Apply for alligator season permits

The 2019 alligator hunting season will take place Aug. 30-Sept. 9. Even though the season is four months away, now is the time to prepare for the application process. Applicants must be a resident of Mississippi, 16 years of age, and must have a prerequisite license during the time of application.

Applications will be available starting at 10 a.m. May 31 through 10 a.m. June 7. A processing fee of $2.34 is required.

You may only apply for one zone of your choice out of seven available alligator hunting zones across the state. There are 960 total permits available. The first drawing will occur June 12 and a second drawing will occur on June 24.

Mayfly hatches make for great fly fishing

Early summer marks the time of the year where mayflies begin to emerge from the water in Mississippi. While the hatch can be a nuisance for some, it also can be a great opportunity for fly-fishing.

Mayflies live the majority of their lives under water, for several months or years depending on the species, before emerging as winged adults. Adults only live for a day, but just long enough to mate and lay eggs. Wherever concentrations of mayflies are near water, you will likely to find concentrations of hungry fish waiting for mayflies to inevitably fall onto the water’s surface. Anglers fishing a good hatch can usually catch bream after bream with ease due to the feeding frenzy.

–Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks