Ridgeline Raven
Mississippi

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Mississippi County Finder

Answer six questions and get Mississippi counties ranked by habitat fit, 2026–27 Deer Management Unit seasons and public land.

How the Mississippi finder works

Mississippi has no mandatory deer or turkey harvest reporting, so no county harvest exists. This tool scores all 82 counties on USGS land-cover and elevation data, the share of public land such as national forests, WMAs and national wildlife refuges, season fit and location.

Season fit uses MDWFP's 2026–2027 Hunting Seasons for each Deer Management Unit (Delta, Hills, Southeast and North Central), with their antler rules, plus spring turkey, quail and migratory birds.

Species covered

  • White-tailed deer
  • American alligator
  • Wild turkey

Upland birds (ranked by county)

  • Quail

Waterfowl and migratory birds (ranked by county)

  • Ducks
  • Canada and dark geese
  • Snow and Ross's geese
  • Mourning dove
  • American woodcock

About every species on the species page →

Data sources

Mississippi hunting FAQ

Does Mississippi publish deer harvest by county?

No. Mississippi is the only state without mandatory deer harvest reporting; Game Check is voluntary except for the September velvet archery hunt. The tool ranks counties on habitat, public land and season instead.

When does Mississippi deer season open in 2026?

Archery opens Oct. 1 (Oct. 15 in the Southeast unit), gun season with dogs Nov. 21, primitive weapon Dec. 2–15, and gun seasons run to Jan. 20, 2027. The Southeast unit runs to Feb. 15.

What is a legal buck in the Delta unit?

A 12-inch inside spread or a 15-inch main beam. The Hills and Southeast units use 10 inches or 13 inches, and the North Central unit has no antler minimum.

Mississippi harvest leaders

The counties with the highest average reported harvest for each species. High totals often reflect large areas and many hunters; the tool above also weighs harvest per square mile, hunter success, habitat and access.

Ducks (USFWS 10-year average)

  1. Tallahatchie County: 47,500 per year
  2. Quitman County: 29,626 per year
  3. Leflore County: 25,289 per year
  4. Tunica County: 21,948 per year
  5. Humphreys County: 18,318 per year

Canada and dark geese (USFWS 10-year average)

  1. Sunflower County: 4,346 per year
  2. Humphreys County: 2,945 per year
  3. Tunica County: 2,845 per year
  4. Quitman County: 2,520 per year
  5. Tallahatchie County: 1,687 per year