DRAW HUNT RULES
General
regulations for draw hunts in area below Barnett Dam and within
Parcel Sections M&N Pelahatchie Bay
APPLICATION / DRAW INFORMATION:
* PRVWSD Special Hunt Permits are to be awarded by random
draw from properly submitted hunter applications. Applications for special hunt
permits will be accepted beginning Aug. 1 2021 and ending at midnight Aug. 15
2021. There is no fee to apply. Application forms can be downloaded online at
www.TheRez.Ms.Gov or picked up at the Reservoir’s Main Office on Madison
Landing Circle in Ridgeland and at the Permit and Payment Center at 100
Reservoir Park Road in Rankin County. Completed applications can be returned to
those same locations, by email to jstill@therez.ms
and by regular mail. If mailed, applications must be postmarked by midnight
Aug. 15, 2021 and sent to the following address.
PRVWSD Special Permit Draws
P. O. Box 2180
Ridgeland, MS 39158
* Hunters can apply for one special permit hunt in each of
the two areas: Spillway (below the dam) and Pelahatchie Bay. The hunting area
below Barnett Dam will contain two zones (Madison County and Rankin County,
divided by the river) and the hunting area within Parcels M&N at
Pelahatchie Bay will contain three zones (East, Central and West).
*Permit fees for the areas below Barnett Dam are $300.
Permit fees for areas within Sections M&N in Pelahatchie Bay are
$200. All hunts are six days, with the exception of the final hunt that
is seven days, and all hunts come with exclusivity for that period of time.
Permits are non-transferrable.
* Special Hunt Permits are limited to archery only, which
includes long bows, recurves, compound bows, and crossbows.
* Only Mississippi residents, with a hunting license or
exemption, aged 21 and over may apply for a special permit hunt. Each
successful applicant can bring one designated guest, and both hunters can hunt
and harvest deer. The guest must be at least age 12 and can be a non-resident
of Mississippi. The guest must also be properly licensed in Mississippi or
exempt. The permit holder must be present at each hunt.
* The 2021-22 Special Hunt Permit Season is Oct. 5, 2021
through Jan. 31, 2022, with 17 hunts in each zone. All hunts are six days,
starting on Tuesday and ending on the following Sunday, with a lone exception
of the final week, which that will be a seven-day hunt ending on Monday Jan. 31.
No other persons will be allowed in the zone during another hunter’s assigned
period. No hunting is allowed on Monday. Legal hunting hours are consistent
with state regulation with the exceptions noted above.
* Scouting within the Special Hunt Permit areas is
allowed daily prior to Oct. 4 2021. Between Oct. 5 and Jan. 31 scouting is only
allowed on Mondays. Only hunters drawn to participate in Special Permit
Hunt and their guests will be allowed within the permit hunting areas between Oct.
5 and Jan. 31, with the exception of fishing in the immediate spillway or river
area. The Mule-Jail Trail will also be closed during draw hunt period.
* The hunting area below Barnett Dam will be divided into
two zones, Rankin and Madison, with the Pearl River as centerline or dividing
boundary. Each hunter will be assigned a zone for the special hunt
permit. A total of 34 Special Hunt Permits will be issued for below dam
zones 2021-22 season.
* The hunting zones within parcels M&N in Pelahatchie
Bay will be divided into three zones — West, Central and East — and each hunter
will be assigned a zone for the special hunt permit. A total of 51
Special Hunt Permits will be issued for M&N zones for 2021-22 season. There
will be no boating access to the West and Central zones in 2021-22 season due
to closed water related to Giant Salvinia.
*All special permit hunt areas boundaries will be defined
by posted signage and markings on property. Maps of permit hunt area boundaries
are available online and at PRVWSD offices. Each zone is about 245-250 acres,
more or less.
* Upon receipt by PRVWSD office, each application will be
given a number in the order it is processed. The random drawing — on or about Aug.
20 —will be done electronically, matching numbers to a date and a zone for the
hunts. Preference will be given to date selected over zone unless
otherwise requested (see application). Application will include a ranking
notation on preferred dates for hunters permit and preferred zones. Calendar
slots and hunting areas will be filled according to the ranking provided by
hunter’s application when possible.
*At completion of the application period and drawing,
successful special permit hunters will be notified via email as provided on
application. Email notification of selection will include all payment
information, special permit hunt dates, and areas of winning permit hunt
selection. Selected hunters will have one week (Aug. 23) to acknowledge
the notification of selection and confirm their intent to hunt. Selected
special permit applicants who fail to meet the response deadline will be
replaced with substitute drawn from the original application pool. All special
hunt permits must be purchased by Aug. 30 2021. Any permits
unclaimed by Aug. 30 will be filled through another substitute drawn from the
original applicants.
Hunting Guidelines:
* Special Hunt Permits are limited to archery only, which
includes long bows, recurves, compound bows, and crossbows.
* Permit holders can bring one designated guest daily,
and both hunters can hunt and harvest deer. The guest must be at least age 12
and can be a non-resident of Mississippi. The guest must also be properly
licensed in Mississippi or exempt. The permit holder must be present at each
hunt.
* Each special hunt permit is valid for one legal buck
and two antlerless deer. Only bucks with EITHER a 15-inch minimum inside spread
OR an 18-inch minimum main beam length may be taken. ONLY ONE BUCK PER PERMIT.
* Special Permit Hunters must check in and check out
prior to hunting each day by phoning the control tower at 601-992-9703.
Hunters must also complete a daily hunting report each day and submit to drop
box located at the Reservoir Maintenance Building off Spillway Road. A
list of special permit hunters for each weekend hunt will be provided to the
Control Tower.
* Parking is allowed in designated areas only. Hunters
will receive the approved designated parking areas for Special Permit Hunts
with the permit.
* No motorized vehicles are allowed on unpaved reservoir
property before or during the hunt. However, a successful hunter with a downed
deer ALREADY LOCATED can call Reservoir Patrol at (601-992-9894), report the
kill and if needed, receive approval to use an ATV to retrieve the animal.
* Climbing stands, ladder stands and lock-on stands are
permitted, but stands that require spikes or nails into trees are prohibited
within the PRVWSD.
* All hunters climbing must use fall restraint harness
systems approved by Treestand Manufacturers Association, and successfully
complete the TMA-approved online safety course. Hunter must provide with
application certification completion of TMA-approved course to receive permit.
* Scouting within the Special Hunt Permit areas is
allowed daily prior to Oct. 4. Between Oct. 5 and Jan. 31 scouting
is allowed on Mondays only. Only hunters drawn to participate in Special Permit
Hunt and their guests will be allowed within the permit hunting areas between Oct.
4, 2021 and Jan. 31, 2022.
*All special permit hunt areas boundaries will be defined
by posted signage and markings on property. Maps of permit hunt area
boundaries will be made available online and at PRVWSD offices.
* The hunting area below Barnett Dam will be divided into
two zones, with the Pearl River as centerline or dividing boundary. Each hunter
will be assigned a zone for the special hunt permit.
* The hunting zones within parcels M&N in Pelahatchie
Bay will be divided into three zones, and each hunter will be assigned a zone
for the special hunt permit. The hunter must stay within his or her designated
zone during legal hours. Only after legal hours can a deer be recovered from
another hunter’s zone; however, a deer down within a hunter’s designated zone
may be recovered at any time.
* All deer harvested must be weighed and have jawbone
extracted (bucks to be mounted can have the jaw bone extracted by the
taxidermist BUT must be returned to reservoir within 10 days of kill) for age
determination purposes. The hunter must also fill out the provided harvest form
to be attached to the jawbone, providing the area in which animal was killed
and other information required on the harvest form provided by Mississippi
Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks for management and evaluation
purposes. A drop box for the jawbones will be located at the weigh station at
the Reservoir Maintenance building off Spillway Road.
If you're not sure that your email was sent or that you mailed the application in, please contact Joel Still at 601-605-6894 or jstill@therez.ms to confirm that it has been received. Please print your completed application and fax, email, mail or deliver to:
Email: drawhunt@therez.ms
FAX: 601 856-2585
MAIL TO: P O Box 2180
Ridgeland, MS 39158
DELIVER TO: 115 Madison Landing Cir
Ridgeland, MS 39157