With Mississippis deer season approaching, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks (MDWFP) is urging hunters to review the states Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Management Zones and the specific rules that apply within them. The agencys reminder is straightforward: know where youre hunting, follow the zone-based restrictions, and complete the required harvest reporting and CWD sampling so managers can track and contain the disease within the states deer herd. MDWFP identifies three CWD Management Zones for the season. The North Mississippi Management Zone includes all of Alcorn, Benton, Desoto, Lafayette, Marshall, Panola, Prentiss, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, and Union counties, along with portions of Coahoma, Quitman, and Tunica counties. The Issaquena Management Zone covers portions of Issaquena County and all of Warren and Claiborne counties. The Harrison Management Zone encompasses portions of Harrison and Hancock counties. Hunters planning trips within or across these areas should verify their exact location using the official zone maps before transporting any part of a harvested deer, especially if travel could take carcasses across county or zone lines. Zone rules focus on limiting movement of potentially infectious materials and improving disease surveillance. MDWFPs guidance specifies that carcasses may not be transported outside of any CWD Management Zone. The agency also prohibits supplemental feeding in all zones to reduce unnatural congregation of deer, which can increase disease transmission risk. In addition, hunters are required to report their harvests and submit CWD samples according to MDWFP procedures. Together, these steps help biologists monitor prevalence, map distribution, and adjust management strategies as needed to keep opportunities open while protecting the resource. For hunters, the practical checklist starts before opening day. Confirm the zone where you intend to hunt; review transport rules so you dont inadvertently move restricted carcass parts; and identify where and how to submit samples. MDWFP directs hunters to consult the current CWD Management Zone maps and the Hunting Season CWD Guide for detailed instructions, including sampling locations, packaging guidance, and reporting steps. Taking a few minutes to review the maps and procedures can prevent citations and help maintain the integrity of surveillance data the agency relies on for season-setting and long-term herd health decisions. The reminder is also about timing. As activity ramps up with the start of archery and subsequent firearms seasons, more deer are harvested and more carcasses move around the state. Thats when vigilance matters most. Hunters who familiarize themselves with zone boundaries and comply with transport and feeding restrictions reduce the risk of spreading disease to new areas. Submitting samples strengthens the data picture for managers, which, in turn, supports decisions that maintain hunting access while prioritizing herd health. A few common scenarios deserve special attention. If you hunt multiple properties in different counties, verify whether both locations fall inside the same management zone; if not, plan to process deer in compliance with the zone rules before crossing a boundary. If youre hunting near a zone edge, mark the boundary on your map app and plan travel routes that keep carcasses within the applicable zone until processing and sampling steps are completed. Outfitters and hunt clubs should brief guests on these requirements before the hunt to avoid accidental violations and to ensure harvested deer are sampled promptly. Finally, build compliance into your routine. Keep a copy of the current zone map and MDWFP sampling instructions with your license, review the reporting steps before the first sit, and designate a drop-off location ahead of time. When everyone in camp knows the rules, hunts run smoother, processing is quicker, and the data MDWFP depends on arrives more reliably and on time.