MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2007 Regular Session
To: Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
By: Representative Eaton
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 49-7-31, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES AND PARKS TO AUTHORIZE THE HUNTING OF DEER OVER CORN; TO AMEND SECTION 49-7-33, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY THERETO; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 49-7-31, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
49-7-31. (1) The open season on deer shall be as follows:
(a) With bow and arrow: October 1 through the Friday prior to Thanksgiving.
(b) With guns and with dogs: From the Saturday prior to Thanksgiving through December 1.
(c) With primitive weapons and without dogs: December 2 through December 15.
(d) With guns and without dogs: December 16 through December 23. However, the commission may allow hunting statewide or in specific areas with any legal weapon which it may designate without dogs after the end of the last season for hunting deer with guns and with dogs, but the season with legal designated weapons and without dogs shall not extend beyond January 31.
(e) The commission shall establish an extended season with primitive weapons and bow and arrow without dogs from February 1 through February 15 for the area south of U.S. Highway 84 and east of Mississippi Highway 35 only for legal bucks. Any antlered deer taken in this area during any open season under this section must be a legal buck as defined in this paragraph. For purposes of this paragraph, the term "legal buck" means a deer with antlers of four (4) points or more with a minimum inside spread of ten (10) inches or a minimum main beam length of thirteen (13) inches. The commission may delay the opening date and change the length of bow and arrow season in paragraph (1)(a) in this area.
(f) With guns and with dogs: December 24 through a date fixed by the commission that will provide a total of thirty-nine (39) days of hunting deer with guns and with dogs when added to the number of days provided for hunting deer with guns and with dogs in paragraph (b).
(2) The commission may set and regulate the deer seasons on wildlife management areas which it administers.
(3) (a) The commission may allow the harvesting of antlerless deer in the districts or zones upon the recommendation of the executive director based upon good and substantial quantitative data and research evaluations that demonstrate that the harvesting is necessary to properly manage the herd.
(b) The commission, only upon the recommendation of the executive director, may allow the harvesting of antlerless deer during the deer season with guns and with dogs by a majority vote of the commission.
(c) Nothing in this subsection prohibits the harvesting of either-sex deer by landowners or leaseholders on private lands under a deer management program prescribed or approved by the executive director.
(4) The commission may provide a special permit for the harvesting of deer when they are depredating and destroying crops. The department shall supervise the harvesting and provide for the salvaging of the meat of the animals. The commission may authorize the department to assist any farmer in this state, who sustains crop damage by wildlife, in eradication of the problem wildlife.
(5) The commission, by rule or regulation, shall authorize the hunting of deer over corn during any deer hunting season whether the corn is scattered on the ground or is on the ear.
SECTION 2. Section 49-7-33, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
49-7-33. (1) Except as otherwise provided in Section 49-7-31, it is unlawful to hunt, trap or kill any wild bird or wild animal of any kind with the aid of bait, recordings of bird or animal calls, or electrically amplified imitations of calls of any kind, except a person:
(a) May use electrically amplified sound devices for hunting coyote and crow;
(b) May use liquid scents for any animal or bird; and
(c) May use lures for trapping furbearing animals, beaver, coyote, fox and nutria according to regulations adopted by the commission.
(2) The commission, in its discretion, may relax the restrictions regarding the use of lures or sound devices if a condition arises or exists, as decided by the State Board of Health or county board of health, that may endanger persons or livestock in a certain community, county or area.
(3) A person may use bait to trap wild hogs as defined in Section 49-7-140 during the period between the end of Spring turkey season and the beginning of deer season with bow and arrow.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2007.