Mississippi advice

**thms85** · 11-21-2019, 08:50 AM

We are gonna load up the camper and head to Mississippi the weekend before Christmas to try and find some ducks. Looking to hunt public walkins only. We will be bringing a four wheeler. Does anyone have any advice on which wmas or nwrs we should look at when we get there? There seems to be a lot of public land concentrated in the north western part of the state. Can anyone recommend a decent campground that is centralized to the area? I'm not looking for GPS coordinates or your honey hole. Only driven thru Mississippi on the way to Arkansas and Louisiana. Any help will be appreciated.

**Buckin Bronco** · 11-21-2019, 09:01 AM

You are quite literally asking for someone’s honey hole by asking which WMAs to go to. Anyway be sure to check out the casinos while you’re out there.

**trkykilr** · 11-21-2019, 09:36 AM

This isn’t gonna go well.

My advice: you are traveling to pinpoint a bird that will fly 500 miles overnight because he feels like it. Be flexible and learn how to find birds. And, don’t ever go somewhere to hunt something on water without a boat. Boats are made for water.

**BOGSTER** · 11-21-2019, 09:43 AM

Yeah you’re not gonna do well in that state without a boat.

And Bronco just threw you a decent bone if you can pick it up.

**PharmHunter** · 11-21-2019, 09:44 AM

My advice is to take a boat, like trkykilr said. Enjoy the process and the hunt to find birds.

**thms85** · 11-21-2019, 09:44 AM

Right saying look at wma so and so which is thousands of acres is the same as giving a honey hole. What a dumbass thing for me to ask.

**thms85** · 11-21-2019, 09:45 AM

It's tough to pull a camper and a boat.

**baydog** · 11-21-2019, 09:45 AM

i know that some wmas in Mississippi are walk in only/no motorized atvs/boats. make sure to look a the regs prior to. I have watched plenty of birds pour in, but you would damn near kill yourself to get in and get set up

**thms85** · 11-21-2019, 09:46 AM

Did y'all know I heard the have some wild pigs at crackerneck. I think there might even be a deer or two there.

**PharmHunter** · 11-21-2019, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by thms85

Right saying look at wma so and so which is thousands of acres is the same as giving a honey hole. What a dumbass thing for me to ask.

Yes it is on a public internet forum.

**thms85** · 11-21-2019, 09:48 AM

Thanks for the advice. I have been reading up on the regs and if we can't take the four wheeler to a particular wma it will be chained to the camper.

**PharmHunter** · 11-21-2019, 09:50 AM

Enjoy the trip. It will be fun to do with friends regardless of the outcome duck-wise. Be prepared if you hit it wrong to go to a completely different part of the state or even go to another state. They're ducks.

**thms85** · 11-21-2019, 09:56 AM

I feel like this benefit of not hiring a guide. If we get there and the ducks aren't there we aren't tied to that area. We can keep driving into Louisiana or up to Tennessee. Arkansas is out because nonresidents can't hunt wma's during that part of the season.

**Woodiewacker82** · 11-21-2019, 10:10 AM

Forget Mississippi I would be headed to south China.

**dubs** · 11-21-2019, 11:10 AM

I'll caution again on the ATV, especially on any National Wildlife Refuges. Worked at a few in Arkansas for a summer in college and at least on the NWR's I worked, there really isn't anywhere you can legally take one. There are many places you can drive your vehicle (as long as there is not a sign saying not to) but not take an ATV....

There won't be signs either saying no ATV's, it is a general regulation that is printed in each particular NWR's regulation book.

Of course that makes perfect sense being that its the federal government you're dealing with...

Also, I'll add that google earth is a great starting place when it comes to figuring out areas to scout. Match up Refuge or WMA boundaries on a winter aerial on Google Earth and go from there.

**nitro5x6's** · 11-21-2019, 11:27 AM

I'd be headed West as close to the freeze line as possible. That isn't MS in Dec.

KS or Oklahoma- near a river . MS is a January destination - and a poor one at that.

**JABIII** · 11-21-2019, 11:33 AM

No kidding. Who the hell would leave SC to go to Mississippi or Arkansas as long as there is still a Missouri?

**dubs** · 11-21-2019, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by nitro5x6's

I'd be headed West as close to the freeze line as possible. That isn't MS in Dec.

KS or Oklahoma- near a river . MS is a January destination - and a poor one at that.

Originally Posted by JABIII

No kidding. Who the hell would leave SC to go to Mississippi or Arkansas as long as there is still a Missouri?

Agreed. Some of my favorite hunting memories are from out west with my brother. As soon as exams were done while we were in college, we hopped in the truck, towed the boat and rode. We slap killed the hell out of them. On our favorite trip, we were about 8 miles south of the freeze line for the entire central flyway. It was COLD. 4 degrees. But the ducks filled the sky when they were done feeding and were looking for a place to relax. We spent the better part of a week shooting one drake mallard at a time. Wanted to make it last! That time has passed now, with babies, youngins and work. But we are already talking about getting the kids out there when they are old enough.

So yea, I'll add to the OP, if you can handle 18+ hours of driving and a lot of scouting, go north and west.