JACKSON — Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks officials met with the Mississippi Senate appropriations committee Monday afternoon to discuss budget needs for 2025. While a majority of MDWFP’s budget is funded by license sales, the state legislature appropriates money to the department. 

Since 2021, legislative appropriations have helped the department improve state parks including nearby Percy Quinn State Park in McComb and Bob M. Dearing State Park in Natchez. MDWFP Executive Director Lynn Posey thanked the appropriations committee for their help over the years. 

“The thank you comes from everyone. It has made a big improvement for our facilities,” Posey said. “Thank you for giving us the funds we need. We are trying to be good stewards of the money you have given us.”

MDWFP reports an economic impact from 275,000 licensed hunters generating $658 million for the state. Likewise, 398,000 anglers generate $772 million in economic impact, 126,000 boaters generate $1.5 billion, 6.4 million wildlife viewers generate $829 million and 692,110 shooting sports participants generate $950 million in economic impact. Posey said they are proud of the economic impact MDWFP plays a role in. 

As previously reported by The Daily Leader, MDWFP has worked to increase its outreach. Posey stated when he started in 2022 they did not have an outdoor marketing program. The tides have turned with a marketing staff and increased social media presence. Around 9 million people are reached through MDWFP’s social media. 

“We are headed in the right direction,” Posey said. 

The Mississippi Legislature allocates $400,000 to fight Chronic Wasting Disease in Mississippi. Testing for the disease is not cheap. 

The 100 percent always fatal disease caused by an infectious prion in deer and other members of the Cervidae family is known to be in 16 counties. Since first detection in 2018, 431 deer have tested positive for CWD with a record breaking 114 positives this deer season. 

“We are trying to control the disease. We have a record number of deer test positive this year,” Posey said.

Posey answered a couple of questions about CWD before moving on to his big ask for the department’s budget in 2025. MDWFP is requesting an additional $1.9 million to go towards pay raises for game wardens. 

According to MDWFP’s budget request proposal, officers early in their careers would see a 16 percent pay increase. Brian Ferguson, MDWFP Chief of Staff, said the pay raises are needed due to the agency losing officers to higher paying jobs in the first couple of years. 

MDWFP is still facing an understaffing of officers in several counties. Around 22 counties in Mississippi have one officer assigned to them and three have no officer. Due to this, officers are shared with the understaffed counties which in turn stretches resources. Ideally, MDWFP would prefer two officers per county.