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.
BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) — Gas prices along the Mississippi Gulf Coast have jumped to nearly $3 a gallon, up from $2.41 just two days ago, according to AAA.
AAA said the increase is driven by two factors: the U.S.-Iran conflict, which has shut down a key Middle East oil route and prompted attacks on refineries, and a seasonal fuel blend switch that adds up to 15 cents a gallon on its own.
Uber Eats driver James Adams said he noticed the increase immediately.
“It actually jumped like 50 to 60 cents in one day,” Adams said.
Adams said the higher cost to fill his tank cuts directly into his delivery earnings.
“We’re working basically for pennies on the dollar already — and once you factor that in with traffic and the mileage you have to go — the gas is outrageous,” Adams said.
DoorDash driver Daniel Yelle said the spike will strain his weekly budget.
“I fill up about twice a week going to and from work and DoorDash — and that’s going to hurt my budget,” Yelle said.
FedEx driver Cecil Banks said there is little that workers can do about the rise in prices.
“As long as there is wars — the price of gas is going to go up for everybody — so it’s just an unfortunate situation,” Banks said.
Banks noted that even though Mississippi’s prices remain below the national average, not driving is not an option for working families.
“What can you do? A lot of people have families — they have to go get their kids — they have to go back and forth to work,” Banks said.
Yelle echoed that sentiment.
“They don’t pay us enough for the higher gas prices,” Yelle said.
See a spelling or grammar error in this story? Report it to our team HERE.
Copyright 2026 WLOX. All rights reserved.
Mississippi
It’s 2,350 miles long, spans 31 US states and is home to a 100kg animal with a tongue that looks like a worm | Discover Wildlife
The Mississippi River flows for around 2,350 miles through the heart of the US. It drains an area of 1.2 million square miles – that’s roughly 40% of the country – and at certain points is 11 miles wide. It is North America’s second longest river, behind the Missouri River.
Rising from Lake Itasca in Minnesota, the Mississippi winds southwards through a range of environments, draining water from 31 US states before reaching its delta at the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana.
The sheer size of the river and the diversity of habitats it passes through make it a refuge for a huge range of animal species, including more than 260 fish, 326 birds, 50 mammals and at least 145 amphibians and reptiles, according to the National Park Service.
There are many weird and wonderful animals living within the Mississippi’s vast waters, but surely one of the strangest is the alligator snapping turtle.
This prehistoric-looking reptile is massive. It can weigh up to 100kg and males can grow well over half a metre long, making it the largest freshwater turtle in North America.
And as if its size wasn’t enough, the alligator snapper has a host of other characteristics that make it one of the Mississippi’s most striking creatures, including a dark, spiky shell (known as carapace), a brick-like head and a sharp, hooked beak. With such a formidable appearance, it’s easy to see how the turtle got its ‘alligator’ name.
But perhaps the turtle’s most curious feature is a worm-like appendage found on its tongue, which it uses as a lure to catch prey, such as fish, amphibians and invertebrates. Alligator snappers are also quite happy scavenging for food.
More amazing wildlife stories from around the world
NIL money comes with a price. More specifically, a tax bill.
The Mississippi legislature is trying to reduce that burden for college athletes who play there.
Via Bea Anhuci of the Mississippi Clarion Ledger, the Mississippi House of Representatives has passed a bill that would exempt NIL earnings from state income tax.
It’s a recruiting tool for Ole Miss and Mississippi State, one that would put the Mississippi schools on equal footing with other states that host SEC universities. Florida, Tennessee, and Texas have no state income tax, and Arkansas carved out NIL earnings from the state’s income tax burden in 2025.
Mississippi currently charges a four-percent tax on anyone making more than $10,000 per year.
NIL earnings remain subject to federal income tax.
The bill will have to also pass the Mississippi Senate, and the governor would then be required to sign it into law.
Man accused of plot to assassinate Trump testifies Iran pressured him, says Biden and Haley were other possible targets
Supreme Court blocks California ban on notifying students’ parents about gender transitions
Comer to say Tim Walz ‘enabled fraud,’ failed whistleblowers in bombshell Minnesota hearing
Nancy Guthrie’s abductor may have returned to the crime scene, left critical clues at tribute: expert
Trump, BBC agree on mediator for $10 billion lawsuit over Jan 6 documentary editing controversy
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
Man accused of plot to assassinate Trump testifies Iran pressured him, says Biden and Haley were other possible targets
DHS defends McLaughlin against allegations husband’s company profited millions from ad contracts: ‘Baseless’
Fareed Zakaria’s takes on Trump and the collapse of nuclear stability
Sánchez defies Trump in political gamble as Madrid say no to war
Satellite images show Iran school strike hit more buildings than earlier reported
-
World1 week agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts1 week agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Wisconsin3 days agoSetting sail on iceboats across a frozen lake in Wisconsin
-
Maryland4 days agoAM showers Sunday in Maryland
-
Florida4 days agoFlorida man rescued after being stuck in shoulder-deep mud for days
-
Denver, CO1 week ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Massachusetts2 days agoMassachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks
-
Oregon6 days ago2026 OSAA Oregon Wrestling State Championship Results And Brackets – FloWrestling