption, always confirm the animal is on Mississippi’s official nuisance species list before taking action. Misidentifying a protected animal as a nuisance species does not shield you from penalties.

Which Animals Can Be Removed Without a Permit in Mississippi?

Wild hogs, skunks, foxes, coyotes, beavers, and nutria are classified as nuisance species in Mississippi. These are the animals you can address most directly as a property owner, with the fewest restrictions on timing and method.

Landowners and any leaseholders may hunt nuisance animals year-round at any time of day or night with no weapon or caliber restrictions on property titled in their name or otherwise owned or leased by them. That is broad authority — no closed season, no weapon restrictions, and no time-of-day limits on your own land.

Designated agents of the landowners or leaseholders may hunt nuisance animals year-round at any time of day or night with no weapon or caliber restrictions, provided they have written permission from the landowner or leaseholder in their possession when hunting nuisance animals. Permission letters must be signed and dated by the landowner or leaseholder and shall include the contact information of both parties and a specific expiration date.

Beyond the core nuisance list, Mississippi also allows hunting of certain other species outside of standard restrictions. Raccoons, foxes, opossums, beavers, nutria, coyotes, and bobcats may be legally hunted at night, with or without the use of a light and with or without dogs, except during the spring turkey season. Note that raccoons, opossums, and bobcats are not on the nuisance species list — they are game animals with regulated seasons — so different rules apply when removing them outside of those seasons.

Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is one of Mississippi’s most common suburban wildlife complaints. While it can be hunted during its regulated season, it is not classified as a nuisance species, meaning you cannot simply remove it year-round without following game animal rules or obtaining a permit through MDWFP.

Which Animals Require a Licensed Wildlife Removal Professional in Mississippi?

Several categories of animals in Mississippi carry strong legal protections that effectively require you to bring in a licensed professional — or contact MDWFP directly — before taking any removal action.

All birds of prey — eagles, hawks, osprey, owls, kites, and vultures — and other nongame birds are federally protected species and may not be hunted, molested, bought, or sold according to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This federal layer of protection means that even if a hawk is nesting in your barn or an owl is roosting in your attic, you cannot remove, harass, or harm it without federal authorization. Contact MDWFP or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for guidance.

Black bears may be present on a Wildlife Management Area. Bears are state-protected as an endangered species. Hunting or disturbing bears is prohibited. The American black bear (Ursus americanus) in Mississippi is state-listed as endangered — a designation that goes beyond the federal Endangered Species Act protections in many cases. If a black bear is on or near your property, call MDWFP and do not attempt removal yourself.

Endangered species protections in Mississippi extend to the Florida panther, all sea turtles, the Indiana bat, the gopher tortoise, the gray bat, saw-back turtles (yellow-blotched, ringed, and black-knobbed), the southern hognose snake, the black pine snake, the rainbow snake, and the eastern indigo snake. Any encounter with these species requires professional handling and should be reported to MDWFP.

Alligators also fall outside the DIY removal category. Alligators, once endangered, have recovered but remain protected. Limited hunting is allowed through a strictly regulated permit system. If an alligator is posing a threat on your property, contact MDWFP rather than attempting removal on your own.

Deer are game animals with regulated seasons. Animal Control Permits may be issued to scare, harass, or kill deer that are destroying crops only after an MDWFP officer has inspected the damage and requested the issuance of such permits. To request an officer to inspect your damage, contact the appropriate regional office.

Important Note: Federal law governs migratory birds regardless of what state law says. Even a bird not listed as endangered can be protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. When in doubt, contact MDWFP or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before touching any bird or its nest.

Trapping Rules and Legal Methods in Mississippi

Trapping is a widely used removal method in Mississippi, but the rules around it are detailed. The license you need — and the methods you can legally use — depend on what you are trapping and where.

A trapping license is required for anyone 16 years of age or older who traps on any land other than their own. Persons trapping nuisance animals other than wild hogs must have a valid Mississippi trapping license, unless otherwise exempt. The resident landowner exemption discussed earlier also applies here — you do not need a trapping license to trap nuisance animals on your own property if you are a resident owner.

Persons trapping wild hogs must possess a valid Lifetime, All Game, Sportsman, or Trapping License, unless otherwise exempt. Wild hog trapping has its own set of equipment requirements as well.

For bait and lures, the rules are specific. It is illegal to trap with the aid of bait, recordings of bird or animal calls, or electrically amplified imitations of calls of any kind. However, lure is allowed for trapping furbearers, beaver, nutria, coyote, skunk, and fox, provided that no more than two and one-half cubic inches of such lure is placed or located within twenty feet of any trap. That lure amount is approximately the volume equivalent of a regulation-sized golf ball. All lure within twenty feet of any trap must be covered and not visible from above.

Wild hog traps have their own design standards. A wild hog live-cage-type trap is described as a permanent or mobile containment system made of any type of material capable of confining the mobility of a wild hog until otherwise removed. Approved traps are those that consist of a trap door, slide gate, or similar mechanism, suspended net traps, and suspended cage traps that fall to the ground. These traps must have at least 50% of the roof open to allow non-targeted deer, turkey, or bear the ability to escape.

Any live cage-type trap used to trap wild hogs must be tagged or labeled in plain view with the owner’s or user’s name, address, phone number, and/or trapper license ID number. All live cage-type traps must be checked every 36 hours. All non-targeted wild or domestic animals caught must be released immediately upon detection.

Trapping on someone else’s land adds another requirement. No person shall trap on the lands of another unless he has the permission of the landowner. That permission should be documented in writing to protect yourself if questions arise.

Species	License Required to Trap	Bait/Lure Allowed	Trap Check Interval
Beaver, nutria, fox, skunk, coyote	Trapping license (non-owners)	Yes — lure only, max 2.5 cu. in., covered	Standard trapping rules apply
Wild hogs	Lifetime, All Game, Sportsman, or Trapping License	Yes (corn/feed allowed; CWD zone requires Animal Control Permit)	Every 36 hours
Game animals (raccoon, deer, etc.)	Valid hunting/trapping license; season restrictions apply	Restricted — no bait for game animals outside nuisance rules	Standard trapping rules apply
Protected/endangered species	Not permitted without MDWFP or federal authorization	N/A	N/A

Can You Relocate Wildlife in Mississippi?

Relocation is one of the most misunderstood areas of Mississippi wildlife law. Many people assume that catching an animal alive and releasing it somewhere else is a humane and legal alternative. In many cases, it is not.

Wild hogs may not be caught or trapped and released into the wild at a location different from the location where the wild hog was caught or trapped, or otherwise transported live in the State of Mississippi. This is one of the strictest relocation bans in the state’s wildlife code, driven by the serious agricultural and ecological damage feral hogs cause.

No person may transport on public roads or off of the property of record where captured or relocate within the state any live feral hog, wild swine, or Russian Boar within the State of Mississippi. Violating this rule is a Class I violation with serious consequences.

For other nuisance species, live possession is also tightly restricted. Live nuisance animals may not be possessed except in limited circumstances. Coyote and fox may be possessed by licensed fur trappers for the sole purpose of transporting and selling to a MDWFP-licensed coyote/fox enclosure. Possession over 30 consecutive days for this purpose is prohibited.

The broader rule is that euthanization and lethal removal methods are restricted for game animals, furbearers, and bats due to lack of training and certification requirements of certain permits. Lethal methods are allowed for nuisance animals such as beaver, nutria, wild hogs, coyote, skunk, and fox.

If you are dealing with a game animal or a species that cannot legally be killed without a permit, your practical options are exclusion (preventing access to your home or property) or contacting MDWFP for guidance. Attempting to relocate a live raccoon, opossum, or deer on your own puts you in a legal gray zone at best and a clear violation at worst. Relocating wildlife also spreads disease risks, which is part of why Mississippi restricts it so firmly. Laws in neighboring states follow similar logic — see how Tennessee handles wildlife relocation and how Alabama’s rules compare.

Hiring a Licensed Wildlife Control Operator in Mississippi

When the animal on your property is protected, the situation is complex, or you simply want the job done correctly and legally, hiring a licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator (NWCO) is the right move.

The MDWFP allows individuals and businesses to apply for a Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator Permit through its official licensing system. NWCOs are trained professionals authorized to handle a broader range of species and use methods that are not available to the general public — including certain lethal control techniques for game animals and furbearers that require specific certification.

Some species of wildlife, both native and non-native, regularly cause conflicts through their interactions with humans. This may occur around homes and other buildings, gardens, livestock areas, ponds, crops, and gardens. Conflicts can range from mere irritating circumstances to significant property damage. Nuisance animal regulations have been developed to provide homeowners and landowners legal options for management and control of these species.

When choosing a wildlife control operator in Mississippi, verify the following before hiring:

• They hold a current MDWFP Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator Permit
• They are licensed and insured for work in your county
• They can provide a written assessment and removal plan
• They explain clearly how the animal will be handled after capture
• They do not offer to relocate wild hogs or other species where relocation is prohibited by law

You can search for a licensed specialist directly through the MDWFP nuisance wildlife page, which maintains a directory of permitted operators. For bat removal specifically — which involves federal protections under the Endangered Species Act for certain bat species — always confirm the operator has experience with bat exclusion work and understands the legal timing restrictions around maternity season.

Wildlife removal laws vary considerably across state lines. For comparison, see how Georgia regulates wildlife removal and what Florida requires for licensed operators.

Pro Tip: Ask any wildlife control operator for their MDWFP permit number before signing a contract. You can verify active permits through the MDWFP directly. An unlicensed operator working on your property does not shield you from liability if something goes wrong.

Penalties for Illegal Wildlife Removal in Mississippi

Mississippi uses a tiered violation system for wildlife offenses, and the penalties are serious enough that ignorance of the law is not a viable defense.

A Class I violation carries a fine of between $2,000 and $5,000 and imprisonment in the county jail for 5 days. The person must also forfeit all hunting, trapping, and fishing privileges for a period of not less than 12 consecutive months from the date of conviction.

Deer-related violations carry their own specific penalties. If a person is convicted of killing any deer out of season, that person may be fined not less than $100 and their license may be revoked for a year by the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. More serious deer violations — such as headlighting — escalate quickly. Headlighting deer is a Class I violation punishable upon conviction by a $2,000–$5,000 fine and forfeiture of all hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges for one to three years.

Wild hog transportation and relocation violations are treated as Class I offenses. A violation of the wild hog relocation subsection is a Class I violation and is punishable as provided under Section 49-7-141.

Harassment of wildlife is a Class 2 violation punishable upon conviction by a $100–$500 fine. While that sounds minor, harassment charges can stack with other violations — and disturbing a federally protected bird or bat can trigger separate federal penalties that far exceed state-level fines.

Depending on the hunting laws you violate, you can face jail time, suspension or loss of your hunting license or fishing license, extensive fines, and other penalties.

Rehabilitation of wildlife without a permit is also a violation. In order to rehabilitate any wildlife in Mississippi, you must possess the correct rehabilitation permit. Without the correct permit, you could end up violating quite a few laws regarding wildlife.

Violation Type	Classification	Fine Range	Additional Penalties
Illegal possession/import of dangerous wildlife	Class I	$2,000–$5,000	5 days jail; 12+ months loss of hunting/trapping/fishing privileges
Headlighting deer	Class I	$2,000–$5,000	1–3 years loss of all privileges
Wild hog relocation/transport violation	Class I	$2,000–$5,000	Loss of hunting/trapping/fishing privileges
Killing deer out of season	Specific offense	Minimum $100	License revocation for 1 year
Harassment of wildlife	Class 2	$100–$500	Possible additional federal penalties for protected species

The safest approach is always to confirm the species, check its legal status with MDWFP, and call a licensed professional when you are unsure. States across the country take similar stances — Texas, North Carolina, and Virginia all enforce meaningful penalties for unpermitted wildlife removal.

Know the Rules Before You Act

Mississippi gives property owners real authority to deal with nuisance animals — especially on private land — but that authority has clear limits. The nuisance species list is short, relocation is heavily restricted, and protected species carry penalties that can affect your hunting and fishing privileges for years.

If the animal is on the nuisance list and you own the property, you have broad legal options. If you are unsure of the species, the situation involves a game animal or protected species, or you are trapping on someone else’s land, bring in a licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator and contact MDWFP for current guidance.

Wildlife laws also vary significantly across state lines. If you manage property in multiple states or simply want to understand how Mississippi’s rules compare, review the frameworks in Louisiana, Missouri, and Ohio for broader context. Acting within the law protects both your property rights and the wildlife that Mississippi’s regulations are designed to manage.