Ducks and geese
Ducks seasons and rules in Minnesota
Season rows, bag limits and rules for ducks, checked October 28, 2026.
Photo: Yellowstone National Park (Public domain)
Here are the 2026-27 duck rules as the DNR prints them, opening Sep 5, 2026, with harvest figures and WMAs wherever the data has them.
Ducks in the DNR summary
- Take: 6 daily (4 mallards incl. 2 hens, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 black ducks, 3 pintails, scaup 1-2 by date).
- How and when: Opener Sept. 26; North to Nov. 24; Central split to Nov. 29; South split to Dec. 6; early teal Sept. 5-9; nontoxic shot.
- Keep in mind: Three zones (North, Central, South). Pintail limit raised to 3 for 2026.
DNR source page (as of Sep 15, 2026), checked October 28, 2026.
GearHeading out for duck and goose season? Duck and goose gear checklist →
Every duck season row
10 rows for ducks, as the 2026-27 booklet lists them; the last column checks each against today.
| Season | Unit or zone | Bag | From | To | Days | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early teal season: Ducks | Statewide | 6 teal combined daily; possession 3x daily | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 9, 2026 | 5 | |
| Regular ducks | North Zone | See limits | Sep 26, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | 60 | |
| Regular ducks | Central Zone | See limits | Sep 26, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | 9 | |
| Regular ducks | Central Zone | See limits | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 51 | |
| Regular ducks | South Zone | See limits | Sep 26, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | 9 | |
| Regular ducks | South Zone | See limits | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | 51 | |
| Youth days: Ducks | Statewide | Same as regular duck and goose limits | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | 2 | |
| Falconry: ducks, coots, mergansers, gallinul | North Zone | See limits | Sep 26, 2026 | Jan 20, 2027 | 117 | |
| Falconry: ducks, coots, mergansers, gallinul | Central Zone | See limits | Sep 26, 2026 | Jan 20, 2027 | 117 | |
| Falconry: ducks, coots, mergansers, gallinul | South Zone | See limits | Sep 26, 2026 | Jan 20, 2027 | 117 |
Ducks row details
- Shooting hours sunrise to sunset. Teal restrictions on wild rice waters within Mille Lacs, Leech Lake and White Earth reservations.
- Scaup 1 daily through Oct. 10, then 2. Shooting hours 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset.
- Regular ducks, limit: 6 ducks daily: max 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 black ducks, 3 pintails (new 2026), scaup 1 then 2 by date; mergansers 5 (max 2 hooded); coots and gallinules 15; possession 3x daily
- Scaup 1 daily through Oct. 15, then 2. Shooting hours 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset.
- Regular ducks, limit: 6 ducks daily: max 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 black ducks, 3 pintails (new 2026), scaup 1 then 2 by date; mergansers 5 (max 2 hooded); coots and gallinules 15; possession 3x daily
- Scaup 1 daily through Oct. 15, then 2. Booklet coot/merganser lines show Oct. 11-Nov. 30 (flagged). Shooting hours 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset.
- Regular ducks, limit: 6 ducks daily: max 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 black ducks, 3 pintails (new 2026), scaup 1 then 2 by date; mergansers 5 (max 2 hooded); coots and gallinules 15; possession 3x daily
- Scaup 1 daily through Oct. 22, then 2. Shooting hours 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset.
- Regular ducks, limit: 6 ducks daily: max 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 black ducks, 3 pintails (new 2026), scaup 1 then 2 by date; mergansers 5 (max 2 hooded); coots and gallinules 15; possession 3x daily
- Regular ducks, limit: 6 ducks daily: max 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 black ducks, 3 pintails (new 2026), scaup 1 then 2 by date; mergansers 5 (max 2 hooded); coots and gallinules 15; possession 3x daily
From booklet p. 48, booklet p. 50, booklet p. 51, checked October 28, 2026.
Ducks and the three waterfowl zones
| Zone | Line |
|---|---|
| North | North of the line formed by State Highway 210 from the North Dakota border east to State Highway 23, then State Highway 23/39 to the Wisconsin border near Duluth (map read). |
| Central | Between the 210/23/39 line and the South Zone line. |
| South | South of the line formed by State Highway 212 from the South Dakota border east to I-494, then I-494/I-94 east to the Wisconsin border (map read). |
Areas with hunting stations
Roseau River, Thief Lake, Orwell, Lac qui Parle and Talcot Lake: Designated hunting stations first-come first-served; no occupying or parking 10 p.m.-5 a.m.; no alcohol; no refuse, offal or feathers left.
DNR waterfowl page, booklet zone map, checked October 28, 2026.
Ducks bag and license rules
| Rule | Limit |
|---|---|
| Ducks | 6 daily: max 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 black ducks, 3 pintails; possession 3x daily; opening day possession = daily limit. |
| Scaup | North: 1 through Oct. 10, then 2. Central: 1 through Oct. 15, then 2. South: 1 through Oct. 22, then 2. |
| Teal (early season) | 6 combined. |
What duck licenses cost
| License | Residency | Who | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small game license | resident | Adult 18-64 | $22 |
| State waterfowl stamp validation | resident | Age 18-64 | $7.50 |
| Small game license | nonresident | Adult 18+ | $102 |
| State waterfowl stamp validation | nonresident | $7.50 | |
| Federal migratory bird hunting and conservation stamp | both | Waterfowl hunters 16+ | Federal price (not printed) |
| HIP certification | both | Free |
Licenses sell online, by phone and at license agents; there are no paper tags, and the license (paper or app) is carried afield.
booklet p. 17, booklet p. 18, booklet p. 19, booklet p. 20, checked October 28, 2026.
Ducks on WMAs and federal land
For ducks, start with these 12 large WMAs; 1,104 WMAs list the species statewide.
| Place | Type | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Lake | WMA | Beltrami · | 322,246 |
| Roseau River | WMA | Roseau · | 75,163 |
| Thief Lake | WMA | Beltrami · | 54,650 |
| Mille Lacs | WMA | Kanabec · | 38,678 |
| Lac qui Parle | WMA | 33,623 | |
| Wapiti | WMA | Beltrami · | 31,759 |
| Beaches Lake | WMA | Kittson · | 30,623 |
| Whitewater | WMA | Wabasha · | 27,451 |
| Carlos Avery | WMA | Chisago · | 24,598 |
| Moose River | WMA | 21,273 | |
| Mud Goose | WMA | 17,011 | |
| Moose Willow | WMA | 16,946 |
Counts follow the species lists on DNR WMA pages and federal refuge rules. Federal refuges are closed unless opened; WPAs are open unless posted, with nontoxic shot required.
DNR WMA finder and WMA rules, checked October 28, 2026.
Rules afield for ducks
Ducks may be shot from 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset in every zone and split. The September teal window skips the dawn half hour: sunrise to sunset.
Bird hunters after ducks sit outside the small game blaze rule, and the deer-season rule spares those on the water or in a fixed spot.
The migratory bird bait rule applies to ducks, ten days after removal included.
Ducks need HIP, and a feathered wing stays attached until the bird is home.
No day of the week is closed for ducks.
booklet shooting hours, blaze rules, validation and registration, checked October 28, 2026.
Ducks shooting times west to east
Times below apply the booklet rule for ducks to the sun at the centre of each county, rounded to the minute.
| When | Point | Centre of | Sunrise | Sunset | Legal window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | Day one | Clay | 6:49 a.m. | 8:01 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 8:01 p.m. |
| Sep 5, 2026 | Day one | Ramsey | 6:38 a.m. | 7:45 p.m. | 6:08 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. |
| Sep 5, 2026 | Day one | St. Louis | 6:33 a.m. | 7:45 p.m. | 6:03 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Mid-fall | Clay | 7:55 a.m. | 6:25 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 6:25 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Mid-fall | Ramsey | 7:39 a.m. | 6:14 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 6:14 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Mid-fall | St. Louis | 7:40 a.m. | 6:08 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 6:08 p.m. |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Last day | Clay | 7:56 a.m. | 4:38 p.m. | 7:26 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Last day | Ramsey | 7:35 a.m. | 4:32 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 4:32 p.m. |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Last day | St. Louis | 7:43 a.m. | 4:20 p.m. | 7:13 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. |
Rule from the booklet shooting hours page; sun times computed for the county centre (NOAA method, Central Time) and checked against U.S. Naval Observatory tables; checked October 28, 2026.
Ducks: guns, bows and statutes
| Weapons | Legal | Not legal |
|---|---|---|
| Migratory waterfowl and cranes | Shotgun 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells with approved nontoxic shot. | Lead shot (or possessing it), rifles, pistols, traps, live decoys, recorded calls, sink boxes, motorboats under power. |
Booklet rules on duck hunts
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Hunting while intoxicated | No taking wild animals with a firearm or bow under the influence or with alcohol 0.08+; includes cannabis products. |
| Waterfowl blinds and decoys | No blinds/decoys in public waters more than 1 hour before the season opens; decoys no more than 2 hours before shooting time and not left out overnight or unattended over 3 hours; no permanent blinds or sink boxes. |
| Inspections and seizure | Must allow inspection of firearms, licenses, game, vehicles and boats; unlawful game and equipment may be seized. |
booklet p. 38, booklet p. 41, booklet p. 43, Minnesota Statutes 97B.065, checked October 28, 2026.
Ducks FAQ
Do ducks have to be registered?
Ducks need HIP, and a feathered wing stays attached until the bird is home.
Is baiting legal for ducks?
The migratory bird bait rule applies to ducks, ten days after removal included.
Which wildlife areas name ducks?
By acreage: Red Lake WMA, Roseau River WMA, Thief Lake WMA, out of 1,104 WMAs naming the species.
What is legal to shoot ducks with?
The booklet allows shotgun 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells with approved nontoxic shot.
Do duck dates differ by zone?
The Central and South zones close for a few days in early October and reopen later, so the season lasts into colder weeks.
Are permanent blinds legal?
No blinds/decoys in public waters more than 1 hour before the season opens; decoys no more than 2 hours before shooting time and not left out overnight or unattended over 3 hours; no permanent blinds or sink boxes.
Can I hunt ducks on a Sunday?
There is no Sunday ban; duck hunting runs seven days a week.
When is the duck season in Minnesota?
7 season rows run Sep 5 to Dec 6, 2026. Opener Sept. 26; North to Nov. 24; Central split to Nov. 29; South split to Dec. 6; early teal Sept. 5-9; nontoxic shot.
What may a hunter keep of ducks?
6 daily (4 mallards incl. 2 hens, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 black ducks, 3 pintails, scaup 1-2 by date) (DNR summary).
What do I buy before hunting ducks?
Costs: Small game license (resident, Adult 18-64): $22; State waterfowl stamp validation (resident, Age 18-64): $7.50; Small game license (nonresident, Adult 18+): $102; State waterfowl stamp validation (nonresident, Age 16+ (table p. 25 shows required at 16-17)): $7.50; Federal migratory bird hunting and conservation stamp (both, Waterfowl hunters 16+): Federal price (not printed).
Is night hunting allowed for ducks?
Ducks may be shot from 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset in every zone and split. The September teal window skips the dawn half hour: sunrise to sunset.
Is pink allowed instead of orange for ducks?
Bird hunters after ducks sit outside the small game blaze rule, and the deer-season rule spares those on the water or in a fixed spot.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).