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PRESS RELEASEEFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

28 May 2013

The Board of Directors of the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District is

expected to consider updated hunting regulations for Barnett Reservoir at its

June 20 meeting.

Reservoir General Manager John Sigman said the comprehensive revision

is a product of discussions with staff members and biologists and conservation

officers from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, and

a meeting with an upriver user group committee.

We felt it was time to bring our rules and regulations up to date, as well as

making them easier for the public to understand, Sigman said. They wereoutdated to a degree, and so confusing that our own staff had different

interpretations of some regulations.

If the Board passes any or all of the proposals in June, the changes would

be in effect for the Oct. 1 opening of archery season for deer.

One significant change would affect what weapons can be used to hunt

deer on the nearly 10,800 acres open to public hunting.

Instead of the states primitive weapon definition, which allows some

centerfire rifles, our proposal is limited to true muzzle-loading guns using

black powder or black powder substitutes, Sigman said. We arent

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comfortable with high-power rifles being used that close to the river wherepeople are boating and fishing.

The wildlife agency officials suggested we allow shotguns with slugs, and

we agreed. However, hunters will not be able to use buckshot. That was the

consensus of everyone involved in the discussions.

Another change would affect waterfowl hunting. While small game hunters

are restricted to using shotguns only with a shot size no larger than No. 4,

waterfowl hunters will be able to use any size non-toxic shot.

No centerfire or rimfire (.22 included) rifles are currently allowed on

reservoir property and will remain unlawful under the proposed changes.

Other sections of the regulations clarify the use of ATV vehicles, tree

standsincluding mandatory use of fall arrest systems and areas that are

open and closed to hunting.

Sigman said language is included that could open the door to hunting for

the first time on the 400 acres the reservoir controls below the dam on both the

Rankin and Madison county sides, as well as two large parcels of land on the

north shore of Pelahatchie Bay.

Since the tracts are small, it would be limited to archery only and likely

would require some kind of limited permit system, Sigman said. What kind

of permit system, such as a weekly draw or season permit, has not beendetermined. Those details would have to be worked out over the summer.

The proposed regulations are posted on the Barnett Reservoir website at therez.ms.

Comments are invited but must be received no later than June 14. Please contact

Cindy Ford atCford@therez.mswith your comments.

mailto:Cford@therez.msmailto:Cford@therez.msmailto:Cford@therez.msmailto:Cford@therez.ms