Mississippi Hunting License: Cost, Online Purchase & Deer Packages (2026)

Mississippi's license system centers on bundled packages rather than individual component licenses. The base Resident All Game Hunting/Fishing license ($25) covers small game and fishing but does not include deer, turkey, or archery privileges. Most deer hunters upgrade to the Resident Sportsman's License ($45), which adds archery/primitive/crossbow privileges and freshwater fishing, or the Resident Deer Hunter Package ($60) which bundles the Sportsman's License with a WMA User Permit for public land access. The Resident Super Sportsman Package ($80) is the most inclusive option, adding saltwater, state waterfowl, and HIP certification to the Sportsman's bundle.

Non-resident packages follow a similar tiered structure. The NR Deer Hunter Package ($475) bundles the base All Game license with deer-related privileges, and the NR Super Sportsman Package ($494) adds broader hunting and waterfowl coverage in a separate package path. For NR hunters with only a few days, the 7-Day All Game license ($150) provides short-term access but does not include deer permits or archery privileges. The NR Small Game license ($95) is the entry-level option for upland bird and dove hunters not pursuing deer.

Mississippi residents 65 and older receive a free lifetime All Game hunting and fishing license — no annual renewal required. Deer permits ($10) and turkey stamps ($10) are still purchased annually at their normal prices. Youth under 16 hunt free without any license requirement, provided they are accompanied by a licensed adult. Disabled veterans with 100% service-connected disability receive free licenses. Resident landowners may hunt on their own property without a license, though deer and turkey permits still apply.

Mississippi allows 3 antlered bucks per license year (1 per day) — a higher antlered limit than most southeastern states. Antlerless deer are unlimited on private land during the gun season with a valid hunting license and deer permit. Bucks must have hardened antlers, and a minimum antler spread requirement varies by zone. The combination of a liberal antlered limit and unlimited antlerless creates significant harvest opportunity per hunter per season.

The deer season structure includes archery (October 1–November 21 in most zones), primitive weapons (October 13–November 21), and gun season (November 22–February 1). The gun season extends well into February in some zones — one of the later season endings in the South. Deer permits cost $10 resident / $100 NR and are required for all deer hunting. The Archery/Primitive/Crossbow Permit ($14 res / $50 NR) is required separately for archery and primitive weapons seasons unless already covered by the package purchased. Mississippi does not have statewide antler point restrictions on the number of points required — the restriction is on hardened antlers and zone-specific spread requirements.

Mississippi's WMA system requires a WMA User Permit ($15) for hunting on any Wildlife Management Area. The permit is included in the Deer Hunter Package but must be purchased separately for hunters using the base All Game or Sportsman's licenses. The state manages over 1.7 million acres of public WMAs, including the large Delta WMAs in the western lowlands and the Bienville, DeSoto, and Tombigbee National Forest units in the east and north. WMA access provides significant public land deer hunting opportunities across the state.

Mississippi's spring turkey season runs March 15–May 1 with a 3-gobbler bag limit — above the 2-gobbler limit common in most eastern states. The Wild Turkey Stamp ($10 res / $35 NR) is required and includes 3 Game Checks (mandatory harvest reporting slips). Gobblers only during spring; fall turkey hunting is not offered in Mississippi. Eastern wild turkeys are distributed across the state with high densities in the central timber belt and the Piney Woods region of south Mississippi.

Mississippi has an alligator hunting season (typically August–September) with permits allocated by lottery through MDWFP. Resident tags cost approximately $25 and non-resident tags approximately $100. The lottery system makes alligator hunting an uncertain opportunity — successful applicants are notified before the season. Alligator hunts take place on designated public waters and permitted private lands. Mississippi's Gulf Coast marshes and Delta oxbow lakes hold substantial alligator populations.

The Mississippi Delta is one of the premier duck hunting regions in North America, positioned in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley flyway — a major migration corridor for mallards, pintails, and teal. The Delta's flooded fields, oxbow lakes, and backwater timber draws large concentrations of birds during November through January. Waterfowl hunting requires the base hunting license plus a State Waterfowl Stamp ($15), Federal Duck Stamp ($25), and HIP certification. The Super Sportsman Package bundles all of these. Public WMAs with managed moist-soil units and flooded timber provide significant public waterfowl hunting across the Delta counties.