JACKSON — The senate version of the Turkey Stamp Bill died in conference Wednesday afternoon. Mississippi’s legislative daily action report shows the bill died after a motion to reconsider was tabled. The conference report for the bill had been adopted by the senate. 

Under the conference report, if the senate bill had become law, hunters would be required to purchase a turkey stamp to hunt wild turkeys in Mississippi. Money raised by the stamp would go towards habitat work, conservation and research of wild turkeys. 

According to the conference report for Senate Bill 2652, lifetime license holders would be exempt from purchasing a wild turkey stamp. Residents would not be charged for stamps and non-residents would be charged $200 for turkey stamps. 

Turkey stamps would be valid from the date of purchase to the final day of turkey season following its purchase. The stamp would thus expire and a new one would have to be purchased for the next season. 

House Bill 1298, which would also create a turkey stamp with residents having a fee of $10, had its conference report accepted by the house before the senate recommitted the bill to conference. The action to recommit was taken last week and no further action on the house bill has been taken. It remains alive at this time.