Due to the regular amending of regulations in Mississippi, it is recommended that before hunting you check these CWD regulations, as well as those of any other states or provinces in which you will be hunting or traveling through while transporting cervid carcasses. The contact information for Mississippi can be seen below:
Last update was October 2021
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Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks (MDWFP) has jurisdiction over white-tailed deer. Contact Lt. Trent Myers. 601-432-2400. The Mississippi Board of Animal Health has jurisdiction over exotics. Contact number 601-359-1170 . MDWFP has plenary power to regulate all commercial and Noncommercial wild animal enclosures.--
Standard Regulations
CWD Regulations for Captive Cervids and Wildlife
Temporary moratorium on importation of elk, red deer, mule deer, black-tailed deer and other cervids designated as susceptible to chronic wasting disease; White-tailed deer importation prohibited; If chronic wasting disease is diagnosed within a high-fenced enclosure, the owner shall work with the commission to determine a solution for containing the disease within the enclosure; however, the commission shall not declare surrounding or adjoining properties within a five (5) mile radius of the enclosure a CWD Management Zone, until chronic wasting disease is positively detected within such radius on these surrounding or adjoining properties. If chronic wasting disease is diagnosed within five (5) miles of the enclosure, the owner of such enclosure shall allow department personnel to enter the enclosure to utilize the best collection methods possible to obtain tissue samples for testing. All high-fenced enclosures must submit a minimum of 1 viable CWD sample per 200 high-fenced acres.
New CWD Regulations in Development
None at this time.
CWD Testing Program For Captive Cervids
All high fenced enclosures that contain white-tailed deer must submit 1 viable sample per 200 acres.
CWD Testing Program For Wildlife
Mississippi began testing for CWD in 2002. A total of 35,868 samples have been collected since 2002. CWD was discovered in February 2018. 23,281 of the total samples were collected since discovery. Mississippi currently has detected 83 positives in 8 counties. Sampling in 2020-2021 season included three mandatory sample weekends, 46 voluntary CWD drop-off freezers, taxidermists, road-kill, and target deer.
Baiting Banned?
Feeding and mineral sites are banned in CWD Management Zones. In the remainder of Mississippi, feed may be provided from above-ground, covered feeders or from stationary spin cast feeders. Hunting is allowed over these feeders.
Feeding Banned?
Feeding and mineral sites are banned in CWD Management Zones. In the remainder of Mississippi, feed may be provided from above-ground, covered feeders or from stationary spin cast feeders.
Ban On Movement of Animal Parts?
Yes. Only cut/wrapped meat, deboned meat, quartered meat with no spinal column attached, hides with no head attached, finished taxidermy, antlers with no tissue attached, and cleaned skulls/skull plates may be brought into Mississippi from any state or country. These same list applies within state in regards to transporting a deer, or part thereof, to outside a CWD Management Zone. Within state only: Deer heads may be transported out of a CWD Management Zone to a permitted taxidermist participating in the CWD sample collection program.
CWD Found in Captive Cervids?
No
CWD Found In Free Ranging Cervids?
Yes. 83 positives in 8 counties.