Upper Sardis WMA: 2026-27 seasons, rules and deer harvest
Upper Sardis WMA is 50,485 acres of public hunting land in Lafayette, Marshall and Union counties, run by MDWFP. Hunters checked 39 deer on it in the 2025-26 season (27 bucks, 12 does), by MDWFP's DMAP report; over 10 seasons the area averaged 51 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 2025-26.
Upper Sardis WMAOther MDWFP WMAsNational forestNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 50,485 acres (MDWFP's DMAP report) |
|---|---|
| County | Lafayette County, Marshall County, Union 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 (permit); Turkey Apr. 1 to May 2 |
| Deer checked, 2025-26 | 39 (27 bucks, 12 does) |
| Headquarters GPS | 34.419327, -89.328592 |
| Nearest towns | Abbeville (3 mi), Oxford (5 mi) and Thaxton (5 mi) |
When are the 2026-27 seasons on Upper Sardis 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 | Antlerless deer and legal bucks. |
| Primitive Weapon | Dec. 2 to Dec. 15 | Antlerless deer and legal bucks. |
| Gun | Dec. 16 to Jan. 20 | Antlerless deer and legal bucks. |
| Primitive Weapon | Jan. 21 to Jan. 31 | Antlerless deer and legal bucks. |
Turkey: Youth turkey: Mar. 8 to Mar. 14. Turkey (permit only): 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, Upper Sardis Wildlife Management Area 2026-27 regulations.
How many deer are taken on Upper Sardis WMA?
Hunters checked 39 deer on Upper Sardis WMA in the 2025-26 season. Over the 10 seasons in MDWFP's report the area averaged 51 deer a season.
| Season | Deer checked | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 39 | 27 | 12 |
| 2024-25 | 38 | 26 | 12 |
| 2023-24 | 124 | 68 | 56 |
| 2022-23 | 41 | 25 | 16 |
| 2021-22 | 42 | 26 | 16 |
| 2020-21 | 31 | 23 | 8 |
| 2019-20 | 57 | 36 | 21 |
| 2018-19 | 23 | 22 | 1 |
| 2017-18 | 34 | 30 | 4 |
| 2016-17 | 77 | 38 | 39 |
Source: MDWFP DMAP report, Upper Sardis WMA, harvest history table.
What rules apply on Upper Sardis WMA?
- Legal bucks: Legal bucks are those with an inside spread of at least 10 inches OR one main beam length of at least 13 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 one of the three (3) bucks may be any antlered deer on Upper Sardis, 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 self-service data collection station and recorded on DAILY VISITOR USE PERMIT card or the 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. Hog hunting with dogs is allowed during daylight hours only during Feb. 1–Feb. 28 with weapons legal for small game.
- Legal weapons for deer: Only centerfire rifles, shotguns with slugs, primitive weapons, and centerfire handguns may be used for deer hunting.
- Turkey permits: Turkey hunting for Mar. 15–Mar. 31 is allowed by special permit only on Upper Sardis. You may apply online at mdwfp.com. See application for hunt dates, application deadlines, and other information about permitted hunts.
- ATVs and off-road vehicles: Off-road vehicle use, including electric bicycles, will be governed by U.S. Forest Service regulations. Off-road vehicle use will be governed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regulations on property owned by the Corps within Upper Sardis WMA. Except for retrieval of harvested deer or hogs, no motorized vehicles, including electric bicycles, are allowed off-road or on closed roads on U.S. Forest Service-owned portion of Upper Sardis WMA or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-owned portion of Upper Sardis WMA west of Twin Culverts Road/Riverside. ORVs/ATVs/Electric bicycles are allowed on the corps-owned portion of Upper Sardis WMA east of Twin Culverts Road/Riverside for hunting and fishing access only.
- Camping: Camping is allowed subject to U.S. Forest Service regulations.
- Horses: Hunting from horseback is allowed.
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 Upper Sardis WMA?
From the intersection of Hwy. 7 and Hwy. 30 at Oxford, go 10 miles east on Hwy. 30. The WMA headquarters is on the right. MDWFP gives the headquarters at 34.419327, -89.328592.
Highways through the area: MS 30. Nearest towns: Abbeville (3 miles), Oxford (5 miles), Thaxton (5 miles) and Toccopola (6 miles).
The closest other Mississippi WMAs with a page here: Hell Creek WMA (11.6 miles), Chickasaw WMA (25.2 miles), George P. Cossar State Park WMA (28.5 miles) and Charles Ray Nix WMA (30 miles).
Directions and headquarters GPS: 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 Upper Sardis WMA in 2026-27?
MDWFP's 2026-27 brochure for Upper Sardis 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 Jan. 20; Primitive Weapon, Jan. 21 to Jan. 31.
What is a legal buck on Upper Sardis WMA?
Legal bucks are those with an inside spread of at least 10 inches OR one main beam length of at least 13 inches. For hunters 15 years of age or younger any antlered buck is a legal buck.
How many deer were killed on Upper Sardis WMA last season?
Hunters checked 39 deer on Upper Sardis WMA in the 2025-26 season: 27 bucks and 12 does, by MDWFP's DMAP report. The 10-season average is 51.
Can you hunt deer with dogs on Upper Sardis WMA?
No. MDWFP's brochure says deer hunting with dogs is prohibited on Upper Sardis WMA. Its dog rules: Small game hunting with dogs is allowed during any small game season. Hog hunting with dogs is allowed during daylight hours only during Feb. 1–Feb. 28 with weapons legal for small game.
What county is Upper Sardis WMA in?
Lafayette County (45,152 acres), Marshall County (3,643 acres) and Union County (516 acres), measured on MDWFP's boundary map. Those county figures come from the boundary map, which measures 49,310 acres in all; MDWFP's DMAP report gives the area as 50,485 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 Hell Creek WMA Chickasaw WMA