R.W. Williams scanned the woods in search of a late season buck during a January deer hunt in East Central Mississippi. He was hoping to harvest a last-minute buck for the freezer. The Meridian hunter had passed on several bucks trying to leave one for his son, Kyle, and he had yet to pull the trigger.
“Kyle ended up killing a couple of bucks, but every time I’d pass on one because he was coming the next day, he never saw any of those bucks,” Williams said. “I finally took off a few days and decided I was going to harvest one of those bucks, one good 8-point I’d passed on three times, if I had the chance again.”
Williams thought he saw movement in the woods and sure enough it was a rack buck coming straight towards his stand. As soon as the buck got close enough, Williams confirmed it was one of the 8-pointers he’d passed on. He took a fine bead and placed the crosshairs on the buck’s engine room and squeezed the trigger.
“Tic-Boom!” Williams’ .308 Remington Model 7 rifle roared, and the buck collapsed in an instant! The buck was a good one that would provide scrumptious table fare for his family too.
According to Williams, he’s looking forward to a good season based upon what he’s seen so far.
“We’ve been feeding protein pellets about 3 months now,” Williams said. “Although this is the first time I’ve had game cameras and protein feed out this early, all signs look promising for a good season. We have seen quite a few bucks and plenty of does utilizing our areas, and it’s looking good for my grandkids this fall. We are getting them ready as well as the food plots, feeders and green fields.”
Williams also utilizes portable blinds that can be moved to different locations as the deer patterns change throughout the fall and winter.
According to all of the other reports I’ve heard, it should be another banner season for deer hunting in the Magnolia State.
Mississippi Deer Seasons 2026-27
Delta Unit: Areas west of I-55 and north of I-20 plus areas south of I-20 and west of U.S. Hwy 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. Hwy 84 and east of MS Hwy. 35.
Hills Unit: All areas except the Delta, North Central, and Southeast Deer Management Units.
Bag Limits
Antlered Buck Deer: The statewide bag limit on antlered buck deer is one (1) buck per day and three (3) per annual season. One (1) of these three (3) may have hardened antlers that do not meet the unit legal antler requirements on private land and Holly Springs National Forest. Only one antlered buck may be harvested during the September archery velvet season (counts toward the annual bag limit). For youth hunters fifteen (15) years of age and younger, hunting on private land and authorized state and federal lands, all three (3) of the three (3) buck bag limit may be any antlered deer. Antlered buck bag limit in the North Central Deer Management Unit (DMU) is one (1) buck per day and four (4) per annual season. No antler restrictions apply to this DMU. All four (4) bucks may have any sized hardened antlers.
Antlerless Deer: Private lands: The statewide annual bag limit on antlerless deer is five (5). The antlerless bag limit for private lands in the North Central DMU is ten (10) antler-less deer per season. Antlerless deer are male or female deer which do not have hardened antler above the natural hairline. Only three (3) antlerless deer may be harvested from the Southeast Unit. There is no daily bag limit on antlerless deer in the North Central, Hills, and Delta units. Only one (1) antlerless deer per day may be harvested in the Southeast DMU. U.S. Forest Service National Forests: The bag limit is one (1) per day, not to exceed five (5) per annual season except in the Southeast Unit, which is three (3) per annual season.
North Central, Delta and Hills Deer Management Units
Archery – Sept. 11-13 Only one (1) Legal Buck. Special permit, mandatory reporting, and CWD sampling required. Private Land and authorized state and federal lands.
Oct. 1-Nov. 20 Either-Sex on private land, open public land, and Holly Springs NF
Youth Gun – Nov. 7-20 Either-Sex on private lands, authorized state and federal lands, and open public lands.
Nov. 21-Jan. 31 Either-Sex on private lands. On open public lands, youth must follow legal deer criteria.
Antlerless Primitive Weapon – Nov. 9-20 Antlerless Deer Only on private lands.
Gun (with dogs) – Nov. 21-Dec. 1 Either-Sex on private land and Holly Springs NF. Legal Bucks only on open public land.
Primitive Weapon – Dec. 2-15 Either-Sex on private land, open public land, and Holly Springs NF. Weapon of choice may be used on private land with appropriate license.
Gun (without dogs) – Dec. 16-23 Either-Sex on private land and Holly Springs NF. Legal Bucks only on open public land.
Gun (with dogs) – Dec. 24-Jan. 20 Either-Sex on private land and Holly Springs NF. Legal Bucks only on open public land.
Archery/Primitive Weapon – Jan. 21-31 Either-Sex on private land and Holly Springs NF. Legal Bucks only on open public land. Weapon of choice may be used on private land with appropriate license.
Southeast Management Unit
Archery – Sept. 11-13 Only one (1) Legal Buck. Special permit, mandatory reporting, and CWD sampling required. Private Land and authorized state and federal lands.
Oct. 15-Nov. 20 Either-Sex on private and open public land.
Youth Season – Nov. 7-Nov. 20 Either-Sex on private lands, authorized state and federal lands, and open public lands.
Nov. 21-Jan 31 Either-Sex on private lands. On open public land youth must follow legal deer criteria.
Feb. 1-15 Legal Bucks only on private and open public land youth must follow legal deer criteria.
Gun (with dogs) – Nov. 21-Dec. 1 Either-Sex on private land. Legal Bucks only on open public land.
Primitive Weapon – Dec. 2-15 Either-Sex on private and open public land. Weapon of choice may be used on private land with appropriate license.
Gun (without dogs) – Dec. 16-23 Either-Sex on private land. Legal Bucks only on open public land.
Gun (with dogs) – Dec. 24-Jan. 20 Either-Sex on private land. Legal Bucks only on open public land.
Archery/Primitive Weapon – Jan. 21-31 Either-Sex on private land. Legal Bucks only on open public land. Weapon of choice may be used on private land with appropriate license.
Feb. 1-15 Legal Bucks only on private and open public land. Weapon of choice may be used on private land with appropriate license.
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