Mississippi
Mississippi deer population likely at record high. Hunters asked to shoot more
‘We’ve had good habitat conditions. We had a reduction in harvest. People are being more selective. All those things coupled together and you really see the population get on the increase.’
Can you believe this? Black bear raids porch for Halloween treats.
A stealthy bear visited a Connecticut home and stole all the Halloween sweet treats.
Mississippi’s deer population may be at an all-time high and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks is asking hunters to help get the population under control by harvesting more deer.
“In looking at the numbers, I think we are probably looking at a record level of deer in the state,” said Russ Walsh, Wildlife chief of staff. “We’ve had good habitat conditions.
“We had a reduction in harvest. People are being more selective. All those things coupled together and you really see the population get on the increase.”
Deer numbers in the state are generated from data including Deer Management Assistance Program harvest records from public and private land. Figures are fed into a model which produces a population estimate.
“It is showing the population is increasing,” Walsh said. “We’re also looking at deer harvest over time. We’re not harvesting as many deer as we used to.”
Mississippi rises in number of collisions involving deer
Annual reports from State Farm Insurance seem to support that. Each year, the company ranks states according to the number of auto claims related to animals. In 2016-2017 Mississippi ranked No. 12 in the nation for the most claims. That translated to one in 95 drivers filing a claim related to animals.
In 2020-2021 Mississippi’s ranking rose to No. 7 with one in 57 drivers filing a claim. In the 2023-2024 report Mississippi was No. 6 in the nation and one in 65 drivers filed a claim and according to State Farm, deer are the No. 1 animal involved in those claims.
For perspective on Mississippi’s latest ranking, the national average for hitting an animal is one in 128.
Are deer numbers high everywhere in Mississippi?
The current population estimate of deer in Mississippi is 1.6 million. That’s up from the 2012 estimate of 1.5 million and 1.4 million in 2018.
However, the population estimate is statewide, so some areas will be higher than others. Walsh said if hunters aren’t sure about their deer numbers or if the population has exceeded the property’s capacity to maintain a healthy population, MDWFP can help.
“We’ll be glad to visit with them and discuss it and look at the land,” Walsh said. “That’s why we’re here. We’re glad to look at those situations.”
How you can help reduce the deer population
- Harvest one deer more than you normally do, but don’t exceed the bag limit
- Take a kid hunting
- Target does
- Spend more time hunting
- Report deer harvests
- Have deer tested for CWD
What are the benefits of reducing Mississippi’s deer population?
It would seem that more deer would mean better hunting, but that is not exactly the case. Chronic wasting disease is present in Mississippi and it is always fatal for deer. It is spread by direct and indirect contact between deer. By reducing the density of deer, the spread of the disease can be slowed.
Lower deer density can also produce healthier deer in general and bigger bucks because there is more food available to them. An extreme example of that is the 2019 South Delta flood that killed thousands of deer and other wildlife. However, those deer that survived had more food resources than before the flood and deer weights went up in following years.
“I don’t think I saw a buck harvested under 200 pounds in some of those areas,” Walsh said. “They had lots of resources. Why? There were fewer deer on the landscape.”
Do you have more deer meat than you can use? Donate some
Many hunters tend only to harvest as many deer as they can eat. So, if you harvest more than that this year, consider donating some to Hunter’s Harvest. It’s a program that distributes venison to families in need in Mississippi through churches and other organizations. Here are the processors where meat can be donated.
- Thrasher’s Taxidermy and Deer Processing – Corinth, Alcorn County
- Rut’n & Cut’n Deer Processing – Crystal Springs, Copiah County
- Old River Road Deer Processing – Petal, Forrest County
- Strick’s Deer Processing – Hattiesburg, Forrest County
- D’Wayne’s Deer Processing – Holcolm, Grenada County
- Stacie’s Deer Processing – Utica, Hinds County
- The Meat Hook – Laurel, Hinds County
- Jack’s Seafood – Lamar County
- Sherman Deer Processing – Lena, Leake County
- Boyd Deer Processing – Ruth, Lincoln County
- Diamond J Meat Market & Deer Processing – Brookhaven, Lincoln County
- Knight’s Deer Processing and Meat Market LLC – Brookhaven, Lincoln County
- Buck Shop II – Canton, Madison County
- The Buck Shop – Flora, Madison County
- Sansing Meat Service – Maben, Oktibbeha County
- Buck Shot Custom Processing – Pontotoc, Pontotoc County
- Brister’s Taxidermy & Deer Processing – McComb, Pike County
- MaxMan Deer Processing – Senatobia, Tate County
- Oaks Deer Processing – Coldwater, Tate County
- Backwoods Wild Game Processing – Tylertown, Walthall County
- Dave’s Custom Meats – Vicksburg, Warren County
- Moore’s Deer Processing – Vicksburg, Warren County
- Milner’s Deer Processing – Yazoo City, Yazoo County
- Rack Shack Outdoors – Benton, Yazoo County
- Red Antler Processing – Yazoo City, Yazoo County
- Van’s Deer Processing – Brandon, Rankin County
- The Skinnin Shed – Meadville, Forrest County
Do you have a story idea? Contact Brian Broom at 601-961-7225 or bbrom@gannett.com.
Mississippi
Women’s Basketball: Mississippi State shows no mercy on Mercer in blowout win
STARKVILLE — Former Mississippi State assistant coach Michelle Clark-Heard returned to Humphrey Coliseum on Wednesday night as the head coach at Mercer, and her ex-boss, Sam Purcell, made sure it was a rude welcome home.
The Bulldogs limited their fourth straight opponent to under 50 points and have held all five teams they’ve played to under 30 percent shooting, defeating the Bears 81-44.
“We’re watching film, we’re trying to find every advantage we can,” Purcell said. “That stuff matters to us. That’s culture, that’s DNA. We train hard, we work hard, and we’re a multiple defensive team. I always say there’s bad coaches out there if you only play one style, and that’s not who we’re going to be. We can press, we can trap, so it makes it a nightmare for our opponents.”
Mercer did not make a 3-pointer until there were less than two minutes left in the fourth quarter, finishing 1-for-17 from behind the arc. MSU (5-0) made more than half of its field goals and was 10-for-22 from deep, outscoring the Bears 44-14 in the paint.
Fifth-year senior guard Jerkaila Jordan entered the game having made just one 3-pointer on 15 attempts so far this season, but she made her first shot of the night from distance behind a screen in the final minute of the opening quarter. Jordan then blocked Hanna Knoll’s 3-point attempt on the other end, and Eniya Russell connected from long range to beat the buzzer and put the Bulldogs ahead by double digits.
Jordan recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, and she was 3-for-4 from 3-point range, nailing a triple from each corner 33 seconds apart in the third quarter.
“She just needs to relax. That’s it,” Purcell said. “The kid’s a pro. She trains hard, she’s in the gym every single day. She knows what’s up. I haven’t said one thing to her. I knew it was going to finally end, I’m just glad it happened before we head on the road.”
Madina Okot had another big night in the post, tallying 15 points, eight boards, two blocks and two steals. The Kenyan is shooting 65 percent through five games in the maroon and white and is pulling down nearly 10 boards per contest.
“This has been my dream, and I just feel happy,” Okot said. “I’m just grateful for the team and for this coaching staff. They’re really doing great, I’m putting in work and they’re ready to support me to get everything I desire to get here.”
MSU already led by 20 at the half before winning the third quarter 32-7, finishing the period on an 18-2 run. The Bulldogs’ last four opponents have scored a total of 24 points in the third quarter.
Junior sharpshooter Debreasha Powe was also in double figures with 13 points, going 5-for-7 from the floor and 3-for-5 from behind the 3-point line. Destiny McPhaul had an efficient night as well, and Quanirah Montague had eight points in just 13 minutes of action. MSU shared the ball extremely well, with 26 assists on 33 made field goals.
“I was just locked in,” Montague said. “I was ready to get in the game, ready to have energy and bring energy to my team.”
The Bulldogs will not play in Starkville again until Dec. 29, following eight straight games away from The Hump. They are back in action Sunday against Jacksonville in Orlando, Florida, a neutral-site game that is part of the inaugural WBCA Showcase.
Wednesday’s win was No. 50 for Purcell in 73 games at MSU, making him the fastest coach in program history to reach that milestone.
“It’s all about the young women who step on the floor and sacrifice night in and night out,” Purcell said. “I’ve never scored a point here at Mississippi State. I’m fortunate to have a university that gave a first-time head coach an opportunity. You need one school to believe in you, so it means the world that Mississippi State believed in me.”
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Mississippi
Court says it's ending dispute over control of airport in Mississippi's capital city
FILE – Sen. Josh Harkins, R-Flowood, right, reacts as Sen. John Horhn, D-Jackson, left, purposes amendments that would affect Harkins’ proposed legislation that would shift control of the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport to state officials and surrounding counties, March 3, 2016, in Senate chambers at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)
Mississippi
Kansas State Overcomes Slow Start To Regroup Against Mississippi Valley State
Despite leading by two at halftime, coach Jerome Tang and the Kansas State Wildcats pulled away from Mississippi Valley State to earn a 74-56 win Tuesday night.
It was far from a clean performance, unlike past victories this season. The Wildcats needed a 45-28 edge on the glass to get the job done, led by center Ugonna Onyenso’s 16 points.
Kansas State got its offense clicking out of halftime with a 16-3 run. The Wildcats found higher-precentage shots, dominating their paint presence with 36 points. This was coupled with finishing 25-of-27 from the free throw line.
Although forward Coleman Hawkins didn’t usher in his best offensive night, he contributed 13 rebounds and four assists.
Mississippi Valley State stayed in the game thanks to Tate Archer’s 16 points, shooting 6-for-15 from the field and 2-of-5 from 3-point range.
Despite the struggles, Tang is primairily seeing the victory from a positive viewpoint, he said.
“We got 14 dudes,” Tang said after the win. “Eleven of them are new. As a staff, we’re trying to figure it out. I don’t know. I don’t know who the five guys that play the best together are yet. I think I do, but it didn’t pan out tonight.”
Tang said Dug McDaniel was absent from the starting lineup due to a “coaches decision,” but didn’t elaborate further.
Kansas State has a quick turnaround, hosting George Washington Friday night. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET, marking its third game in an 11-day span ahead of an off week during Thanksgiving.
Zain Bando is a contributor to Kansas State Wildcats On SI. He can be reached at zainbando99@gmail.comand on Instagram/’X’ @zainbando99.
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