General Regulation for the Taking of Nuisance Animals

Wild hogs, skunks, foxes, coyotes, beavers, and nutria are classified as nuisance species in Mississippi.

No person shall trap on the lands of another unless he has the permission of the landowner.

Specific Hunting Season Requirements and Restrictions
  • Nuisance animals may be hunted with the aid of electronic calls.
  • Persons hunting nuisance animals during any open gun season on deer will be required to wear, in full view, 500 square inches of solid unbroken hunter orange, unless they are hunting from a fully enclosed stand
  • Nuisance animals may not be hunted or pursued with dogs during the open spring turkey season.
License Requirements and Exemptions

Persons trapping nuisance animals, other than wild hogs, must have a valid Mississippi trapping license, unless otherwise exempt. 

Persons trapping wild hogs must possess a valid Lifetime, All Game, Sportsman, or Trapping License, unless otherwise exempt. 

Persons hunting nuisance animals must possess a valid Lifetime, All Game, or Sportsman’s License, unless otherwise exempt. 

Persons hunting nuisance animals with archery equipment and/or with primitive weapons during archery or primitive weapons season must possess either a valid Lifetime, Sportsman License, or an All Game Hunting License and the Archery/Primitive Weapon Permit, unless otherwise exempt.

Possession, Transporting, Buying, and Selling Nuisance Animals

Possession of Nuisance Animals

Live nuisance animals may not be possessed except: 

  • Coyotes in permitted coyote enclosures 
  • Fox in permitted fox enclosures 
  • Coyote and fox may be possessed by licensed fur trappers for the sole purpose of transporting and selling to a MDWFP licensed coyote/fox enclosure. Possession over 30 consecutive days for this purpose is prohibited. 
  • Hogs for the purpose of slaughter in an enclosure no larger than 500 square feet in size and constructed in a manner that prevents the escape of any wild hog.

Transporting Restrictions

No person may transport on public roads or off of the property of record where captured or relocate within the state any live feral hog, wild swine, or Russian Boar within the State of Mississippi.

Wild hogs may not be caught or trapped and released into the wild at a location different from the location where the wild hog was caught or trapped, or otherwise transported live in the State of Mississippi. Wild hogs only may be released alive from the property of origin for the purpose of slaughter into an enclosure on the property of origin no larger than 500 square feet in size and constructed in a manner that prevents the escape of any wild hog.

No person may import into the state or release into the wild, any live feral hog, wild swine or Russian Boar. A violation of this section, upon conviction, is punishable as a Class I violation.

Buying and Selling

Any part of any nuisance animal that has been lawfully taken, may be sold year-round, with the exception of wild hog meat. No meat or other part of a wild hog may be sold without having first been inspected and approved by the US Department of Agriculture and/or the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce pursuant to the laws, rules, and regulations of those entities.

The only nuisance animals that may be sold alive are coyotes and fox per 40 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Rule 8.1 (General Rules for Fox, Coyote and Rabbit Pens).

Feed and Bait
  • Feed may be used to take wild hogs. Any food or food products may be used year-round for the purpose of taking wild hogs with the following exceptions:
    • Grain or grain products may be placed directly on the ground if placed inside any legally designed live capture-type trapping device for the sole purpose of trapping wild hogs.
    • Use of feed and food products within any MDWFP defined CWD Management Zone is regulated and restricted. Trapping of wild hogs, within a MDWFP defined CWD Management Zone, with the aid of feed or food products requires an Animal Control Permit from MDWFP.

Trapping Regulations for Nuisance Species

  • Any live cage-type trap used to trap wild hogs must be tagged or labeled in plain view (written in waterproof ink or stamped) with the owner or users name, address, phone number and/or trapper license ID#.
  • All live cage-type traps must be checked every 36 hours. All non-targeted wild or domestic animals caught must be released immediately upon detection.
  • Wild hogs may not be caught or trapped and released into the wild at a location different from the location where the wild hog was caught or trapped, or otherwise transported live in the State of Mississippi. Wild hogs only may be released alive from the property of origin for the purpose of slaughter into an enclosure on the property of origin no larger than 500 square feet in size and constructed in a manner that prevents the escape of any wild hog.
  • A wild hog live-cage-type trap is described as a permanent or mobile containment system made of any type material capable of confining the mobility of a wild hog until otherwise removed. Approved traps are those that consist of a trap door, slide gate, or similar mechanism, suspended net traps, and suspended cage traps that fall to the ground. These traps must have at least 50% of the roof open to allow non-targeted deer, turkey, or bear the ability to escape.

Hunting Nuisance Animals on Private vs. Public Lands

  • Nuisance animals may be hunted, trapped, taken, killed, chased, or pursued on private lands.
  • Landowners and any leaseholders may hunt nuisance animals year-round at any time of day or night with no weapon/caliber restrictions on property titled in their name or otherwise owned, or leased by them.
  • Designated agents of the landowners / leaseholders may hunt nuisance animals year-round at any time of day or night with no weapon / caliber restrictions, provided they have written permission from the landowner or leaseholder in his or her possession, when hunting nuisance animals. Permission letters must be signed and dated by the landowner or leaseholder, shall include: the contact information of the landowner or leaseholder, the contact information of the permitted person, and a specific a date of expiration.
  • On public lands, the governmental entity charged with the management of said lands may or may not allow the taking of nuisance animals subject to applicable laws, rules, or regulations. It is the hunter’s responsibility to check with the entity managing the property before hunting nuisance animals on those lands.