Published: September 04, 2008 11:52 pm            

MDWFP provides fantastic hunting opportunities

As I eased along the open hardwood bottomland during a recent fall outing I marveled at the color-splashed fall foliage and teaming wildlife surrounding me. My senses were on full alert as a flock of wood ducks flushed from a nearby slough, while they made their escape with whistling wings. The woods had also taken on an aromatic smell of freshly decaying leaves and acorns. The sweet succulent aroma emanating from a grove of white oak trees pleased my senses and brought back a flood of wonderful deer hunting memories from days gone by.

My reminiscing was suddenly jolted back to the present as the fall foliage exploded right in front of me. A monster buck, sporting at least 10 or 12 points to go with a 20” plus spread, vaulted from a secure bed in a Wisteria thicket and nonchalantly teased me as he trotted away, only 30 yards or so from me. Momentarily stunned, all I could do was watch him for a second or two before raising my rifle and centering the crosshairs on his massive shoulder.  The buck continued on his course for at least another 200 yards before disappearing into the safety of the surrounding forest.

This time the big buck had escaped my bullet, as I couldn’t pull the trigger, no matter how much I wanted to! My day continued on and got even better as I spotted a total of four of the biggest bucks of my life. Alas, I was hunting one of our state’s many Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) on a special doe hunt that would later give me the opportunity to hunt the buck of a lifetime.

Not yet!



“How can you let the buck of a lifetime go?” inquired a friend of mine. Well it wasn’t easy, but I had to take a doe first, according to the regulations. And later I did harvest the buck of my lifetime, on public land no less.

Are you looking for a good place to hunt? Then you have to look no further than one of Mississippi’s 59 State and Federal Wildlife Management Areas to find that place. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP) provides almost unmatched hunting opportunities for everyone.

Do you want to see what the hunting of days gone by is like? Do you want to see how you stack up against others? Maybe you’re looking for a challenge with a stick and string, or with an old smokepole. If you are, then have I got a place for you!

The MDWFP has strategically located hunting opportunities at prime locations around the state. Depending on the habitat, various hunting pursuits may be had. Some of the WMA’s are managed for waterfowl, while others are managed for deer, trophy deer, squirrel, rabbit, and even some for quail and fox hunting! There’s something for just about everyone in our state.

And some of the areas are teaming with wildlife of many different species, offering many different opportunities over the course of the fall and winter. Some offer dove hunting in early fall, bowhunting and squirrel hunting in October and November, and deer and duck hunting later on.

And there are also opportunities to hunt hogs, coons, fox, coyote, and even turkey in the spring.

                                    Say yes to a hunt



But there’s just one catch to hunting a WMA. You’ve got to take advantage of the opportunity! While it’s provided for us today, it may not be there forever, if we don’t take advantage of it. We can’t justify continuing to spend thousands of dollars on hunting lands if they aren’t utilized or the need is not there.

Do you think you have what it takes to scout your quarry, and then harvest him on open public land? It will just be you and the game, matching wits against each other and of course other hunters. But there are plenty of opportunities for all who are willing to put in the time and effort needed to explore our bountiful outdoors woods and waters.

There’s just something different about matching wits with an old seasoned whitetail buck in the southern woods without the aid of food plots, shoot houses and other comforts, though those have their time and place.

When that buck of a lifetime appeared 70 yards in front of me chasing a couple of does, my dream hunt of a lifetime quickly became a reality. If you’re looking for a place to hunt, then look no further than one of Mississippi’s State or Federal WMA’s. I can’t guarantee that you’ll harvest the buck of a lifetime, but the opportunity will surely be there!

        

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