MiSsIssIpPI People?

Don't live there but I've spent an awful lot of time there and done a little hunting.

Yes you can use a rifle.
In fact, in their "muzzleloading" season you can use a single shot cartridge gun or .35 caliber or larger. So you can get a single shot in .35 Whelen or .45-70 and use it for both. Their gun season isn't very long but they get a long muzzleloading season where you can use the above mentioned single shots.

I believe you will like it here. Lots of public land and there's hunting clubs all over the place to join if you want too. I don't know much about Jackson only been there once, my older brother lived there for a year or two and joined pretty good club I believe. I can ask him about it if you want. And MS primitive weapon season now means u can use any single shot break action rifle with exposed hammer in. 35 caliber and up. I know us Mississippians are looked down on some cause according to stats we are fat and poor. They never mention we are one of the most generous states and look out for our own. It will be easy to make friends at your new job and that opens up lots of places to hunt whether private clubs or public land. Jackson maybe different from where I am though. I'm in the northeast corner of the state and it's very rural country up here and tons of game to hunt. Good luck and welcome to Mississippi!

Yep, rifles are good to go.

copied from MS Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries

Primitive Weapons
"Primitive firearms" for the purpose of hunting deer, are defined as single or double barreled muzzle-loading rifles of at least .38 caliber; single shot, breech loading, cartridge rifles (.35 caliber or larger) and replicas, reproductions or reintroductions of those type rifles; and single or double-barreled muzzle-loading, shotguns with single ball or slug. All muzzle-loading Primitive Firearms must use black powder or a black powder substitute with either percussion caps or #209 shotgun primers or flintlock ignition. Breech loading single shot rifles must have exposed hammers and use metallic cartridges. Cartridges may be loaded either with black powder or modern smokeless powder. Scopes of any magnification are allowed on primitive weapons.



Here is the website you can find more info.

http://www.mdwfp.com/

Tex,

If you blended with the Arkies you should fit in well in Mississippi. The only diffence that I have seen is the food. Don't see boiled peanuts much Arkansas.

You should not have many problems finding somewhere to hunt in that area. Please do be careful though as Jackson has a very high crime rate so do not have anything that might attract attention from the bad guys (they will break into your car and steal anything of value).

I would take this first year to hunt public land and any private that you can get access to, then look for a good club for next year. The hunting seasons there are a little screwy but you can use a single shot for most of it. Above all else enjoy the area and take some time to explore the state. I think you will find something to like about it.
(I was born and raised in MS, and only left the area for a job in south GA.)

Jackson does have a high crime rate last I checked. When my brother lived their they had a guy go through their mail box, then they were watching tv and saw a man looking in the window on them. I'm sure the town has it good/ bad places just like any other large city.

Welcome to Mississippi, neighbor!

Yes, you can use most any kind of rifle for most any kind of hunting, except migratory birds and turkey, with some exceptions on managed lands.

Yes, you can hunt deer with a .22 and squirrels with a .30-06 if you want to. Please don't go shooting .30 bullets up in the air though.

Also, New for the upcoming 2014 - 2015 deer hunting season are changes in "legal weapons" regulations for private lands in Mississippi. During any open season on deer with primitive weapons after November 30, deer hunters may use any legal weapon of choice on PRIVATE lands.

http://www.mdwfp.com/

I agree you really don't want to live IN Jackson, but there are a lot of adjacent cities and suburbs that are good.

You will have lots of hunting opportunities in MS. Deer season stretches from October 1st to January 31st when you include all weapon types.

Lots of public land, great fishing (both fresh and saltwater). Deer, duck, squirrel, and turkey are going to be your biggest opportunities. You could also put in for a gator tag.

Just know that public land can get crowded depending on where you are. The Corps of Engineers land around Oxford MS could get downright dangerous back when I hunted it. The guys I know that hunted further south didn't seem to have as many problems...but ask around.