MS SB2436

Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks must establish a black bear hunting season beginning with the 2027-2028 season, with harvest tag numbers determined by population data

Hunters must obtain both a Mississippi hunting license and a black bear harvest tag through a lottery system with a reasonable application fee

One "Governor's Tag" per season is reserved for auction by the Governor to raise funds for black bear conservation, and the department is prohibited from donating or designating tags to any other nonprofit or for-profit entities

Nonresidents become eligible for harvest tags beginning with the 2032-2033 season, limited to no more than 10% of total tags issued annually

Violations constitute a Class I offense under Section 49-7-141, with the act taking effect July 1, 2026