JACKSON — Applications for the Pelahatchie Bay alligator hunting season will open Monday, Feb. 2, and close Friday, Feb. 13, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks announced.
Applications will be entered into a random drawing to determine permit holders for the season. Unlike the regular alligator hunting season, the Pelahatchie Bay hunt requires two applicants per permit. Both applicants must complete the application and, if selected, must hunt together as part of the same hunting party, MDWFP said.
The special season is scheduled during the alligator breeding period and before aquatic vegetation emerges that can restrict boating access. The timing is intended to increase hunting success for adult breeding female alligators and help reduce breeding populations in Pelahatchie Bay, according to MDWFP.
There will be two hunting periods: noon May 1 through noon May 4, 2026, and noon May 8 through noon May 11, 2026. Each period will allow 12 permit holders organized into six hunting parties.
To be eligible, applicants must be Mississippi residents and at least 16 years old at the time of application. Nonresidents who hold a Mississippi Lifetime License are also eligible.
Each permit holder may harvest up to two alligators measuring more than 6 feet in length. Portions of the bay near residential areas will be designated as no-hunting zones. Additional restrictions apply, and harvest reporting is required.
The permit fee is $100. All participants in a hunting party must also possess an alligator hunting license, which costs $25, and a combination-type hunting license.
