Canal Section WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and deer harvest
Canal Section WMA is 29,762 acres of public hunting land in Itawamba, Monroe, Prentiss and Tishomingo counties, run by MDWFP. Hunters checked 34 deer on it in the 2024-25 season (17 bucks, 17 does), by MDWFP's DMAP report; over 10 seasons the area averaged 32 a season. Its 2026-27 brochure sets 4 kinds of deer hunt: archery, youth deer, gun and primitive weapon, with archery Oct. 1 to Nov. 20.
Data updated October 2026. Seasons and rules: MDWFP's 2026-27 WMA brochure. Harvest: MDWFP's DMAP report for the area, to 2024-25.
Canal Section WMAOther MDWFP WMAsNational forestNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 29,762 acres (MDWFP's DMAP report) |
|---|---|
| County | Itawamba County, Monroe County, Prentiss County, Tishomingo County |
| Deer hunts | Archery, Youth Deer, Gun and Primitive Weapon |
| Archery deer | Oct. 1 to Nov. 20 |
| Draw permit for deer | No draw listed; WMA user permit and check-in required |
| Spring turkey | Youth turkey Mar. 8 to Mar. 14; Turkey Mar. 15 to Mar. 31; Turkey Apr. 1 to May 2 |
| Deer checked, 2024-25 | 34 (17 bucks, 17 does) |
| WMA headquarters | (662) 862-2723 |
| Nearest towns | Aberdeen (next to it), Smithville (next to it) and Fulton (next to it) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Canal Section WMA?
| Deer hunt | Dates, 2026-27 | Legal deer and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Oct. 1 to Nov. 20 | Antlerless deer and legal bucks. |
| Youth Deer | Nov. 7 to Nov. 20 | Antlerless deer and legal bucks. |
| Gun | Nov. 21 to Dec. 1 | Legal bucks only. |
| Primitive Weapon | Dec. 2 to Dec. 15 | Antlerless deer and legal bucks. |
| Gun | Dec. 16 to Dec. 23 | Antlerless deer and legal bucks. |
| Gun | Dec. 24 to Jan. 20 | Legal bucks only. |
| Primitive Weapon | Jan. 21 to Jan. 31 | Antlerless deer and legal bucks. |
Turkey: Youth turkey: Mar. 8 to Mar. 14; see Acker Lake turkey hunting under the area's rules below. Turkey: Mar. 15 to Mar. 31; see turkey permits under the area's rules below. Turkey: Apr. 1 to May 2.
Small game and other seasons: Youth squirrel Sept. 24 to Sept. 30; Squirrel Oct. 1 to Feb. 28, May 15 to June 1; Rabbit Oct. 17 to Feb. 28; Raccoon Jul. 1 to Sept. 30 (Friday and Saturday nights only); Raccoon, opossum Oct. 1 to Feb. 28; Trapping Nov. 1 to Feb. 28.
Source: MDWFP, Canal Section and John Bell Williams Wildlife Management Area 2026-27 regulations.
How many deer are taken on Canal Section WMA?
Hunters checked 34 deer on Canal Section WMA in the 2024-25 season. Over the 10 seasons in MDWFP's report the area averaged 32 deer a season.
| Season | Deer checked | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 34 | 17 | 17 |
| 2023-24 | 19 | 13 | 6 |
| 2022-23 | 15 | 12 | 3 |
| 2021-22 | 22 | 12 | 10 |
| 2020-21 | 24 | 16 | 8 |
| 2019-20 | 27 | 16 | 11 |
| 2018-19 | 48 | 30 | 18 |
| 2017-18 | 58 | 33 | 25 |
| 2016-17 | 31 | 17 | 14 |
| 2015-16 | 45 | 24 | 21 |
Source: MDWFP DMAP report, Canal Section WMA, harvest history table.
What rules apply on Canal Section WMA?
- Legal bucks: Legal bucks are those with an inside spread of at least 12 inches OR one main beam length of at least 15 inches. For hunters 15 years of age or younger any antlered buck is a legal buck.
- Bag limits: Same as statewide bag limits, except the bag limit on antlerless deer is one (1) per day and for permitted turkey hunts the bag limit is one gobbler per permitted hunter. ALL harvested deer and turkey count towards statewide bag limits, unless otherwise stated.
- Checking deer: All deer harvested must be checked at a check station and recorded on WMA Daily Visitor Use Permit card or WMA Check-In App by the hunter who harvested them before leaving the WMA. If WMA personnel are not available to check the deer, the hunter is responsible for collecting and legibly recording ALL biological data (how much the deer weighs, antler measurements and jawbone). Instructions and equipment will be provided.
- Dogs: Deer hunting with dogs is prohibited. Small game hunting with dogs is allowed during any small game season. Hunting, running, or pursuing hogs with the use of dogs is prohibited.
- Legal weapons for deer: Only centerfire rifles, shotguns with slugs, primitive weapons, and centerfire handguns may be used for deer hunting. The AB3 Waterfowl Impoundment and Matubby Creek Island are closed to all firearms. Exception: Only archery equipment is allowed for deer hunting in the ARCHERY ONLY DEER HUNTING AREA.
- Turkey permits: Turkey hunting for Mar. 15–Mar. 31 is allowed by special permit only on Canal Section and John Bell Williams WMAs. You may apply online at www.mdwfp.com. See application for hunt dates, application deadlines, and other information about permitted hunts.
- Acker Lake turkey hunting: Only youth and handicapped hunters will be allowed to turkey hunt this area on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays. Handicapped hunters will be allowed ATV and vehicular access on those days, and youth hunters will be allowed ATV access. On Wednesday through Saturday of each week, all hunters are allowed to hunt. All handicap hunters must pre-register by contacting the Jackson Office (601-432-2199).
- Youth, handicapped and archery deer hunting: Only youth, handicapped, and archery hunters are allowed to deer hunt on the Acker Lake Tract. Only youth and handicap hunters will be allowed ATV access on the Acker Lake Handicap Hunting Area each day of the deer seasons. Only handicapped hunters will be allowed vehicular access on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays during the gun and primitive weapon seasons. All handicap hunters must pre-register by contacting the Jackson Office (601-432-2199).
- Archery-only areas: Archery only deer hunting areas include the portions of the WMA between the Tenn-Tom Waterway and the waterway levee from the Acker Lake Tract south to Hwy. 45/25 at Aberdeen and between the Tombigbee River and the Tenn-Tom Waterway from Hwy. 6 south to the intersection of the old Tombigbee River and the Tenn-Tom Waterway.
- Closed areas: No deer or hog hunting from the Tenn-Tom Waterway Levee. No loaded centerfire rifles or primitive weapons allowed on the Tenn-Tom Waterway levee. Hunters must be past the toe of the levee before loaded weapons for deer hunting are allowed.
- Camping: No camping allowed.
- Horses: Horseback riding is prohibited during WMA deer and turkey seasons. At all other times, horseback riding is restricted to hard surface roads. No hunting from horses allowed on Canal Section or John Bell Williams WMAs.
From MDWFP's 2026-27 brochure for the area. The brochure and 40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2 are the final word.
How do you get to Canal Section WMA?
From the intersection of Hwy 78 and Hwy. 25 in Fulton, travel west on Hwy. 78 4.0 miles. Take the Peppertown Exit on Hwy. 178. Go east 0.8 miles. The WMA headquarters is on the left.
Highways through the area: I-22, MS 6 and US 78. Nearest towns: Aberdeen (next to it), Smithville (next to it), Fulton (next to it) and Amory (2 miles).
The closest other Mississippi WMAs with a page here: John Bell Williams WMA (next to it), Divide Section WMA (4.1 miles), Chickasaw WMA (15.1 miles) and Trim Cane WMA (24.8 miles).
Directions and headquarters phone: MDWFP's brochure. Highways and towns measured by FilledTag on U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 roads and U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer.
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Canal Section WMA in 2026-27?
MDWFP's 2026-27 brochure for Canal Section WMA lists these deer hunts: Archery, Oct. 1 to Nov. 20; Youth Deer, Nov. 7 to Nov. 20; Gun, Nov. 21 to Dec. 1; Primitive Weapon, Dec. 2 to Dec. 15; Gun, Dec. 16 to Dec. 23; Gun, Dec. 24 to Jan. 20; Primitive Weapon, Jan. 21 to Jan. 31.
What is a legal buck on Canal Section WMA?
Legal bucks are those with an inside spread of at least 12 inches OR one main beam length of at least 15 inches. For hunters 15 years of age or younger any antlered buck is a legal buck.
How many deer were killed on Canal Section WMA last season?
Hunters checked 34 deer on Canal Section WMA in the 2024-25 season: 17 bucks and 17 does, by MDWFP's DMAP report. The 10-season average is 32.
Can you hunt deer with dogs on Canal Section WMA?
No. MDWFP's brochure says deer hunting with dogs is prohibited on Canal Section WMA. Its dog rules: Small game hunting with dogs is allowed during any small game season. Hunting, running, or pursuing hogs with the use of dogs is prohibited.
What county is Canal Section WMA in?
Itawamba County (15,706 acres), Monroe County (13,174 acres), Prentiss County (470 acres) and Tishomingo County (163 acres), measured on MDWFP's boundary map.
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What you need to hunt a Mississippi WMA
Unless exempt from buying a license, everyone hunting, fishing or trapping on a WMA must carry an annual statewide Wildlife Management Area User Permit, on top of the right license, and must check in and out with the Daily Visitor Use Permit card or the MDWFP WMA Check-In app. Hunters must wear 500 square inches of fluorescent orange or pink during any firearm season for deer. Full rules: MDWFP WMA rules (40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2).
Where these numbers come from
- Seasons, rules, directions: MDWFP's 2026-27 brochure for each WMA (MDWFP Wildlife Management Areas).
- Deer harvest and DMAP acres: MDWFP Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) reports.
- Boundary: MDWFP WMA property boundaries. Counties, highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries; U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer. National forest and refuges: U.S. Forest Service land ownership; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries.
FilledTag is not part of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. Numbers are copied from MDWFP or measured from public maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
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