by Brad Gratton 28 Oct 2026

Mississippi Deer Season 2026–27

Mississippi's 2026–27 gun deer season opens Saturday, November 21, 2026, in all four deer management units. Before that, the youth gun season opens November 7, and the antlerless primitive weapon hunt runs November 9–20 in the Delta, Hills and North Central units. Gun season comes in three parts: with dogs Nov. 21 – Dec. 1, without dogs Dec. 16–23, and with dogs again Dec. 24 – Jan. 20, 2027. Most of the state closes January 31, but the Southeast unit stays open for bucks through February 15, 2027. The dates and bag limits come from the Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks 2026–27 deer rule and the official Mississippi hunting regulations.

Mississippi Deer Season 2026–27 at a Glance

Season	Delta, Hills and North Central	Southeast
Velvet Archery (permit, legal buck only)	Sept. 11–13, 2026	Sept. 11–13, 2026
Archery	Oct. 1 – Nov. 20	Oct. 15 – Nov. 20
Youth Gun (15 and under)	Nov. 7 – Jan. 31	Nov. 7 – Feb. 15
Antlerless Primitive Weapon (private land)	Nov. 9–20	None
Gun, Dogs Allowed	Nov. 21 – Dec. 1	Nov. 21 – Dec. 1
Primitive Weapon	Dec. 2–15	Dec. 2–15
Gun, No Dogs	Dec. 16–23	Dec. 16–23
Gun, Dogs Allowed (late)	Dec. 24 – Jan. 20, 2027	Dec. 24 – Jan. 20, 2027
Archery / Primitive Weapon (late)	Jan. 21–31, 2027	Jan. 21–31, plus Feb. 1–15 (legal bucks only)

On private land, most of these seasons are either sex. On open public land like the national forests, gun seasons are legal bucks only. WMAs aren't counted as open public land and have their own dates, so check the MDWFP WMA pages before you go.

Which Deer Management Unit Are You In?

Mississippi splits the state into four units, and your unit decides your dates, your buck rules and your doe limit.

Delta: west of I-55 and north of I-20, plus the area south of I-20 and west of U.S. 61.
North Central: all of Alcorn, Benton, DeSoto, Marshall, Tate and Tippah counties.
Southeast: south of U.S. 84 and east of MS 35.
Hills: everywhere else in the state.

Bag Limits and Legal Bucks

The buck limit is one per day and three per season in the Hills, Delta and Southeast units. North Central private land allows four. In the Hills and Southeast units, a legal buck needs either a 10-inch inside spread or a 13-inch main beam. The Delta is stricter, at a 12-inch spread or 15-inch main beam. On private land, one of your three bucks can be any antlered deer, and North Central has no antler minimum at all. Hunters 15 and under can take any antlered buck for all three of their bucks.

The antlerless limit is five per season in most of the state. The Southeast unit, including the De Soto National Forest, is one per day and three per season. North Central allows ten. Spotted fawns are never legal. Those limits come from the 2026–27 commission rule.

The Early Doe Hunt and Youth Season

The antlerless primitive weapon hunt, Nov. 9–20, is one of the best chances to fill the freezer before gun season. It's open on private land in the Delta, Hills and North Central units, and only antlerless deer can be taken. Every deer hunter in the woods during that hunt must wear 500 square inches of solid fluorescent orange or pink.

The youth gun season for hunters 15 and under opens Nov. 7. Through Nov. 20 it's either sex on private land, open public land and authorized state and federal lands. After that, youth can keep hunting either sex on private land through Jan. 31. In the Southeast unit, youth also get Feb. 1–15 for legal bucks only.

Hunter Orange and CWD Rules

During any firearms deer season, you must wear at least 500 square inches of solid fluorescent orange or pink in full view. You don't need it in a fully enclosed blind or a stand at least 12 feet off the ground, but you do need it walking to and from the stand. That rule comes from the MDWFP deer regulations.

Inside a CWD Management Zone, supplemental feeding, including feeders, salt licks and mineral licks, is banned. You can't carry a whole deer or a head out of a CWD zone. Only deboned meat, quarters with no spine or head attached, hides, cleaned skulls or skull plates, and antlers with no tissue can leave. MDWFP asks hunters to submit heads for CWD sampling, especially from deer taken in a CWD zone.

When Is the Rut in Mississippi?

Mississippi has one of the latest and longest rut calendars in the country. According to MDWFP, the peak rut runs early to mid-December in northwest Mississippi, mid-December to early January in central Mississippi, and early January to early February in southeast Mississippi. Their data covers more than 40 years and shows the peak doesn't move from year to year for a given area.

The MDWFP deer breeding date map shows the average conception date for your area. Their biologists say the rutting activity hunters see peaks about two weeks before that date. That means the Christmas-to-January gun season with dogs lines up with the rut in much of the state, and the Southeast's February bonus weeks catch the tail end. For the full picture across the South, see our Southeast deer rut dates guide.

Planning Around Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is Nov. 26, 2026, and it falls right in the first gun season with dogs, Nov. 21 – Dec. 1. That makes it a big weekend for dog hunting clubs and family camps. If you're hunting a neighboring state over the holiday, check our Alabama deer season guide and Thanksgiving week hunting guide.

Mississippi Deer Season FAQ

When does gun season open in Mississippi in 2026?

Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, in every deer management unit. Youth gun season opens earlier, on Nov. 7.

Can you hunt deer with dogs in Mississippi?

Yes, during the gun seasons of Nov. 21 – Dec. 1 and Dec. 24 – Jan. 20. Dogs aren't allowed during the Dec. 16–23 gun season.

How many bucks can you kill in Mississippi?

Three per season, one per day, in the Hills, Delta and Southeast units. North Central private land allows four.

What is a legal buck in the Mississippi Delta?

A buck with at least a 12-inch inside spread or a 15-inch main beam. On private land, one of your three bucks can be any antlered deer.

When does deer season end in Mississippi?

Jan. 31, 2027, in the Delta, Hills and North Central units. The Southeast unit stays open for legal bucks through Feb. 15, 2027.

Gear Up for the Season

Every Hunt One More® design is built around faith, service and time in the field. Grab The Lord Is My Guide® tees and hoodies for those cold December sits, and put a Hunt One More decal on the truck before opening day.

Trust the process. Trust the hunt. And when the sun's going down, hunt one more.

Keep Reading on Camp Talk

Season dates and bag limits come from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. This guide is for planning only. Always confirm current regulations, license requirements and bag limits with MDWFP before you hunt.

More from Camp Talk: Mississippi duck season 2026–27

Mississippi Deer Season 2026–27