Peak rut dates in Mississippi.
Mississippi's rut runs late by southern standards — peak breeding lands anywhere from mid-December to mid-January depending on the zone.
Rut phases by zone
Peak Breeding column is highlighted — that’s when most does are in estrus.
| Zone | Pre-rut | Peak Breeding | Post-rut | Late Rut |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta | Nov 25 – Dec 7 | Dec 8 – Dec 20 | Dec 21 – Jan 2 | Jan 7 – Jan 19 |
| Hill Country | Dec 18 – Dec 30 | Dec 31 – Jan 12 | Jan 13 – Jan 25 | Jan 30 – Feb 11 |
| Southeast Mississippi | Jan 1 – Jan 13 | Jan 14 – Jan 26 | Jan 27 – Feb 8 | Feb 13 – Feb 25 |
Delta
Hill Country
Southeast Mississippi
What drives the rut here
Mississippi's rut is among the latest in the Southeast, with significant zone-to-zone variation. The Delta clusters in December, the Hill Country in late December to mid-January, and the southeast in mid-to-late January. The state's MDWFP has published peak-conception maps that show the clear south-to-north and east-to-west gradients driven by historical restoration genetics.
Data sourced from MDWFP's published peak-breeding maps and the agency's fetal-rate analyses of harvested does.
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & ParksAlways verify with the official agency before basing planning decisions on this page. Peak windows shift year to year.
Get rut intel for your specific land.
State-wide windows are a starting point. Bield: Hunt logs every sit, observation, and condition on your property — and turns three seasons of your data into patterns no generic calendar can match.