Mississippi WMA lottery hunts for waterfowl up for grabs

The first submission period for Mississippi's wildlife management area lottery duck hunts is now underway.

6 wildlife management areas included in first waterfowl hunting lottery

Mississippi’s unique draw system for duck hunts on its wildlife management areas has entered its first submission period, and hunters have until Nov. 15 to get one of the first hunts early in the upcoming season.

The initial draw is for hunts from Nov. 28 to Dec. 13 at the following WMAs: Howard Miller, Mahannah, Pearl River (youth only), Indianola, Charlie Capps and Muscadine Farms. No hunts will be available during that period for the other WMAs included in the draw system, Trim Cane and Tuscumbia

Later draw periods and hunt windows include:

Period 2 — Nov. 16-29 for hunts Dec. 15-Dec. 27.
Period 3 — Nov. 30-Dec. 13 for hunts Dec. 28-Jan. 10.
Period 4 — Dec. 14-Dec. 27 for hunts Jan. 11-Jan. 24.
Period 5 — Dec. 28-Jan. 10 for hunts Jan. 25-Jan. 31.

All draw hunt applications will be accepted online only, and hunters can apply for as many WMAs as desired during each period, but only once per each WMA. Only hunters aged 16 and over can apply.

All hunts are one-day hunts, and the number available will vary per WMA based on the amount of flooded spots are open to hunt during that period. Hunting parties will be limited to three or four hunters, depending on the size of the unit.

Because the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks emphasizes the recruitment of new hunters, it has set aside a number of hunts each period for first-time applicants.

Some of the WMAs within the draw system have a standby system in place, and hunters who wish to take the chance that a drawn hunter doesn’t show will be filled by another draw. Preference of site selection on each WMA will go to drawn hunters first, and then to standbys.

Following are waterfowl lottery hunting dates for specific WMAs:

Howard Miller WMA lottery waterfowl hunts

1st draw	2nd Draw	3rd Draw	4th Draw	5th Draw
Nov. 28	Dec. 15	Dec. 29	Jan. 12	Jan. 26
Dec. 5	Dec. 17	Dec. 31	Jan. 14	Jan. 28
Dec. 10	Dec. 19	Jan. 2	Jan. 16	Jan. 30
Dec. 12	Dec. 22	Jan. 5	Jan. 19
	Dec. 24	Jan. 7	Jan. 21
	Dec. 26	Jan. 9	Jan. 23

Mahannah WMA lottery waterfowl hunts

1st Draw	2nd Draw	3rd Draw	4th Draw	5th Draw
Nov. 28	Dec. 14	Dec. 28	Jan. 11	Jan. 25
Dec. 5	Dec. 16	Dec. 30	Jan. 13	Jan. 27
Dec. 9	Dec. 19	Jan. 2	Jan. 16	Jan. 30
Dec. 12	Dec. 21	Jan. 4	Jan. 18
	Dec. 23	Jan. 6	Jan. 20
	Dec. 26	Jan. 9	Jan. 23

Trim Cane WMA lottery waterfowl hunts

1st Draw	2nd Draw	3rd Draw	4th Draw	5th Draw
	Dec. 16	Dec. 30	Jan. 13	Jan. 27
	Dec. 19	Jan. 2	Jan. 16	Jan. 30
	Dec. 23	Jan. 6	Jan. 20
	Dec. 26	Jan. 9	Jan. 23

			Youth Waterfowl	Feb. 6

Pearl River WMA — Youth Waterfowl lottery waterfowl hunts

1st Draw	2nd Draw	3rd Draw	4th Draw	5th Draw
Nov. 21	Dec. 19	Jan. 2	Jan. 16	Jan. 30
Nov. 28	Dec. 26	Jan. 9	Jan. 23	Feb. 6
Dec. 5
Dec. 12

Tuscumbia WMA lottery waterfowl hunts

1st Draw	2nd Draw	3rd Draw	4th Draw	5th Draw
	Dec. 16	Dec. 30	Jan. 13	Jan. 27
	Dec. 19	Jan. 2	Jan. 16	Jan. 30
	Dec. 23	Jan. 6	Jan. 20
	Dec. 26	Jan. 9	Jan. 23

Indianola WMA lottery waterfowl hunts

1st Draw	2nd Draw	3rd Draw	4th Draw	5th Draw
Nov. 28	Dec. 16	Dec. 30	Jan. 13	Jan. 27
Dec. 5	Dec. 12	Jan. 2	Jan. 16	Jan. 30
De. 9	Dec. 23	Jan. 6	Jan. 20
Dec. 12	Dec. 26	Jan. 9	Jan. 23

Charlie Capp WMA lottery waterfowl hunts

1st Draw	2nd Draw	3rd Draw	4th Draw	5th Draw
Nov. 28	Dec. 16	Dec. 30	Jan. 13	Jan. 27
Dec. 5	Dec. 12	Jan. 2	Jan. 16	Jan. 30
Dec. 9	Dec. 23	Jan. 6	Jan. 20
Dec. 12	Dec. 26	Jan. 9	Jan. 23

Muscadine Farms WMA lottery duck hunts

1st Draw	2nd Draw	3rd Draw	4th Draw	5th Draw
Nov. 28	Dec. 15	Dec. 29	Jan. 12	Jan. 26
Nov. 29	Dec. 17	Dec. 31	Jan. 14	Jan. 28
Dec. 5	Dec. 19	Jan. 2	Jan. 16	Jan. 30
Dec. 6	Dec. 20	Jan. 3	Jan. 17	Jan. 31
Dec. 10	Dec. 22	Jan. 5	Jan. 19
Dec. 12	Dec. 24	Jan. 7	Jan. 21
Dec. 13	Dec. 26	Jan. 9	Jan. 23
	Dec. 27	Jan. 10	Jan. 24