Phil Bryant WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and deer harvest

Phil Bryant WMA is 17,689 acres of public hunting land in Issaquena and Warren counties, run by MDWFP. Hunters checked 86 deer on it in the 2024-25 season (38 bucks, 48 does), by MDWFP's DMAP report; over 4 seasons the area averaged 96 a season. Its 2026-27 brochure sets 9 kinds of deer hunt: archery group draw, gun group draw, senior adult, archery, youth gun, primitive weapon, gun, archery/youth gun and youth and handicapped gun, with archery Oct. 1 to Nov. 1, Oct. 1 to Oct. 30, Jan. 1 to Jan. 14, Oct. 1 to Jan. 14 and Oct. 1 to Nov. 29. Some or all deer hunts are by draw permit.

Data updated October 2026. Seasons and rules: MDWFP's 2026-27 WMA brochure. Harvest: MDWFP's DMAP report for the area, to 2024-25.

When are the 2026-27 seasons on Phil Bryant WMA?

Backwoods unit

Turkey: Turkey (permit only): See turkey hunting under the area's rules below.

Small game and other seasons: Youth squirrel Sept. 24 to Sept. 30; Squirrel and rabbit Oct. 1 to Jan. 14 (Open to hunters drawn during group draw hunts), Jan. 15 to Feb. 28 (Daily); Squirrel May 15 to June 1 (Daily); Raccoon July 1 to Sept. 30 (Friday and Saturday nights only); Raccoon, opossum Jan. 15 to Feb. 28 (Daily); Trapping Jan. 15 to Feb. 28; Woodcock Jan. 15 to Jan. 31 (Daily); Snipe Jan. 15 to Feb. 28 (Daily); Fishing (group draw only) Oct. 1 to Jan. 14 (Open to hunters drawn during the group draw hunts); Fishing Jan. 15 to Sept. 30 (Daily).

Source: MDWFP, Phil Bryant Wildlife Management Area 2026-27 regulations.

Buck Bayou unit

Turkey: Turkey (permit only): See turkey hunting under the area's rules below.

Small game and other seasons: Youth squirrel Sept. 24 to Sept. 30; Squirrel and rabbit Oct. 1 to Dec. 31 (Saturdays only, except closed on Oct. 31), Jan. 1 to Feb. 28 (Daily); Squirrel May 15 to June 1 (Daily); Raccoon July 1 to Sept. 30 (Friday and Saturday nights only); Raccoon, opossum Oct. 1 to Dec. 31 (Friday nights only); Raccoon, opossum and bobcat Jan. 1 to Feb. 28 (Daily); Trapping Jan. 1 to Feb. 28; Fishing Jan. 15 to Sept. 30 (Daily), Oct. 1 to Jan. 14 (Saturdays Only).

Source: MDWFP, Phil Bryant Wildlife Management Area 2026-27 regulations.

Goose Lake unit

Turkey: Turkey (permit only): See turkey hunting under the area's rules below.

Small game and other seasons: Youth squirrel Sept. 24 to Sept. 30; Squirrel and rabbit Oct. 1 to Jan. 14 (Open only on Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday), Jan. 15 to Feb. 28 (Daily); Squirrel May 15 to June 1 (Daily); Raccoon July 1 to Sept. 30 (Friday and Saturday nights only); Raccoon, opossum Jan. 15 to Feb. 28 (Daily); Trapping Jan. 15 to Feb. 28; Fishing Jan. 15 to Sept. 30 (Daily), Oct. 1 to Jan. 14 (Open only on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday).

Source: MDWFP, Phil Bryant Wildlife Management Area 2026-27 regulations.

Ten Point unit

Turkey: Turkey (permit only): See turkey hunting under the area's rules below.

Small game and other seasons: Youth squirrel Sept. 24 to Sept. 30; Squirrel and rabbit Oct. 1 to Jan. 14 (Open only on Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday), Jan. 15 to Feb. 28 (Daily); Squirrel May 15 to June 1 (Daily); Raccoon July 1 to Sept. 30 (Friday and Saturday nights only); Raccoon, opossum Jan. 15 to Feb. 28 (Daily); Trapping Jan. 15 to Feb. 28; Fishing Jan. 15 to Sept. 30 (Daily), Oct. 1 to Jan. 14 (Open only on Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday).

Source: MDWFP, Phil Bryant Wildlife Management Area 2026-27 regulations.

How many deer are taken on Phil Bryant WMA?

Hunters checked 86 deer on Phil Bryant WMA in the 2024-25 season. Over the 4 seasons in MDWFP's report the area averaged 96 deer a season.

Source: MDWFP DMAP report, Phil Bryant WMA, harvest history table.

What rules apply on Phil Bryant WMA?

• Legal bucks: Legal bucks are those with an inside spread of at least 16 inches OR one main beam length of at least 20 inches. During ALL other Permit Only hunts, a youth hunter must harvest a buck with an inside spread of at least 16 inches OR one main beam length of at least 20 inches.
• Bag limits: Season bag limit of 3 deer, of which only 1 may be a legal buck. All harvested deer and turkey count towards statewide bag limits. The bag limit during the Senior Adult Hunt will be 1 legal buck and 1 antlerless deer per hunt. Bag limit for turkeys is 1 adult gobbler per permitted hunter. Backwoods Unit: Group bag limit of 4 legal bucks and 8 antlerless deer. All harvested deer and turkey count towards the Phil Bryant WMA and statewide bag limits.
• Deer hunting permits: You may apply online at www.mdwfp.com. See application for hunt dates, application deadlines, and other information about permitted hunts.
• Checking deer: All deer harvested must be checked at a WMA check station and recorded on WMA Daily Visitor User 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. Deer harvest on Goose Lake Unit must be checked in at either the Hwy 61 Boat Ramp or Ten Point Unit data collection station. Deer harvested on Buck Bayou Unit must be checked in at the Buck Bayou Visitor Permit station at the Buck Bayou parking area, see map for location. Once the jawbone is removed, ALL antlerless deer heads harvested on Phil Bryant WMA must be tagged and deposited in the Mahannah or Phil Bryant CWD Collection freezer.
• 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.
• Turkey hunting: Turkey hunting is allowed by special permit only.
• High water: Phil Bryant WMA will be closed to all activities, except waterfowl hunting, when the Mississippi River gauge at Vicksburg reaches 43 ft and shall remain so until the Mississippi River level falls to or below 41.0 ft. and/or when the Steele Bayou landside gauge reaches 82.0 ft and shall remain closed until the Steele Bayou level falls to or below 80ft. Waterfowl hunting shall open daily on the Ten Point and Goose Lake units during the waterfowl season after 82 feet on the Steel. Bayou Landside Gauge Previously drawn hunters for the Backwoods unit may only waterfowl hunt during Mahannah permitted waterfowl hunts.
• Camping: Camping is allowed in designated areas only. Camping is limited to 14 consecutive days. Camping equipment may not be left unattended for more than 24 hours. All camping equipment and garbage must be removed before final departure. Camping for Goose Lake Unit is ONLY allowed at the Ten Point or Mahannah WMA Campgrounds. Backwoods: Camping for Backwoods Unit 4 is only allowed at the Mahannah WMA campground.
• Horses: Horseback riding is prohibited during WMA deer and turkey seasons. At all other times, horseback riding is restricted to roads open to motorized vehicles and designated ATV trails. Raccoon hunting from horses is allowed on entire area during nighttime hunting hours.
• Scouting: Backwoods: No scouting allowed from Oct. 1–Jan. 14. Open daily from Jan. 15 - Sept. 30.
• Parking: Buck Bayou visitors must park in the Buck Bayou Unit parking area only. See map for location. Visitors from Buck Bayou Unit and Mahannah WMA may not park at Backwoods Units Campsites between October 1 - January 31.

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 Phil Bryant WMA?

See individual hunt unit pages for driving directions. For information, maps, and regulation on individual units of Phil Bryant WMA, see below. The permit station with cards is located at the west Ten Point check station on HWY 465. All Deer hunts are permit only.

Highways through the area: MS 465. Nearest towns: Vicksburg (9 miles), Cary (16 miles), Edwards (17 miles) and Satartia (22 miles).

The closest other Mississippi WMAs with a page here: Mahannah WMA (next to it), Sunflower WMA (8.4 miles), Shipland WMA (14.1 miles) and Twin Oaks WMA (15.2 miles).

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 Phil Bryant WMA in 2026-27?

MDWFP's 2026-27 brochure for Phil Bryant WMA lists these deer hunts: Archery Group Draw - Permit Only, Oct. 1 to Nov. 1; Gun Group Draw - Permit Only, Nov. 4 to Jan. 14; Senior Adult - Permit Only, Jan. 14 to Jan. 15; Archery - Permit Only, Oct. 1 to Oct. 30; Youth Gun, Oct. 31 to Nov. 1; Primitive Weapon - Permit Only, Nov. 5 to Nov. 29; Gun - Permit Only, Dec. 1 to Dec. 31; Archery/Youth Gun, Jan. 1 to Jan. 14; Senior Adult - Permit Only, Jan. 14 to Jan. 15; Archery Only - Permit Only, Oct. 1 to Jan. 14; Senior Adult - Permit Only, Jan. 14 to Jan. 15; Archery - Permit Only, Oct. 1 to Nov. 29; Gun - Permit Only, Nov. 30 to Dec. 20; Youth and Handicapped Gun - Permit Only, Dec. 24 to Jan. 10; Senior Adult - Permit Only, Jan. 14 to Jan. 15.

What is a legal buck on Phil Bryant WMA?

Legal bucks are those with an inside spread of at least 16 inches OR one main beam length of at least 20 inches. During ALL other Permit Only hunts, a youth hunter must harvest a buck with an inside spread of at least 16 inches OR one main beam length of at least 20 inches.

How many deer were killed on Phil Bryant WMA last season?

Hunters checked 86 deer on Phil Bryant WMA in the 2024-25 season: 38 bucks and 48 does, by MDWFP's DMAP report. The 4-season average is 96.

Can you hunt deer with dogs on Phil Bryant WMA?

No. MDWFP's brochure says deer hunting with dogs is prohibited on Phil Bryant 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 Phil Bryant WMA in?

Issaquena County (16,384 acres) and Warren County (1,306 acres), measured on MDWFP's boundary map.

Do you need a permit to deer hunt Phil Bryant WMA?

You may apply online at www.mdwfp.com. See application for hunt dates, application deadlines, and other information about permitted hunts.

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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