Photo by Charles R. Brower III

Looking forward to deer hunting in Mississippi this season? Then you're just one of more than 245,000 expected in the deer woods during the 2004-05 seasons. With numbers of hunters that high, you have your work cut out for planning your hunts, unless you're fortunate enough have access to private property or commercial deer-hunting operations.

It's not that public land's sparse in Mississippi for deer hunters. As much as 2 million acres of field, swamps and woodlands comprise Mississippi's public deer-hunting resources. These include 42 state-owned wildlife management areas, six national forests and 12 national wildlife refuges. Deer hunting's also available on properties owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers along the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.

But consider that almost a quarter-million deer hunters will roam the Mississippi deer woods this season, an average of almost one hunter for every 8 acres of public hunting land. That figure would suggest that a deer hunter will need to do some planning.

From the latest deer harvest statistics -- as compiled by the Wildlife Division of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks -- the Magnolia State's kill totals have both declined and increased. For example, the total statewide deer harvest reported in 2003-04 was 277,492 animals -- some 8,000 fewer than the previous year's. However, the antlerless deer harvest rose by almost 5,000 deer to 144,809.

WHEN TO HUNT
Setting dates for specific types of deer hunting is a time-honored means of meeting the needs of just about every flavor of deer hunter. The details of the 2005-06 deer hunting season were still being considered by the state legislature at press time, but wildlife officials at the MDWFP expect the guidelines this season to mimic those of last season, with the addition of a new hunting season in south Mississippi.

In the Magnolia State, hunters can take advantage of 114 days of deer hunting, assuming they take advantage of all types of hunting options. Archery-only deer hunting opens for 50 days beginning in early October and an additional 12 days at the end of January. Primitive weapons hunting, which includes muzzleloading blackpowder guns and archery gear, has 14 days of the deer action, but another 12 days are allotted on private lands during the late-season archery dates. Hunters with modern guns but without dogs are the first to get a crack at the deer herd, with 10 days beginning in mid-December. For another 28 days, the woods are open to dog hunts as well.

WHERE TO HUNT
Where you hunt in Mississippi will depend largely on your personal opportunities. Private land provides the most opportunities for deer hunters, but public land also offers many chances for Mississippi deer hunters to head afield.

You'll also want to consider the physical characteristics of the land you choose to hunt, be it public or private. Matching the land characteristics to your own physical limitations is important. Swamps, hills, hollows and marshes pose obstacles not found on flat farmland, for example. In locales requiring particular stamina, consider using your 4-wheel-drive truck or all-terrain vehicle (subject to legal restrictions) to go to and from your deer blind, and to transport a downed animal back to camp or to the cooler.

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS
The MDWFP lists 47 WMAs in six districts on its Web site. Not all of these offer deer hunts, but many merit consideration as options for public-land deer hunting.

You can review the rules and regulations for each area by visiting www.mdwfp.com. On the homepage, select "Wildlife Management Areas" from the menu on the left; this brings up a map of the districts. By clicking a district, you get a list of all WMAs in the region from which to choose. Information found here includes hunting restrictions, hunting dates, procedures for lottery-hunt draws, and details for self-check-in and deer-kill recording. Some WMA listings also provide maps and/or aerial photos of the areas.