Page 66 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2025

SPORTS & OUTDOORS
PUBLIC LAND BUNNIES
story by John N. Felsher
Not so long ago, rabbits ranked as the most popular game animal in the country. When whitetails became more numerous, many
people switched to deer, but a dedicated group of hunters still pursue Mr. Longears, usually with beagles.
Mississippi provides abundant acreage for public hunting. The largest national forest in the Magnolia State, De Soto spreads
over 518,587 acres across 10 counties between Hattiesburg and Latimer. The habitat consists mostly of longleaf pine savannas
with thick underbrush and some hardwoods along copious streams, giving rabbits numerous places to hide.
“The rabbit population is moderately abundant with some areas more favorable than others,” advised Rick Hamrick, a
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks biologist. “Cottontail rabbits are the most common species in the national forest, but some swamp rabbits are along the drainages. Some parts
of the forest are more open and grassy. Others are more brushy.” The forest contains two wilderness areas. Bisected by Black Creek,
the Black Creek Wilderness Area covers 5,052 acres of hardwood floodplain. The entire 21 miles of Black Creek fall under the National
66 | November 2025
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National Forest Spread Across a Half Million Acres