Mississippi’s Alligator Hunting Season Opens Friday

Mississippi’s alligator hunting season opens Friday.

The 2021 Public Waters Alligator Hunting Season opens in Mississippi Friday at noon. The 10-day season will close at noon on Sept. 6.  

During the June application period, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) received 6,100 hunting permit requests, of which 985 permits were offered in the state’s seven hunting zones. This is the 17^th year of public waterway alligator hunting in Mississippi, and wildlife officials expect more than 3,000 people will participate with permitted hunters. There were 876 alligators harvested during the 2020 season. 

“Mississippi waterways are experiencing lower than average levels due to recent dry weather. Hunters should exercise caution for shallow water obstructions while navigating our waterways, particularly at night during the 10-day hunting season,” MDWFP Alligator Program Coordinator Ricky Flynt said. “We are urging hunters to remain weather aware as recent forecasts indicate possible tropical weather impacts as early as late Sunday or Monday.”  

All persons, 16 or older, who are in a vessel with or assisting a permit-holder, must possess either a Lifetime Hunting License or an Alligator Hunting License with a valid prerequisite hunting license, which includes the following:  

• Mississippi Sportsman License 
• All-Game Hunting/Fishing License 
• Small Game Hunting/Fishing License 
• Apprentice Sportsman License 
• Apprentice All Game License 
• Apprentice Small Game License 
• Senior Exempt License 
• Disabled Exempt License 
• Nonresident All-Game or NR 7-Day All Game License 

Licenses can be purchased online at www.mdwfp.com, at any point-of-sale location in Mississippi, or by calling 1-800-5GO-HUNT. For more information regarding alligator hunting rules and regulations, visit www.mdwfp.com/alligator or call (601) 432-2199. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mdwfp or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDWFPonline.

Staff report