Mississippi Traditional Bowhunters Roll call again?

[mississippidude]

I've certainly seen some nice deer come out of HNF. There are some great places to camp as well.

[joebuck]

Heres some things to thing about planning the camp/hunt we discussed last time.

1. Our out of state members showed a TON of interest to come camp and hunt last time!.  Public affordable hog hunting is a huge draw for them.

2. MDWFP Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) Properties: Wild hogs may be taken incidental to hunting activities during any open hunting season with weapons and ammunition legal for that hunting season.

3. If we hunt a WMA , it has to be during deer or turkey season so we can legally hunt hogs.

4. With all that said......we need to have our campout/hunt the last week of deer season IMO on a WMA with hogs.

5. Here's my brainstorm.  I am going to get "bow and arrows" legally written up to hunt in  Squirrel Season.  That way we can legally hunt hogs on a WMA in May and through Feb28TH !... This way we can hog hunt on WMA in FEB for hogs legally with bows and arrows

[Tall Paul]

Glad to see things going in the right direction!  

In the past I would google MTB,but could never find the website?

Joey, #4 above sounds like a particularly good idea!

[South MS Bowhunter]

Joey,

I love your thinking on the rule adjustment, and I and all my local trad friends would agree.

Let me know what I and they can do to make this happen.

It is frustrating to be told by local authorities that we have a hog problem and then tie our hands to do anything about it.

I and my friends have even discussed if they would charge a fee to hunt hogs and open year round we would pay.

[Swinestalker]

St. Catherine and Sandy creek are 2 separate WMAs within a few miles of each other. Both are rife with pigs and deer.

[jonwilson]

Are they rife with rifle hunters also, Swinestalker?    

[jonwilson]

Didn't they close St. Catherine's a few years ago? I'm not seeing it on the map.

[Swinestalker]

Originally posted by jonwilson:
Are they rife with rifle hunters also, Swinestalker?      

I believe St. Catherine is primitive only. Of course, in MS, primitive is not very primitive. I believe Sandy Creek does allow some modern rifle hunting. But not real sure to be honest. I don't keep up with rifle regs. I know the backside of Sandy creek WMA is directly across the Homochitto river from our property and it is utterly infested with pigs. St Catherine is known for being fabulous public ground.

[matt steed]

I talk to Mr. Warren Womack today. He said Sandy Creek would be the best in his opinion. He has had good luck there but he also said the deer population is definitely less than it use to be.

[Possum Head]

5. Here's my brainstorm.  I am going to get "bow and arrows" legally written up to hunt in  Squirrel Season.  That way we can legally hunt hogs on a WMA in May and through Feb28TH !... This way we can hog hunt on WMA in FEB for hogs legally with bows and arrows [/QB][/QUOTE]
You can hunt those times with a bow now on a WMA The problem we face is limiting us to the use of small game points (no broadheads). That's why turkey season works for pigs because broadheads are acceptible. Certainly have room for change!

[joebuck]

Possum.   Thinking out loud.   Does it say anywhere in State Regs. you can not hunt squirrels with broad heads".   Or is this a Fed WMA reg? I know in FED  regs it specifically states you can't hunt Small game with broadheads.  So our best bet is to hunt a State WMA I think

Swine ... can you touch base with St Catherine manager and find out if we can hunt squirrels with BH.  I know it's Fed but he may tell you they would not enforce !  If so. I am all for a mid feb  squirrel hunt ( but really hog hunt) at a place loaded with hogs.    where could we camp?

[Swinestalker]

I'll be happy to check this out, but gonna be a couple of weeks as I'm headed over the pond.

[South MS Bowhunter]

Travis,

When trying to map quest to St. Catherine NWR it doesn't show on the map?  It will take me to Natchez but doesn't show the NWR?

How far out of Natchez is the refuge?

[jonwilson]

I can't find St. Catherine on the map either.    

[Swinestalker]

It's spelled saint Catherine creek wma. It's a few miles south of Natchez right on the  Ms river.

[jkm97]

Originally posted by South MS Bowhunter:
Ole Possum say to look into Beinville national forrest lots of Hogs and some say better hunting then the WMA's.

Anybody know anything about it?

It is centrally located in the state for one, but I don't personally know anymore about it.

I have hunted up in the Morgans Brake Hillside area and know there deer and hogs there.

I've killed tons of deer on Tallahalla, one of the WMAs in Bienville. It's been about ten years since I hunted it seriously though.

[South MS Bowhunter]

Arrow point rules for Small game at St. Catherine....

"Small game may also be hunted with .22 magnum, .17 and .22 caliber rim re ri es, and archery equipment using arrows with points other than broad-heads"

Will try and call their office and see if enforced as Joey Suggested.

[South MS Bowhunter]

Just called, but being Labor Day their office is closed...

I'll try tomorrow if I can get the chance.

Got to go deal with the enemy combatants from last nights
F. R. O. G team raid, thing the Supreme Leader does for his men...

[Kenny Henderson]

I just signed up and paid my membership fee, I hope you guys don't mind a "Hoosier" being a member, I am from "southern" Indiana...Hehehe

[whiskyweasel]

I spoke with my local conservation officer and he told me that it would be illegal to hunt hogs with a bow during a small game only season. He's a buddy of mine so he also let me know that I'd get some really weird looks if I was out and about trying to shoot squirrels with a bow... Not that it would be against the rules, just that it would be odd. I told him that I was a Yankee toting a longbow so I was used to being looked at a little strangely in the Mississippi woods.