JACKSON — It was a little tense for a few minutes as one hunter’s reinstatement of hunting and fishing privileges hung in the balance. Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Commissioners voted to reinstate the privileges of two men Thursday morning. 

Commissioner William Mounger wanted to remind the public that while they have the ability to reinstate hunting and fishing license privileges they have no obligation to do so. Typically, someone who has lost those privileges commits a Class 1 violation with headlighting being the most common Class 1 offense. The violator must first pay court costs, fines and go through hunter education to be considered for license reinstatement. 

Tyler Breland, 24, of Poplarville was the first hunter to request a license reinstatement. Col. Jerry Carter, MDWFP’S Chief of Law Enforcement, said Breland’s headlighting violation occurred on Dec. 9, 2021. A conservation officer received a phone call reporting illegal headlighting activity on the Pearl River in Pearl River County. 

Carter said through the use of technology the officer was able to conduct an investigation and issue citations to a few subjects. Breland was one of the individuals documented in cell phone videos committing headlighting violations. 

Breland said he went spotlighting on the river when it was at 18.5 feet. The river is closed to hunting at 18 feet. 

“I went three nights in a row spotlighting in a boat. We were never caught red handed. My friend had his phone and the officer found incriminating evidence on the phone,” Breland said. “We didn’t kill anything. My friend shot one time and missed. Other than that we didn’t see much. We just went up and down spotlighting.”

Drew Malone, the MDWFP Commission Attorney, asked Breland if he had called and asked about getting a firearm back in August 2021. Breland said he did. In the 2021 turkey season, he had his shotgun and phone confiscated. He explained the officer alleged he was hunting from a public road and after going to court the case was remanded to file. 

One commissioner asked if Breland had any other violations. He said he did. Between the headlighting offense and license reinstatement request, he was cited for failure to report a turkey and hunting without a license. Hunters are legally required by law to report turkey harvests in Mississippi on the day of harvest. 

“None of us are perfect but there are multiple violations here. Reporting a turkey is important even if not a lot of people report it,” Commissioner William Mounger said.

Mounger hinted at the implementation of a tagging system for turkeys which was approved in 2023 but has not gone into effect yet. He asked Breland if he learned a lesson. 

“First of all, spotlighting is dangerous. It could kill someone. It is not safe and it is not the right thing to do,” Breland said. “You should want to do the right thing regardless. It is not worth it.”

Commissioner Todd Hairston gave some advice to Breland. He said he knows what it is like to follow rules he doesn’t agree with. 

“I’ve learned the hard way in my life that doing so builds character. It has taught me how to live a more enjoyable and peaceful life doing the things that are right” Hairston said. “My recommendation is to reinstate. Don’t go out and do it again. Not because of the law but for yourself. It is better to live that way.”

Commissioners voted to approve the reinstatement. 

Damion Pipkins of George County was next to ask for his hunting and fishing license to be reinstated. His story was quick and to the point. 

Carter said an officer received a report of illegal hunting activity and observed a vehicle driving slowly down the road and shining a light into a field. The officer got behind the vehicle when the occupants shined a field again and a traffic stop was initiated with no further incident. 

Pipkins said he was with his brother and he knew what they were doing was wrong. 

He said the financial penalty was not the hard thing for him but the embarrassment he feels. 

“I teach my kids to do the right thing all the time,” Pipkins said. “I apologize for having to meet you this way.”

Commissioners voted to approve the reinstatement of hunting and fishing license privileges for Pipkins. 

Carter additionally gave the commission a run down of the top five violations in Sept. 2024. Of the 505 citations issued, 87 were for no license, 69 for unlawful possession, 66 for baiting, 41 for no federal duck stamp, 39 for an unplugged gun.