- Outdoor columnist Ben Smith says the stamp will only work if the majority of hunters do the right things.
I know we’ve been down this road before, but I feel the need to revisit, and rejoice, over one of our latest pieces of outdoor legislation to pass through the House, Senate, and Governor’s desk.
On the first day of spring, Governor Reeves signed the Wild Turkey Stamp, Senate Bill 2280, into law just a year after it died on the Senate floor. So, what does that mean for prospective turkey hunters in the State of Mississippi?
Beginning in 2026, resident and non-resident hunters will be required to purchase a turkey stamp from the MDWFP and will be required to report any turkey killed. The cost of the stamp for residents will be $10 and $100 for non-residents. Any hunter over the age of 16 will be required to have a stamp to hunt turkeys in Mississippi.
My position on the stamp has remained unchanged since the very first conversation – I’m 100% in favor of it. See, I’m naïve and believe that Mississippians will do the right thing by the stamp. And when that happens, I believe we can start to see a real difference in our turkey population. And even better news, this is a 3-to-1 match from the federal government meaning for every dollar raised by the stamp the government will pitch in three more. The money that is raised will be put into a fund for the MDWFP to go directly toward conservation and habitat improvement on government and private lands.
Now, with that being said, I’m not naïve enough to believe that the government will actually spend that money exactly as they should. If the new DOGE program has taught us anything at all, it’s showed us just how poorly the government wastes money. However, my hope is that this will jump start some long overdue improvements toward bringing back the turkey numbers that we saw thirty and forty years ago. And for those that are still skeptical about throwing money at the wild turkey, I’ll give a quick rundown on what we are up against.
Urban expansion, deforestation, and changes in land use have absolutely reduced the amount of suitable habitat for wild turkeys. As open spaces shrink, turkeys face increased pressure from predation and reduced nesting success. That can also lead down the rabbit hole of calling for more trappers, something the turkey stamp doesn’t do. Obviously, fewer trappers have resulted in an increase of nest predators (i.e. raccoons, coyotes, foxes). With the combination of more predators and shrinking habitat, there’s no wonder why the turkey population has taken a hit. Even though the stamp won’t fix the number of predators, if the funds are used correctly, we can improve the amount of habitat the birds have to nest.
Another thing I’m hopeful for, and this one is going to sound bad, is reduced hunting pressure. While I appreciate the rest of America seeing Mississippi as a great state to hunt turkeys, maybe some of these folks will be deterred by a $100 stamp fee on top of purchasing the non-resident license. The kicker will need to be Mississippians doing right by the stamp and only killing their allotted limit of birds. If turkey hunters are truly to be called conservationists, they’ve got to understand that overharvesting turkeys is a bad thing. Is it really worth wiping out a species and leaving nothing for future generations to get your thrills?
Another problem in the plight of the wild turkey are advancements in technology. And you guys know how much I love technology and hunting! I’m hearing more and more stories about hunters using electronic calls, which to me, seems like it would defeat the purpose altogether. By my own admission, I’m not much of a turkey hunter, but I’m absolutely a competitor. If I can’t call up a bird without the use of technology, then what’s the point? I thought turkey hunting was supposed to be about the art of calling a bird to you. Toss in cellular cameras and drones and…well, you get the point.
So, what’s next for turkey hunters in Mississippi? This is where we have to hold our MDWFP and Wildlife Commission leaders’ feet to the fire. This stamp could be a great tool toward bringing back a sustainable huntable turkey population in our state. We have to make sure that this money doesn’t end up in the pockets of some politician. We have to make sure this money doesn’t go toward solely improving some good ol’ boys hunting club. One of the ways to do that, is for us to do right by the turkey. We can’t not buy the stamp and go hunting anyway then gripe about the decline of turkey populations. We can’t go out and kill seven birds in a season then cry about not having any turkeys. And we dang sure can’t follow, or pursue, a bird on lands that we aren’t supposed to be on (fence hopping).
This stamp will only work if the majority of hunters do the right things. Are you up for the task, Mississippi?
Ben Smith
