A senate bill which would create the Wild Turkey Stamp passed out of the Mississippi House Committee for Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks as sufficient to pass with an amendment Tuesday. The bill had already been passed by the senate and moves one step closer to becoming law. A nearly identical house bill sits in the senate. 

Senate Bill 2652 would require any turkey hunter 16 years or older to purchase a turkey stamp similar to the Mississippi duck stamp. Money raised from the purchase of Mississippi’s turkey stamp would fund habitat improvement projects and research on wild turkeys. The bill has been amended to where residents would not pay anything for the turkey stamp while non-residents would pay $200.

House Bill 1298 would also create the Wild Turkey Stamp and is currently in the senate committee.

Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Executive Director Lynn Posey said the turkey stamp bill was one of the more important pieces of legislation they hoped to get passed this year. MDWFP Commissioners voiced support of the turkey stamp last May.