Where You Can and Can’t Feed Deer

Mississippi

Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks https://www.mdwfp.com/

It appears to be legal to use deer feed in Mississippi.

Regulation:

Title 40: Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks

Part 2: Wildlife

Part 2, Chapter 2: White-tailed Deer

RULE 2.4 SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING OF WILD ANIMALS OUTSIDE OF WILDLIFE ENCLOSURES.

1. To properly manage wildlife in Mississippi, MDWFP Biologists recommend a complete wildlife management program which includes:
2. Habitat management practices to improve overall habitat conditions;
3. Supplemental plantings that provide year-round forage;
4. Education of hunters and land managers;
5. Deer herd management to balance sex ratio, age structure, and population numbers within available habitat; and
6. Not allowing feeding to replace a complete wildlife management program.
7. It shall be unlawful to feed any wild animals except as provided in this rule.
8. Supplemental Feeding of Wild Animals: It shall be lawful to feed wild animals, year round, on private lands subject to the following restrictions:
9. Feed may only be provided from above ground covered feeders or stationary spin cast feeders.
10. Any type of feed or food product may be used in feeders:
11. Feeders may be placed no closer than 100 yards from the outermost boundary of an area of sole ownership or exclusive hunting rights.
12. Feed may not be poured, piled, or placed directly on the ground.
13. Salt/mineral stations, blocks, and/or licks may be established. These stations, blocks, and/or licks may not contain any corn or grain products.
14. From February 15 – September 30, milo, grain sorghum, and/or wheat may be evenly broadcast at a rate not to exceed 50 pounds per acre.
15. Feeding of migratory birds is regulated pursuant to Federal regulations set forth at 50 CFR 20.11 and 20.21(i).
16. Supplemental Feeding During Any Hunting Season: From the opening day of deer archery season to the close of the spring turkey season, hunters must be no less than 100 yards away from any feed, or a feeder which contains feed.
17. This Regulation Does Not Apply To:
18. Food plots, standing crops, grain crops properly shucked on the field where grown, or grains found scattered solely as the result of normal agricultural planting or harvesting.
19. Lands where shelled, shucked, or unshucked corn, wheat or other grain, salt, or other feed has been distributed or scattered as the result of bona fide agricultural operations or procedures, or as a result of manipulation of a crop or other feed on the land where grown for wildlife management purposes. Manipulation of crops or other feed for wildlife management purposes does not include the adding, distributing, or scattering of grain or other feed (i.e., sweet potatoes, turnips, etc.) once it has been removed from or stored on the field where grown.
20. Licensed trappers trapping furbearers or nuisance animals with the aid of lure as provided by Miss. Code Ann. §49-7-33 and 40 Admin Code Part 2, Chapter 7, Rule 7.1 (Nuisance Animal Regulations).
21. Persons lawfully permitted to hunt or trap game animals, furbearers, nuisance animals, or game birds by an Animal Control Permit set forth in MISS. CODE ANN. §49-1-39 as issued by the MDWFP.
22. “Backyard” bird/squirrel feeders, placed within the curtilage of the home, are exempt from the provisions of this rule. 6. Feeders within wildlife enclosures.