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Mississippi wildlife management area
Wildlife management area in Jackson County and George County; 37,415 acres under MDWFP.
Photo: Jeremy Gilbrech (CC BY 2.0)
MDWFP manages the 37,415 acres of Pascagoula River WMA, a wildlife management area wildlife management area in Jackson and George counties. For regional help, the brochure sends Pascagoula River WMA hunters to the South Regional Office. The game listed for Pascagoula River WMA is deer, turkey, squirrel, rabbit, raccoon, opossum and bobcat, trapping and waterfowl.
From the agency records read on November 14, 2026: MDWFP area page, MDWFP WMA list, WMA brochure, source 4.
Nearby
Navigation point from the MDWFP WMA boundary layer: 30.6325, -88.5972. Wade lies 2 miles from the Pascagoula River WMA point, the shortest hop to a town.
From the source, the route. Pascagoula River is located in George and Jackson Counties near Lucedale. Lower: From the intersection of Wade-Vancleave Road and Highway 63 in the Wade community, go west on Wade-Vancleave Road approximately 2 miles. The WMA headquarters in on the left. UPPER: From the intersection of Highway 57 and Highway 26 in the Benndale community, go east on Highway 26 approximately 7 miles. Turn right on River Road and go approximately 2 miles. Turn right on Wilkerson Ferry Road and go to the end of the road, approximately 4.5 miles. The WMA headquarters is at the end of the road.
From the area page and brochure (MDWFP area page, MDWFP WMA list, WMA brochure) and the MDWFP WMA boundary layer; checked November 14, 2026.
Read the Pascagoula River WMA brochure as 15 dated lines, split 7 to 8 between deer and other game. Each date comes straight from the brochure, while the notes cell condenses the printed comment.
| Season line | Start | End | Who may hunt | Remark | Today? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raccoon | Jul 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | Open | Fri and Sat nights | |
| Youth squirrel | Sep 24, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | Open | – | |
| Raccoon, opossum, bobcat | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | Open | – | |
| Squirrel | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | Open | – | |
| Deer, archery | Oct 15, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | Open | Antlerless and bucks | |
| Rabbit | Oct 17, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | Open | – | |
| Trapping | Nov 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | Open | – | |
| Deer, youth gun | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | Open | Antlerless and bucks | |
| Deer, gun | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 1, 2026 | Open | – | |
| Deer, primitive weapon | Dec 2, 2026 | Dec 15, 2026 | Open | Bucks only | |
| Deer, gun | Dec 16, 2026 | Dec 23, 2026 | Open | – | |
| Deer, gun | Dec 24, 2026 | Jan 20, 2027 | Open | – | |
| Deer, primitive weapon | Jan 21, 2027 | Feb 15, 2027 | Open | Bucks only | |
| Youth turkey | Mar 8, 2027 | Mar 14, 2027 | Open | – | |
| Turkey | Mar 15, 2027 | May 2, 2027 | Open | – |
From the 2026-27 WMA brochure (Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks), brochure dated April 2026; checked November 14, 2026.
The permit that covers Pascagoula River WMA is the annual statewide WMA User Permit ($15.00 resident, $30.00 non-resident), carried on your person. The price page adds an agent fee of $1.00 and a process fee of $2.49 for residents. A valid license is still required on top of the permit; see the Mississippi hunting license page for prices. On the map layer for Pascagoula River WMA you will find 3 atv access point, 31 boat ramp, 26 camp site, 12 data collection, 3 handicap blind, 1 headquarters, 4 permit station and 4 pier / hcap. Some or all hunting here is by permit or draw, so read the WMA draw hunts guide before you plan a trip.
| Contact | Listed value |
|---|---|
| Phone | (228) 588-3878, (601) 432-2199, (601) 783-2911 |
| Southeastwma@wfp.ms.gov, southeastwma@wfp.ms.gov | |
| HQ GPS | 30.6336, -88.5982 |
MDWFP price page and the area brochure (MDWFP area page, MDWFP WMA list, WMA brochure); checked November 14, 2026.
The deer weapon list for Pascagoula River WMA reads centerfire rifles, slug or buckshot shotguns, primitive weapons and centerfire handguns. The legal buck test at Pascagoula River WMA is a spread of 10 inches or a beam of 13 inches, and hunters 15 and younger are exempt from it. Rule 1.1 is the statewide safety rule printed in each brochure, and it covers this area too. You will find Rule 1.1 laid out on the WMA hub page.
| Item | Summary |
|---|---|
| Camping | Read the brochure |
| Horses | Roads only |
| ORVs and ATVs | Designated roads |
| Legal buck | 10 in. spread or 13 in. beam |
| Bag limits | Statewide, with exceptions |
| Rule | Quoted from the source |
|---|---|
| Horses | During WMA deer and turkey seasons, horseback riding is restricted to roads open to motorized vehicles. Raccoon hunting from horses is allowed during nighttime hours. |
| ORVs | Off road use of ORVs/ATVs is only allowed for retrieval of harvested deer or hogs. Deer hunting is not allowed from designated ORV/ATV trails. |
| Camping | Camping is allowed only in designated areas, or on sandbars and along rivers and creeks, provided such camp is visible from a boat. All campsites must be maintained in a neat and orderly manner. |
| High water (brochure) | Hunting seasons (excluding waterfowl season) are closed when the Pascagoula River gauge at Merrill reads 18.0 ft or higher or the Graham Ferry gauge reads 15.0 ft or higher. Deep Slough and Graham Lake Roads in Jackson County will be closed when the river gauge at Graham Ferry reads 12.0 ft or higher. Roads will be re-opened when conditions are suitable for vehicle use that will minimize road damage. |
| Houseboats (brochure) | Houseboats are not allowed to be anchored, secured, or otherwise attached to any lands or structure within WMA boundaries. |
| Tree stands (brochure) | No timber or firewood may be cut or removed from the WMA without written permission from the Area Manager, to include the removal of live, dead, floating, or submerged timber. Pascagoula River Scan to view information about Pascagoula River WMA. Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks is an equal opportunity employer and provider of programs and services. |
From the 2026-27 area brochure and the MDWFP area page (MDWFP area page, MDWFP WMA list, WMA brochure); Rule 1.1 and area texts; checked November 14, 2026.
A bonus point is added for every draw type you apply for and miss, and each point is one more entry next time. Ten percent of any hunt's quota is the most non-residents can draw.
The schedule counts 15 hunts, and 11 fall on or after Nov 15, 2026.
| Type | Hunt | When | Quota | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery deer | Archery Hunt 1 | October 15 – 18 | 12 | |
| Archery deer | Archery Hunt 2 | October 22 – 25 | 12 | |
| Youth deer | Youth Hunt 1 | October 29 – November 1 | 6 | |
| Youth deer | Youth Hunt 2 | November 5 – 8 | 6 | |
| Youth deer | Youth Hunt 3 | November 12 – 15 | 6 | |
| Youth deer | Youth Hunt 4 | November 19 – 22 | 6 | |
| Youth deer | Youth Hunt 5 | November 26 – 29 | 6 | |
| Gun deer | Gun Hunt 1 | December 3 – 6 | 6 | |
| Gun deer | Gun Hunt 2 | December 10 – 13 | 6 | |
| Youth deer | Youth Hunt 6 | December 17 – 20 | 6 | |
| Youth deer | Youth Hunt 7 | December 24 – 27 | 6 | |
| Senior deer | Senior Hunt 1 | December 31 – January 3 | 8 | |
| Senior deer | Senior Hunt 2 | January 7 – 10 | 8 | |
| Gun deer | Gun Hunt 3 | January 14 – 17 | 6 | |
| Gun deer | Gun Hunt 4 | January 21 – 24 | 6 |
From the MDWFP WMA draw hunts page and its schedules (); bonus points and the non-resident cap from the bonus point page; checked November 14, 2026. Deer draw hunts statewide.
On the 2024 report, Pascagoula River WMA accounts for 62 reported deer: 59 bucks, 3 does. The report puts it at 603 acres for each deer reported, over 37,415 acres. 11 birds came off Pascagoula River WMA in spring 2025 after 503 man-days of hunting. The year before, spring 2024, recorded 277 man-days and 18 birds; the ten-year averages are 329 man-days and 9 birds.
Both counts come from MDWFP and include only animals hunters reported.
From 2024 DMAP report and the spring 2025 WMA turkey totals; checked November 14, 2026.
Each of the 1 units of Pascagoula River WMA gets a page, from Pascagoula River WMA LBTC Unit to Pascagoula River WMA LBTC Unit. Seasons and drawn hunts differ from unit to unit.
| Unit | Size (ac) | Drawn hunts | Season lines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pascagoula River WMA LBTC Unit | 2,396 | 23 | 10 |
The 2 counties of pascagoula river wma lie outside the three CWD management zones, so the zone feeding and carcass rules do not apply on county grounds. 0 positives came out of 258 samples counted for the 2 counties of Pascagoula River WMA. Because the layer carries no date, these are totals as of our read, not a season figure. Read the unit lines on the map: only North Central is a county list, and none of these counties is on it. The CWD management zones, county test results and deer units each have a page.
| County | Region on layer | Dist. | Zone extent | Feed ban | Tested positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | South | 1 | Outside zones | No ban | 0 of 144 |
| George | South | 1 | Outside zones | No ban | 0 of 114 |
MDWFP county layer (County_Info), CWD management zones and deer management units; region labels are the layer’s only county source; checked November 14, 2026.
Wildlife management area brochures can set their own hours, so check the area page before you plan a dawn walk near Pascagoula River WMA.
| Date | Opener | Rise | Set | Deer hours | Duck and dove hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Archery, Delta and Hills | 6:47 a.m. | 6:41 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 7:11 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 6:41 p.m. |
| Oct 15, 2026 | Archery, Southeast | 6:56 a.m. | 6:24 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 6:54 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 6:24 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Youth gun deer | 6:13 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. | 5:43 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. | 5:43 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opens | 6:25 a.m. | 4:56 p.m. | 5:55 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. | 5:55 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. |
| Nov 26, 2026 | Quail season opens | 6:30 a.m. | 4:54 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. |
| Nov 27, 2026 | Duck season opens | 6:31 a.m. | 4:54 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. |
| Dec 2, 2026 | Primitive weapon deer | 6:35 a.m. | 4:53 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 4:53 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Year's shortest day | 6:47 a.m. | 4:57 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 4:57 p.m. |
| Mar 15, 2027 | Turkey season opens | 7:06 a.m. | 7:02 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 7:02 p.m. |
Hours rules from the MDWFP general hunting rules and the 2026-27 migratory game bird digest (Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks); sunrise and sunset worked out for this location with the NOAA solar formula on Central Time; checked November 14, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Ward Bayou WMA lies 5 miles southwest of the Pascagoula River WMA point, the closest alternative. Neighbouring ground comes to 4 WMA, 1 refuge and 1 ranger district. These are direct-line distances, measured from the Pascagoula River WMA point.
| Nearby | Type | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ward Bayou WMA | WMA | 13,234 | Jackson | 5 miles | southwest |
| Grand Bay NWR | Refuge | 7,413 | Jackson | 18 miles | southeast |
| Red Creek WMA | WMA | 23,000 | Stone | 21 miles | west |
| De Soto Ranger District | Ranger district | 381,023 | Perry | 27 miles | northwest |
| Leaf River WMA | WMA | 41,411 | Perry | 29 miles | northwest |
| Little Biloxi WMA | WMA | 13,699 | Stone | 40 miles | west |
Point from the MDWFP WMA boundary layer; straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
From Pascagoula River WMA, the five closest towns are 2 miles to 20 miles away. The population leader is Pascagoula (21,476 in 2024). The closest MDWFP CWD sample drop-off site is Lower Pascagoula WMA in Moss Point, 5 miles away.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wade | Jackson | – | 2 miles | east |
| Vancleave | Jackson | – | 8 miles | southwest |
| Moss Point | Jackson | 11,791 | 15 miles | south |
| Pascagoula | Jackson | 21,476 | 19 miles | south |
| Benndale | George | – | 20 miles | northwest |
Towns from Census 2024 estimates; CWD drop-off sites from the MDWFP drop-off list; businesses from services listings; straight-line miles; checked November 14, 2026.
Salt marsh at Grand Bay National Wildlife RefugePhoto: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (CC BY 2.0)
Beach and sidewalk along the shore at Ocean Springs, Jackson CountyPhoto: Jared (CC BY 2.0)
Tidal marsh creek on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Jackson CountyPhoto: Gary J. Wood (CC BY-SA 2.0)
In Jackson and George counties stands Pascagoula River WMA. For supplies, the closest town is Wade at 2 miles. The area brochure lists the South Regional Office for the region.
MDWFP manages Pascagoula River WMA, which covers 37,415 acres. The acreage comes from the agency record.
A WMA User Permit is part of the paperwork here: $15.00 resident, $30.00 non-resident, on top of the license. Drawn permits cover some seasons too.
Listed quarry is deer, turkey, squirrel, rabbit, raccoon, opossum and bobcat, trapping and waterfowl. Bag limits and dates sit on the statewide seasons page.
The brochure table starts on Jul 1, 2026 with raccoon and finishes on May 2, 2027, 15 lines. 7 lines concern deer.
Count 0 hunts and 0 permits at Pascagoula River WMA. Apply online inside the application window, and unsuccessful applicants gain a bonus point. The WMA draw hunts guide covers the details.
The agency wording is Camping is allowed only in designated areas, or on sandbars and along rivers and creeks, provided such camp is visible from a boat. Camping is limited to 14 consecutive days. All campsites must be maintained in a neat and orderly manner. Camping equipment may not be left unattended for more than 24 hours.
At a glance: ORVs and ATVs: designated roads; horses: roads only. Check the PDF for conditions.
Statewide, resident game gets half an hour either side of daylight and migratory birds stop at sunset; no turkey hours are stated. The hours page has every county.
On the layer, its 2 counties has 258 samples and 0 positives, with 0 of 2 in a zone. The zone guide covers carcass transport.
The three nearest records are Ward Bayou WMA (5 miles), Grand Bay NWR (18 miles) and Red Creek WMA (21 miles).
Nearest on the map: Wade (2 miles), Vancleave (8 miles) and Moss Point (15 miles).
Yes. The brochure requires deer to be recorded on the daily use permit card or the WMA Check-In App before you leave, and biological data are collected at a check or data station.
1 units, each described on its own page: Pascagoula River WMA LBTC Unit.
Seasons, permits and closures for Pascagoula River WMA change during the year, and posted signs plus the managing agency outrank this page.
Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4; statewide seasons from the 2026-27 MDWFP hunting seasons sheet. Checked November 14, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain).