Mississippi warns hunters about CWD zones ahead of deer season

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP) is reminding hunters to be aware of the state’s Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) management zones as deer season approaches.

The 2026-2027 deer season includes the addition of certain areas in North Mississippi, with zones covering multiple counties. The North Mississippi Management Zone encompasses all of Alcorn, Benton, DeSoto, Lafayette, Marshall, Panola, Prentiss, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, and Union counties, as well as parts of Coahoma, Quitman, Pontotoc, and Tunica counties. The zone now includes areas north of Highway 278 in Pontotoc County.

The Issaquena Management Zone covers parts of Issaquena County and all of Warren and Claiborne counties. The Harrison Management Zone includes portions of Harrison and Hancock counties, according to MDWFP.

Hunters are reminded that whole carcasses cannot be transported outside of a CWD management zone. Additionally, supplemental feeding is banned within all zones. Allowed carcass parts for transport include deboned meat, bone-in quarters without spinal columns or heads, antlers and skull plates cleaned of tissue, teeth, finished taxidermy and antler products, hides, and tanned products.

Deer heads can only be transported outside a CWD zone to permitted taxidermists participating in the MDWFP’s collection program. The agency provides detailed maps and boundaries online, along with guidance on carcass transportation rules. For more information, visit mdwfp.com.

Source: Original Article