The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) has made procedural changes to waterfowl draw hunts on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) 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 October 1 to October 15 and all drawings will be completed by November 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 re-fill drawing.
- Applicants who are not initially drawn will be entered into the re-fill drawing for a chance to fill any hunting positions that were not confirmed.
- Drawn hunters and their guests must sign in by 5:00 am 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 at https://xnet2.mdwfp.com/drawings/public/WmaDrawingsV3.aspx. 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 prior to hunting.
For more information regarding waterfowl in Mississippi, visit our website at www.mdwfp.com/waterfowl or call us at (601) 432-2199. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mdwfp or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDWFPonline.
