Special to the Democrat

JACKSON — The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks has made some changes to its waterfowl draw hunt system for the 2011-12 season on several Wildlife Management Areas across the state.

“Since waterfowl draw hunts began in 2002, we have noticed a trend that hunters who were drawn prior to the season were not showing up to fill their hunting permit. As a result, some aspects of the draw system were changed to increase the number of drawn hunters and to increase the number of reservation holders that participate in their permitted hunt,” said Ed Penny, Wildlife Bureau Director for MDWFP.

The following changes will be implemented during the 2011-12 waterfowl hunting season:’

– Applications for waterfowl draw hunts are only available online at xnetsecure.mdwfp.com/drawings/Public/wmaDrawings.aspx.

– Each WMA with waterfowl draw hunts will have five separate draw periods throughout the hunting season.

The first draw period, which covers the first two weeks of the season, will be open from October 1 to November 6.

There will be approximately two weeks from the closing date of an application period until the first hunt day included in that period.

– There is a $5 non-refundable application fee for each draw period; only the person listed on the draw application will be charged the fee.

– Hunters are no longer limited to applying to only three WMAs.

– All permitted hunts will be for one day.

– Stand-by hunting opportunities will still be available on WMAs that have allowed them in the past. Hunters choosing to show up on stand-by will not be charged the application fee.

For more details on WMA waterfowl draw hunt changes, visit us online at home.mdwfp.com/waterfowl or call 601-432-2199.