Mississippi Hunting Laws
Mississippi's Administrative Code states flatly that there are 'no caliber or magazine capacity restrictions on firearms' for deer during gun season on private land — no centerfire mandate, no minimum bullet diameter, no magazine cap. Wildlife Management Areas are stricter: only centerfire rifles and handguns (no rimfire) may be used for deer, and 500 square inches of hunter orange is required there during any deer firearm season — a requirement that does not apply statewide to private-land gun hunters outside a few special hunts.
Every rule below cites the official regulation. Last verified August 30, 2026.
At a glance
Check a cartridge in Mississippi
Pick a state, species, and weapon — add a cartridge for a full check.
Sourced rules
Every row cites the controlling regulation and the date we verified it.
Air Gun
1 rule| Species | Rule | Citation | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed / Mule Deer |
After November 30, qualifying private-land hunters (owner, lessee, club member, or guest) may use any legal weapon of choice for deer, including air bows and pre-charged pneumatic airguns — this option is not open to the general public or on public/WMA land, and a primitive-weapon, Sportsman's, or Lifetime Sportsman's license is required if the hunter needs a license at all.
"During any open season on deer with primitive weapons after November 30, a person may use any legal weapon of choice, including air bows and pre-charged pneumatic weapons, on private lands ONLY, if the person is: a. T..." |
40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Rule 2.2.C.4 | Aug 2026 |
All weapons
6 rules| Species | Rule | Citation | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| All species | Suppressors are reported legal for hunting in Mississippi; MDWFP's retrieved hunting-rules pages and administrative code rules (general rules, deer seasons, WMA basic regulations, nuisance-animal rule) do not mention suppressors/silencers one way or the other, so this has not been pinned to an explicit primary-source statement. | Secondary compilations (pending primary verification) | Aug 2026 needs review |
| White-tailed / Mule Deer |
On Wildlife Management Areas, 500 square inches of solid unbroken hunter orange or pink is required in full view when hunting deer or hogs during any deer firearm season (exceptions for elevated/enclosed stands are stated in the same rule).
"When hunting deer or hogs during any firearm season for deer on a WMA, including during special hunts, hunters must wear in full view a minimum of 500 square inches of solid unbroken fluorescent orange or pink." |
40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Rule 1.1.B (Hunter Orange/Fluorescent Pink) | Aug 2026 |
| Feral Hog |
On Wildlife Management Areas, 500 square inches of solid unbroken hunter orange or pink is required in full view when hunting deer or hogs during any deer firearm season (exceptions for elevated/enclosed stands are stated in the same rule).
"When hunting deer or hogs during any firearm season for deer on a WMA, including during special hunts, hunters must wear in full view a minimum of 500 square inches of solid unbroken fluorescent orange or pink." |
40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Rule 1.1.B (Hunter Orange/Fluorescent Pink) | Aug 2026 |
| White-tailed / Mule Deer |
500 square inches of hunter orange/pink is required during the statewide Early Primitive Weapon (antlerless-only) hunt and during Youth Deer Hunts. Mississippi does NOT impose a blanket statewide blaze-orange requirement on private land during the regular Gun deer season outside these special hunts.
"All deer hunters must wear 500 square inches of solid unbroken fluorescent orange or pink while this special hunt is in effect." |
40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Rule 2.2.A.1-6 (Early Primitive Weapon Hunt and Youth Deer Hunts) | Aug 2026 |
| Feral Hog |
Mississippi's nuisance-animal rule (coyotes, wild hogs, fox, beaver, nutria, skunks) allows night hunting on private land with no weapon or caliber restriction and does not mention thermal or night-vision optics at all, suggesting they are unrestricted for these species — but no rule or statute explicitly addresses optics, so this is unconfirmed rather than an affirmative primary-source statement.
"Landowners and any leaseholders may hunt nuisance animals year-round at any time of day or night with no weapon/caliber restrictions on property titled in their name or otherwise owned, or leased by them." |
40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Rule 7.1 (silent on sighting equipment/optics) | Aug 2026 needs review |
| Coyote / Varmint |
Mississippi's nuisance-animal rule (coyotes, wild hogs, fox, beaver, nutria, skunks) allows night hunting on private land with no weapon or caliber restriction and does not mention thermal or night-vision optics at all, suggesting they are unrestricted for these species — but no rule or statute explicitly addresses optics, so this is unconfirmed rather than an affirmative primary-source statement.
"Landowners and any leaseholders may hunt nuisance animals year-round at any time of day or night with no weapon/caliber restrictions on property titled in their name or otherwise owned, or leased by them." |
40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Rule 7.1 (silent on sighting equipment/optics) | Aug 2026 needs review |
Handgun
2 rules| Species | Rule | Citation | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed / Mule Deer |
No minimum caliber and no centerfire requirement for deer rifles, handguns, or shotguns during gun season on private land (and other open public land without WMA-specific rules) — Mississippi imposes no caliber or magazine-capacity restriction at all.
"Gun: There are no caliber or magazine capacity restrictions on firearms. Primitive firearms as defined in Part 4, Rule 1.3 of this title and Archery as defined above may be used during the gun seasons." |
40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Rule 2.2.C.3 (Legal Weapons — Gun) | Aug 2026 |
| White-tailed / Mule Deer |
On Wildlife Management Areas, only centerfire rifles and centerfire handguns (no rimfire) may be used for deer; shotguns must use slugs, with a handful of WMAs also allowing buckshot. This is stricter than the unrestricted private-land rule.
"LEGAL WEAPONS: Only centerfire rifles, shotguns with slugs or buckshot, primitive weapons, and centerfire handguns may be used for deer hunting, EXCEPT FOR Chickasaw, Chickasawhay, Choctaw, John Starr, Little Biloxi, ..." |
40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Rule 1.2.I (representative WMA Legal Weapons language; the same wording, with minor variations, repeats across the individual WMA rules in this chapter) | Aug 2026 |
Muzzleloader
3 rules| Species | Rule | Citation | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed / Mule Deer |
Muzzleloading rifles for deer must be at least .38 caliber (single or double barrel). A single-shot, breech-loading metallic-cartridge rifle of .35 caliber or larger, or a muzzleloading shotgun firing a single ball or slug, also qualifies as a primitive firearm.
"“Primitive firearms,” for the purpose of hunting deer, are defined as single or double-barreled muzzleloading rifles of at least .38 caliber; OR single shot, breech loading, metallic cartridge rifles (.35 caliber or l..." |
General Hunting Rules & Regulations — Weapons and Loads — Primitive Weapon | Aug 2026 |
| White-tailed / Mule Deer |
Muzzleloaders must fire with black powder or a black-powder substitute, ignited by percussion cap, #209 primer, or flintlock — modern smokeless powder is not allowed in the muzzleloader itself (though smokeless-loaded metallic cartridges are permitted in qualifying breech-loading rifles).
"All muzzleloading primitive firearms must use black powder or a black powder substitute with percussion caps, #209 shotgun primers, or flintlock ignition. ... Metallic cartridges may be loaded with either black powder..." |
General Hunting Rules & Regulations — Weapons and Loads — Primitive Weapon | Aug 2026 |
| White-tailed / Mule Deer |
Any magnification of telescopic sight is legal on a primitive firearm during primitive-weapon season.
"Telescopic sights are allowed while hunting with any primitive firearm during the primitive weapon seasons. A telescopic sight is defined as an optical sighting device with any magnification." |
General Hunting Rules & Regulations — Weapons and Loads — Primitive Weapon | Aug 2026 |
Rifle
2 rules| Species | Rule | Citation | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed / Mule Deer |
No minimum caliber and no centerfire requirement for deer rifles, handguns, or shotguns during gun season on private land (and other open public land without WMA-specific rules) — Mississippi imposes no caliber or magazine-capacity restriction at all.
"Gun: There are no caliber or magazine capacity restrictions on firearms. Primitive firearms as defined in Part 4, Rule 1.3 of this title and Archery as defined above may be used during the gun seasons." |
40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Rule 2.2.C.3 (Legal Weapons — Gun) | Aug 2026 |
| White-tailed / Mule Deer |
On Wildlife Management Areas, only centerfire rifles and centerfire handguns (no rimfire) may be used for deer; shotguns must use slugs, with a handful of WMAs also allowing buckshot. This is stricter than the unrestricted private-land rule.
"LEGAL WEAPONS: Only centerfire rifles, shotguns with slugs or buckshot, primitive weapons, and centerfire handguns may be used for deer hunting, EXCEPT FOR Chickasaw, Chickasawhay, Choctaw, John Starr, Little Biloxi, ..." |
40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Rule 1.2.I (representative WMA Legal Weapons language; the same wording, with minor variations, repeats across the individual WMA rules in this chapter) | Aug 2026 |
Shotgun
3 rules| Species | Rule | Citation | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed / Mule Deer |
No minimum caliber and no centerfire requirement for deer rifles, handguns, or shotguns during gun season on private land (and other open public land without WMA-specific rules) — Mississippi imposes no caliber or magazine-capacity restriction at all.
"Gun: There are no caliber or magazine capacity restrictions on firearms. Primitive firearms as defined in Part 4, Rule 1.3 of this title and Archery as defined above may be used during the gun seasons." |
40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Rule 2.2.C.3 (Legal Weapons — Gun) | Aug 2026 |
| Wild Turkey |
Turkey may be taken only with shotguns using No. 2 shot or smaller (finer) pellets, or archery equipment (longbow, recurve, compound, crossbow). The same restriction is stated for the spring gobbler season statewide, not just on WMAs.
"Turkey: Only archery equipment and shotguns with #2 shot or smaller may be used for turkey hunting." |
40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Rule 1.1.D.3 (Legal Weapons — Turkey) | Aug 2026 |
| Waterfowl |
Nontoxic shot is required for waterfowl hunting on Wildlife Management Areas (consistent with the federal nontoxic-shot requirement for migratory waterfowl that applies statewide).
"LEGAL SHOT: Only non-toxic shot may be used for hunting waterfowl on this WMA." |
40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Chapter 1 — individual WMA “LEGAL SHOT” provisions (representative wording; repeated across multiple WMA sections) | Aug 2026 |
Federal rules that apply in every state
These federal requirements apply in Mississippi on top of state law.
Federal law: only USFWS-approved nontoxic shot may be used — or even possessed — while hunting waterfowl, coots, and aggregate-bag species.
50 CFR § 20.21(j)(1)–(3)
Federal law: shotguns for migratory birds are limited to 3 shells total (magazine + chamber) with a one-piece plug; limited light-goose and September Canada goose season exceptions exist.
50 CFR § 20.21(b)
Federal law: shotguns for migratory birds may be no larger than 10 gauge.
50 CFR § 20.21(a)
Federal law prohibits taking migratory birds with a rifle, pistol, or fully automatic firearm.
50 CFR § 20.21(a)
On Waterfowl Production Areas and designated National Wildlife Refuge lands, possessing shot other than approved nontoxic shot is prohibited; individual refuges may impose stricter rules.
50 CFR § 32.2(k)
Sources
40 Miss. Admin. Code Part 2, Chapter 1 — Wildlife Management Areas: Basic Regulations and Individual WMA Rules (2026-27)
Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks · retrieved August 30, 2026
40 Miss. Admin. Code Part 2, Rule 2.2 — White-Tailed Deer Hunting Seasons and Bag Limits (2026-27)
Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks · retrieved August 30, 2026
40 Miss. Admin. Code Part 2, Rule 7.1 — General Regulation for the Taking of Nuisance Animals
Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks · retrieved August 30, 2026
MDWFP — General Hunting Rules & Regulations
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks · retrieved August 30, 2026
Sources & methodology
Rules on this page are verified against state statutes, administrative code, official agency regulation digests, and federal regulations — never forums, retailer blogs, or hunter-ed course summaries. Rules we could not yet pin to a primary source are labeled needs review and never produce a green "legal" answer. Cartridge energy figures used by the checker are typical factory-load values; where a rule sets an energy or bullet-weight floor, verify your specific load's manufacturer rating.
Legal disclaimer — please read
This page is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Hunting regulations change every season, vary by zone, season, land type, and county ordinance, and are interpreted by the state's enforcement officers — not by this page.
- Confirm every rule in the current official Mississippi hunting regulations before your hunt.
- Check season dates, license and tag requirements, zone boundaries, and local ordinances — this page covers equipment rules only.
- When in doubt, contact Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks directly.
The controlling document is the regulation, not this page. We disclaim all liability for reliance on it.