Deer feed in Mississippi.
Mississippi feeds like Alabama's twin — a late, drawn-out rut that drags peak energy demand into the coldest weeks of winter. But it isn't one date. Breeding runs on a northwest-to-southeast gradient: the Delta goes first in early December, the southeast corner not until February. Find where your ground sits on that slope, and feed to it.
Mississippi's rut runs late, on a gradient
Most of whitetail country breeds in mid-November. Mississippi runs weeks to months later, and it does it on a slope. The Delta and the northwest corner breed earliest — around early December, with the chase kicking off in late November. From there the dates get later heading southeast: the Hill Country falls in the middle, and the southeastern corner is latest of all, breeding into early February. That's roughly an eight-week spread across one state.
The consequence is the same one Alabama hunters know: bucks hit their hardest energy burn in the coldest, barest weeks of the year, and they come out of it with green-up still a month or more away. A high-fat feed through the rut and after it bridges that gap, so the buck that survived the season starts antler growth from a full tank instead of a deficit.
The Mississippi calendar, short version
- October–February: high-fat feed and attraction. Early season, the pre-rut, the December–January peak, and recovery — which runs deep into February in the southeast. This is Triple Grip season, and it's long here.
- Late February–August: sheds drop, antlers grow, does carry and raise fawns through a long, hot summer. High-protein feed plus an active mineral site: Grip Grower with Grip Grub in the ground.
- All year: water and consistency. Mississippi summers stress deer as hard as northern winters stress theirs.
The full month-by-month table is in the deer feeding calendar — pick Mississippi to see it laid out.
Summer heat is the hidden test
The late rut gets the attention, but the season that quietly decides antler potential is summer. A deer that spends August panting through Mississippi heat and humidity, while bucks push peak antler growth and does are still nursing, needs every bite to count. That's where a digestible, fat-first feed and a mineral site that stays active through July and August do their work — the payoff shows up in fawn survival and September mass, not on any single sit.
Baiting and feeding rules in Mississippi
Regulations verified against state wildlife agencies & statute · always confirm current rules locally
As of the 2026 season, you can legally hunt deer over bait on private land in Mississippi. A 2018 rule lets private-land hunters hunt within 100 yards of, and in line of sight of, bait — which is why Mississippi counts as a baiting-legal state on private ground even though its statutes still describe hunting "with the aid of bait" as unlawful. Baiting is not allowed on public land or wildlife management areas, and supplemental feeding is restricted inside the state's CWD Management Zones. Rules change with disease findings, so confirm the current rule — and any CWD zone boundaries — with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks before you feed, bait, or place an attractant. For the full breakdown, see can you bait deer in Mississippi?
Always check current state and local wildlife regulations before feeding, baiting, or placing attractants for deer.
Where to get Grip Feed in Mississippi
Twelve Mississippi stores stock Grip Feed, running from Hernando, Ripley, and Water Valley in the north down to McComb and Bogue Chitto near the Louisiana line, with Tupelo, Saltillo, Fulton, Pontotoc, Columbus, and Mize in between. Put your zip in the locator for the closest one. If there's nothing in range, call us at 205-335-8778 and we'll work on getting feed into a store close by.
Every Mississippi store that carries Grip Feed 12 stores · 11 towns
Bogue Chitto
Gatlin Feed 100 Bogue Chitto Rd SW, Bogue Chitto, MS 39629 · 601-734-6102
Columbus
H & H Truck and Outdoors 3578 US-45, Columbus, MS 39705 · 662-245-1233
Fulton
Fulton Grain Co. 109 Harden's Chapel Rd, Fulton, MS 38843 · 662-862-4405
Hernando
Desoto County Co-op 2425 Mt Pleasant Rd, Hernando, MS 38632 · 662-429-4407
Tri County Farm Services 2274 McIngvale Rd, Hernando, MS 38632 · 662-429-0681
McComb
Pike County Co-op 105 Nehi Cir, McComb, MS 39648 · 601-684-1651
Mize
Helena Mize 7428 Highway 35, Mize, MS 39116 · 601-264-4464
Pontotoc
Moores Feed Store 3261 MS-15, Pontotoc, MS 38863 · 662-488-2980
Ripley
Ripley Feed Store 1020 City Ave N, Ripley, MS 38663 · 662-837-8813
Saltillo
Scruggs Farm Lawn and Garden 3575 Tom Watson Dr, Saltillo, MS 38866 · 662-620-6165
Tupelo
H & H Truck and Outdoors 1700 S Gloster St, Tupelo, MS 38801 · 662-584-6001
Water Valley
O’ Tuck Supply 831 Wise St, Water Valley, MS 38965 · 662-473-2541
When is the rut in Mississippi?
Mississippi runs a late, drawn-out rut on a northwest-to-southeast gradient. The Delta and northwest corner breed earliest — around early December, with the chase in late November — while the southeast corner is latest, breeding into early February. The Hill Country falls in between. Peak energy demand lands in the cold heart of winter.
What should I feed deer in Mississippi?
Follow the late-rut calendar: high-fat feed and attractant from October through the December–January rut and into post-rut recovery, which runs deep into February in the southeast. Then high-protein feed and minerals from shed drop through the long, hot growing season. Summer heat is the quiet stressor here, so a digestible, fat-first feed earns its keep.
Is it legal to bait deer in Mississippi?
As of the 2026 season, you can legally hunt deer over bait on private land in Mississippi — a 2018 rule lets private-land hunters hunt within 100 yards of, and in line of sight of, bait. It is not allowed on public land or wildlife management areas, and supplemental feeding is restricted inside the state's CWD Management Zones. Rules change, so verify the current rule with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks before you feed, bait, or place an attractant.
Where can I buy Grip Feed in Mississippi?
Twelve Mississippi stores stock Grip Feed, from Hernando, Ripley, and Water Valley in the north down to McComb and Bogue Chitto near the Louisiana line, plus Tupelo, Saltillo, Fulton, Pontotoc, Columbus, and Mize. Use the Find a Store page for the closest one, or call the Westover mill at 205-335-8778 if nothing is in range yet.