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S. B. No. 2655 *SS08/R809* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
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To: Wildlife, Fisheries and
Parks
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) Whaley
SENATE BILL NO. 2655
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 49-7-33.1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO AUTHORIZE THE TAKING OF DEER WITH THE USE OF SUPPLEMENTAL FEED 2
WHEN EXCLUSIVELY USING AS SUPPLEMENTAL FEED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS 3
NATURALLY GROWN IN THE STATE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE PRIVATE 4
LAND ON WHICH SUCH SUPPLEMENTAL FEED IS USED LIES WITHIN A CHRONIC 5
WASTING DISEASE MANAGEMENT ZONE; TO AMEND SECTION 49-7-58.2, 6
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 8
SECTION 1. Section 49-7-33.1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 9
amended as follows: 10
49-7-33.1. (1) (a) The Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries 11
and Parks shall allow the taking of deer with the use of 12
supplemental feed and may place any reasonable conditions or 13
restrictions on such taking. 14
(b) The Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks 15
shall establish a zone or zones of contiguous counties for the 16
management and implementation of a program to allow the taking of 17
deer with the use of supplemental feed. 18
(c) (i) The commission shall allow the taking of deer 19
with the use of supplemental feed on private lands only. 20
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(ii) The taking of deer with the use of 21
supplemental feed when exclusively using as supplemental feed 22
agricultural products naturally grown in the state, including, but 23
not limited to, alfalfa, corn or soybeans, shall be allowed 24
regardless of whether the private land on which such supplemental 25
feed is used lies within a chronic wasting disease (CWD) 26
Management Zone. 27
(2) Except as provided in subsection (1)(c)(ii) of this 28
section, the commission shall take any action it deems necessary 29
and use its emergency powers to prevent the introduction of 30
disease, to control disease, to eradicate disease, and to manage 31
the taking of deer with the use of supplemental feed. 32
(3) (a) The Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks 33
shall study and analyze all relevant data and issues with regard 34
to the taking of deer with the supplemental feed program, 35
including, but not limited to, the impact that the program has 36
upon the health and density of deer populations and other 37
wildlife, its effect on surrounding habitat, the effectiveness of 38
wildlife law enforcement, the extent to which hunters who 39
participate in the program are successful in harvesting deer and 40
are supportive of the program, the perception of the program by 41
the general public, and the extent to which the program has a 42
favorable impact on economic development and tourism. 43
(b) The department shall file annual progress reports 44
with the Legislature. The department shall file a final report 45
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with recommendations on the feasibility of continuing the taking 46
of deer with the use of supplemental feed. 47
(4) A violation of this section or any regulation of the 48
commission promulgated under this section shall be punishable as a 49
Class II violation as defined in Section 49-7-143, and if the 50
violator is a nonresident, then upon conviction, he or she shall 51
lose the opportunity to obtain a nonresident license as defined in 52
Section 49-7-8. 53
SECTION 2. Section 49-7-58.2, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 54
amended as follows: 55
49-7-58.2. (1) The Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and 56
Parks shall develop and implement a program for inspecting, 57
monitoring, testing and preventing chronic wasting disease, 58
provided, however, that no program for preventing chronic wasting 59
disease shall prohibit supplemental feeding on private lands with 60
agricultural products naturally grown in this state as provided in 61
Section 49-7-33.1(c)(ii). The Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries 62
and Parks shall promulgate rules and regulations to effect the 63
sampling of deer harvested, or dying from, nonhunting related 64
causes, within an enclosure. If chronic wasting disease is 65
diagnosed in white-tailed deer within an enclosure, the department 66
is authorized to use methods authorized by the commission and 67
enter the enclosure to determine a solution for containing the 68
disease within the enclosure. If chronic wasting disease is 69
diagnosed within five (5) miles of the enclosure, the department 70
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ST: Supplemental feeding of deer; allow on
private lands using certain products regardless
of CWD Management Zone.
is authorized to enter the enclosure and utilize the best 71
collection methods available to obtain tissue samples. If chronic 72
wasting disease is detected within an enclosure, the commission 73
shall not declare surrounding or adjoining properties within a 74
five (5) mile radius of the enclosure a CWD Management Zone, until 75
chronic wasting disease is positively detected within such radius 76
on these surrounding or adjoining properties. 77
(2) If a live test for chronic wasting disease is developed, 78
the department is authorized to conduct such tests on white-tailed 79
deer within any enclosure. 80
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 81
and after July 1, 2026. 82