John Bell Williams WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and deer harvest
John Bell Williams WMA is 3,198 acres of public hunting land in Prentiss, Itawamba and Monroe counties, run by MDWFP. Hunters checked 1 deer on it in the 2024-25 season (1 buck, 0 does), by MDWFP's DMAP report; over 10 seasons the area averaged 4 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.
John Bell Williams WMAOther MDWFP WMAsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 3,198 acres (MDWFP's DMAP report) |
|---|---|
| County | Prentiss County, Itawamba County, Monroe 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 | 1 (1 buck, 0 does) |
| WMA headquarters | (662) 862-2723 |
| Nearest towns | Amory (3 mi), Marietta (3 mi) and Mantachie (4 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on John Bell Williams 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. Turkey: Mar. 15 to Mar. 31; see turkey permits on Canal Section WMA's page. 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 John Bell Williams WMA?
Hunters checked 1 deer on John Bell Williams WMA in the 2024-25 season. Over the 10 seasons in MDWFP's report the area averaged 4 deer a season.
| Season | Deer checked | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 2022-23 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020-21 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2019-20 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 2018-19 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| 2017-18 | 7 | 2 | 5 |
| 2016-17 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| 2015-16 | 7 | 4 | 3 |
Source: MDWFP DMAP report, John Bell Williams WMA, harvest history table.
What rules apply on John Bell Williams 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.
- Everything else: the brochure covers both areas, so its other rules (legal weapons, closed areas, turkey permits, camping, horses, ATVs) are listed once, on Canal Section WMA's page.
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 John Bell Williams WMA?
John Bell Williams is located in Prentiss County near Booneville. From the intersection of Hwy 30 and Hwy 4 on the east side of Booneville, go east on Hwy 4 10.3 miles to County Road 4101. Turn south on CR 4101 and go 8.9 miles to the John Bell Williams headquarters on the right.
Highways within 5 miles: MS 371, MS 4, MS 25 and MS 363. Nearest towns: Amory (3 miles), Marietta (3 miles), Mantachie (4 miles) and Fulton (4 miles).
The closest other Mississippi WMAs with a page here: Canal Section WMA (next to it), Divide Section WMA (5.4 miles), Chickasaw WMA (20.4 miles) and Tuscumbia WMA (32.1 miles).
Headquarters phone: MDWFP's brochure. Directions: MDWFP's page for the area. 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 John Bell Williams WMA in 2026-27?
MDWFP's 2026-27 brochure for John Bell Williams 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 John Bell Williams 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 John Bell Williams WMA last season?
Hunters checked 1 deer on John Bell Williams WMA in the 2024-25 season: 1 buck and 0 does, by MDWFP's DMAP report. The 10-season average is 4.
Can you hunt deer with dogs on John Bell Williams WMA?
No. MDWFP's brochure says deer hunting with dogs is prohibited on John Bell Williams 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 John Bell Williams WMA in?
Prentiss County (2,061 acres), Itawamba County (1,476 acres) and Monroe County (172 acres), measured on MDWFP's boundary map. Those county figures come from the boundary map, which measures 3,709 acres in all; MDWFP's DMAP report gives the area as 3,198 acres.
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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.
Mississippi hunting All Mississippi WMAs Canal Section WMA Divide Section WMA