Ever heard of this wildlife management area? It is not a well-known public property in Issaquena County within barge-hearing distance of the Mississippi River.
Of course, this translates into an area where hunters shouldn’t expect to run into much hunting pressure — in fact, they may not even see another hunter on any given day.
That fact alone makes Shipland WMA worth considering for some duck hunting.
Near the town of Mayersville, Shipland is accessed from U.S. Highway 61 at the Onward Store to Highway 1. Go 15 miles to the Mississippi River levee and turn left at the WMA sign. Drive to the levee, turn right to go north until you see the next Shipland WMA sign. Turn left and follow the road.
The 3,500-acre management area is primarily bottomland hardwoods, but habitat varies widely.
Most waterfowl hunting on this WMA is on the Mississippi River at the numerous sandbars — especially when the river level is low.
There also is a small oxbow lake on the property that could hold ducks during the winter waterfowl season.
If you go on line at www.mdwfp.com to find info on duck hunting Shipland WMA, you are not going to find much except a reference to “see Federal Regulations.” Though Shipland offers duck hunting, it isn’t known for that outdoor pursuit.
So it would be a good idea to call area manager Bobby Hodnett at 601-661-0294 to ask specific details on waterfowl hunting on this public property.
Why bother with an area like this? Mainly that is because the hunting pressure is so low: Only 136 man-days of hunting were logged last season. But those who took the time to explore this little-publicized duck-hunting area shot mallards, wood ducks, teal and other ducks, so it is a public place to check out for waterfowl hunting.
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