Hunters may soon be required to purchase a turkey stamp before killing the wild birds in Mississippi.
House Bill 553, authored by Byhalia Republican Rep. Bill Kinkade, cruised through its originating chamber and has been referred to a pair of Senate committees for consideration. Meanwhile, Senate Bill 2280, authored by Bruce Republican Sen. Ben Suber, breezed through its chamber and is being assessed in the House Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Committee.
Both pieces of legislation establish a wild turkey stamp program, mandating hunters 16 and older to purchase a specific permit to hunt turkeys in the state in addition to other necessary hunting licenses.
The Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks would be tasked with launching the wild turkey stamp and its electronic equivalent. For Mississippi residents, the turkey stamp would cost $10. The cost goes up to $100 for non-residents looking to hunt the feathered game in the Magnolia State.
All revenue from the sale of stamps would be earmarked for conservation projects strictly seeking to restore, maintain, or preserve wild turkey habitats. These projects must first be approved by the state’s wildlife commission.
“The money raised by that turkey stamp is designated to be used solely for turkey conservation within the state,” Frank Dantone with Mississippi’s chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation said on SuperTalk Outdoors with Ricky Mathews.
“A lot of our current turkey revenue and turkey funds go into public [wildlife management areas], but this turkey stamp is going to benefit both private and public properties. It’s a no-lose proposition.”
Those hunting without a turkey stamp would be cited for a misdemeanor and subject to various fines. However, if proof that a stamp was purchased prior to the hunt, fines and punishments will be waived. Exceptions would also be in place for disabled hunters or those in possession of a lifetime sportsmen’s license, meaning individuals meeting that criteria would not be required to purchase a turkey stamp.
If both legislative chambers come to an agreement on a turkey stamp bill and Republican Gov. Tate Reeves allows it to become law, it would go into effect this summer. Currently, 16 other states have turkey stamp programs.
