Turkey stamps, poaching among active wildlife bills in Legislature
The 2024 Legislative session has been active for wildlife bills with more than 30 introduced in the House and Senate. With only weeks remaining in the session, a handful of those are still active.
The bills that remain active could affect a large number of hunters and if you’re a poacher, or a landowner or lease-holder that has a problem with poachers, you’ll likely find House Bill 1208 interesting. Also, according to House Bill 1298 and Senate Bill 2652, turkey hunters could be paying more to hunt in 2025.
Here’s what is alive and notable bills that have died as of Monday.
Mississippi Legislative wildlife bills passed or remain active
House Bill 526: Approved by Governor. Allows hunters to wear fluorescent pink as an alternative to traditional fluorescent orange for safety during any gun season for deer.
House Bill 1206: Amended version returned to House for concurrence. Expands hunting opportunities for opossums, raccoons and bobcats with a hunting season from Oct. 1-March 15 and allows year-round hunting with dogs of bobcats and raccoons.
House Bill 1208: Amended version returned to House for concurrence. Provides a $500-$1,000 penalty for hunting, fishing or trapping while knowingly trespassing and $1,000-$1,500 fines for subsequent offenses. Subsequent convictions could also lead to a 1-year loss of hunting and fishing privileges. It also includes a $500 privilege reinstatement fee along with an administrative fee of $100-$250 for each animal or fish taken.
House Bill 1298: Amended version returned to House for concurrence. Establishes a turkey stamp that is mandatory for turkey hunting. Cost will be $10 for residents and $100 for non-residents. Funds from stamp purchases go toward protection and propagation of wild turkeys.
Senate Bill 2652: Conference invited. Establishes a turkey stamp much as HB 1298, but is free for resident hunters and $200 for non-resident hunters.
Dead wildlife, fisheries and parks bills of note
Senate Bill 2290, Senate Bill 2640, House Bill 188: Died in committee. Each of these bills called for expanding requirements to serve on the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks to include work experience or education in wildlife and fisheries for some members. Two of the bills also called for expanding the commission from five-tonine members.
House Bill 1555: Died in committee. This bill would have set the closing date of deer season on Feb. 28, extending the season by a month for most of the state and by two weeks for the Southeast Deer Management Unit.
Senate Bill 2659: Died in committee. This bill would have removed the parks division from MDWFP and made it a separate entity.
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