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Youth Waterfowl Days Seasons, Limits and Licenses in Mississippi
1 dated season for 2026-27, February 6, 2027 to February 7, 2027; the next window opens February 6, 2027.
Photo: Frank.Vassen (CC BY 2.0)
The 2026-27 sheets give the youth, veteran and military waterfowl day one window, February 6 to 7, 2027, set out in 1 row below. The next opener is special days on February 6, 2027.
The special days are February 6 and 7, 2027, after the regular waterfowl seasons close. Only youth 15 and under, veterans and active military may hunt, and a youth must be with an adult 21 or older who is licensed for waterfowl.
Bag limits, possession limits and shooting hours match the regular season, and Pearl River WMA offers ten youth waterfowl draw hunts.
From 2026-27 MDWFP hunting seasons sheet and 2026-27 migratory game bird digest (MDWFP), checked November 14, 2026.
Every youth, veteran and military waterfowl day season row for 2026-27
Look at the day counts: special days tops the list at 2 days.
| Season | Applies to | Dates | Day count | Bag | What to buy | Today? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special days | Statewide |
| 2 | Same as regular season | Stamps and HIP |
- Only youth 15 and under, veterans and active military may hunt; a youth must be accompanied by an adult 21 or older licensed to hunt waterfowl in Mississippi. Shooting hours as regular season.
From 2026-27 MDWFP hunting seasons sheet and 2026-27 migratory game bird digest (MDWFP), checked November 14, 2026.
How many youth, veteran and military waterfowl day you may take
Limits for the youth, veteran and military waterfowl day are short on paper, but the exceptions deserve a slow read.
| Quarry | Limit as printed |
|---|---|
| Special days | Same as regular season |
From MDWFP seasons and bag limits page (MDWFP), checked November 14, 2026.
Youth Waterfowl Days paperwork and prices
Everything on this list is sold by MDWFP; the cheapest legal path to the youth, veteran and military waterfowl day depends on which weapon and which land you use.
| License or stamp | Resident | Non-resident | Who needs it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Game license | $10.00 | $95.00 | Small game, birds |
| All Game Hunting license | $25.00 | $300.00 | All game, no bow |
| State Waterfowl Stamp | $10.00 | $19.00 | Ages 16 and older |
| WMA user permit | $15.00 | $30.00 | Any WMA use |
Rule for youth, veteran and military waterfowl day: A hunting license, a state waterfowl stamp and a federal duck stamp for hunters 16 and older, plus HIP certification, with non-toxic shot.
In the youth, veteran and military waterfowl day woods: Residents who are visually impaired, paraplegic, a multiple amputee, adjudged totally disabled by the Social Security Administration or totally service-connected disabled by the VA need no hunting or fishing license (carry proof).
Before a youth, veteran and military waterfowl day hunt: All persons born on or after January 1, 1972 must complete a hunter education course before buying a Mississippi hunting license. Hunting youth, veteran and military waterfowl day means: Free in-person courses (10 hours of instruction; students at least 10 years old; pre-registration); residents 12 and older can complete the full requirement online.
From MDWFP license price page, license requirements and hunter education page (MDWFP), checked November 14, 2026.
Youth Waterfowl Days methods, weapons and reporting
Hunters most often trip on the method rules rather than the dates, so the youth, veteran and military waterfowl day list puts the legal tools and the reporting duties together.
- Selling game. If you hunt youth, veteran and military waterfowl day: No buying or selling of any game animal, game bird or game fish except skins and sinew of legally taken deer, raccoon and muskrat carcasses for food during the open trapping season, and raccoon carcasses during the gun season on raccoons.
- Decoys and bait. Planning youth, veteran and military waterfowl day? Illegal to hunt or trap any wild animal or wild bird with the aid of bait; liquid scents allowed; electronically operated calls may be used for nuisance animals and crow only.
- Migratory birds. Applies to youth, veteran and military waterfowl day: Shotgun plugged to hold no more than three shells (except during the Light Goose Conservation Order, which allows unplugged shotguns); non-toxic shot required for waterfowl and coot; not legal: shotguns larger than 10 gauge; lead shot while waterfowl or coot hunting.
- Bait. When youth, veteran and military waterfowl day is the quarry: No hunting with the aid of bait or over a baited area; an area is considered baited for 10 days after complete removal of bait (Migratory Digest, federal rules).
- Landowner permission. For youth, veteran and military waterfowl day hunters: Landowner permission is required to hunt, fish or trap on the lands of another.
- Roads and vehicles. On a youth, veteran and military waterfowl day trip: Unlawful to hunt with a firearm that is not unloaded on or in the right-of-way of any street, public road, highway, levee or railroad maintained by a railroad corporation, city, county, levee board or state or federal entity; unlawful to hunt or kill any game animal, furbearing animal or game bird from any motorized vehicle or boat (squirrels and game birds may be hunted from a boat if the motor is off and progress has ceased).
From MDWFP general hunting rules and harvest reporting (MDWFP), checked November 14, 2026.
Sunrise, sunset and the legal window for youth, veteran and military waterfowl day
For the youth, veteran and military waterfowl day the sources say: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset (all migratory game birds, including doves, ducks, geese). The times are calculated, not printed, so treat them as a planning aid.
| Date | Alcorn County | Hinds County | Harrison County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 6, 2027 | 6:20 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. |
| Feb 7, 2027 | 6:19 a.m. to 5:28 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. |
From MDWFP general hunting rules and 2026-27 migratory game bird digest (MDWFP), checked November 14, 2026.
Public areas with youth, veteran and military waterfowl day on the species list
You can look for the youth, veteran and military waterfowl day on 37 public areas (32 WMAs); the table keeps to the eight biggest.
| Area | Type | Acres | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunflower WMA | WMA | 60,000 | Sharkey |
| Upper Sardis WMA | WMA | 50,485 | Lafayette, Marshall, Union |
| Pascagoula River WMA | WMA | 37,415 | Jackson, George |
| Canal Section WMA | WMA | 29,762 | Itawamba, Monroe, Prentiss and more |
| Caney Creek WMA | WMA | 28,437 | Scott, Smith |
| Chickasaw WMA | WMA | 28,000 | Chickasaw, Pontotoc |
| Tallahala WMA | WMA | 27,585 | Jasper, Smith, Scott and more |
| Bienville WMA | WMA | 23,500 | Scott |
Refuges and forests are run by federal agencies and set their own hunting rules.
From WMA brochures and 50 CFR 32.43 (MDWFP), checked November 14, 2026.
Drawn hunts that include youth, veteran and military waterfowl day
Applications are free and online only: deer, rabbit, teal and dove run July 15 to August 15, and waterfowl runs October 1 to 15.
| Draw | Hunts | Permits |
|---|---|---|
| Youth waterfowl | 10 | 30 |
| Area | Draw | Dates | Permits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pearl River | Youth waterfowl | Nov 28, 2026 | 3 |
| Pearl River | Youth waterfowl | Dec 5, 2026 | 3 |
| Pearl River | Youth waterfowl | Dec 12, 2026 | 3 |
| Pearl River | Youth waterfowl | Dec 19, 2026 | 3 |
| Pearl River | Youth waterfowl | Dec 26, 2026 | 3 |
| Pearl River | Youth waterfowl | Jan 2, 2027 | 3 |
| Pearl River | Youth waterfowl | Jan 9, 2027 | 3 |
| Pearl River | Youth waterfowl | Jan 16, 2027 | 3 |
Note for youth, veteran and military waterfowl day: Bonus points implemented in 2026: each unsuccessful applicant gets one bonus point per year per draw type (waterfowl up to 5 per year, one per draw period); each point is one extra entry; points reset to zero after drawing; group applications use the lowest point value in the group. Where youth, veteran and military waterfowl day is concerned: Non-residents may draw no more than 10% of a hunt's quota; they share the draw pool with residents.
From MDWFP WMA draw hunts page (MDWFP), checked November 14, 2026.
Northern pintails in flightPhoto: USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0)
Snow geese in flightPhoto: Birding for Climate (Public domain)
White-fronted geese and wigeonPhoto: USFWS/Southeast (Public domain)
Youth Waterfowl Days FAQ
What are the youth, veteran and military waterfowl day season dates this year?
The next youth, veteran and military waterfowl day row begins February 6, 2027, and the final day on the sheet is February 7, 2027.
Is youth, veteran and military waterfowl day hunting open today?
Not yet; the next youth, veteran and military waterfowl day row opens February 6, 2027.
How many youth, veteran and military waterfowl day can I take in a day?
Same as regular season.
What license do I need for youth, veteran and military waterfowl day?
If you hunt youth, veteran and military waterfowl day: A hunting license, a state waterfowl stamp and a federal duck stamp for hunters 16 and older, plus HIP certification, with non-toxic shot.
What time does youth, veteran and military waterfowl day hunting begin?
On a youth, veteran and military waterfowl day trip: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
Are there WMAs for youth, veteran and military waterfowl day?
The youth, veteran and military waterfowl day appears on 37 area records, among them Pascagoula River WMA, Canal Section WMA, Caney Creek WMA; the full list sits on the public land page.
Can I go after youth, veteran and military waterfowl day on a Sunday?
When youth, veteran and military waterfowl day is the quarry: The sources we read contain no general statement that Sunday hunting is allowed or prohibited; Rule 9.1 covers deer, bobwhite quail, wild turkey, small game and fur-bearer seasons only.
Do youth need stamps for youth, veteran and military waterfowl day?
Note for youth, veteran and military waterfowl day: Hunters 16 and older need the state waterfowl stamp (resident $10.00, non-resident $19.00), a federal duck stamp and HIP certification; youth under 16 are exempt from the state stamp.
What shot is legal for youth, veteran and military waterfowl day?
Where youth, veteran and military waterfowl day is concerned: Shotgun plugged to hold no more than three shells (except during the Light Goose Conservation Order, which allows unplugged shotguns); non-toxic shot required for waterfowl and coot; not legal: Shotguns larger than 10 gauge; lead shot while waterfowl or coot hunting.
Are youth, veteran and military waterfowl day dates the same everywhere?
For youth, veteran and military waterfowl day hunters: The 2026-27 Migratory Digest prints a single set of dates for ducks, geese and coots statewide; no waterfowl zones are printed.
May I use grain for youth, veteran and military waterfowl day?
Rule for youth, veteran and military waterfowl day: No hunting with the aid of bait or over a baited area; an area is considered baited for 10 days after complete removal of bait (Migratory Digest, federal rules).
Is there a WMA draw for youth, veteran and military waterfowl day?
Applies to youth, veteran and military waterfowl day: Yes: 137 one-day WMA waterfowl hunts share 1,886 permits, with applications from October 1 to 15; see the waterfowl draw page.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); Birding for Climate (Public domain); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).