Ducks, geese and coots
Brant hunting in Missouri
Brant in Missouri: every 2026-27 season row with its source.
Photo: USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
The brant calendar for 2026-27 covers Oct 3, 2026 to Feb 6, 2027; permits, limits, legal light and land come after the dates.
Brant: the short version
- Limits: Combined with Canada geese.
- Season shape: As Canada goose.
MDC source (as of Jun 17, 2026), checked October 29, 2026.
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Brant dates, 2026-27
Each brant row with its area, limit and length in days.
| Season | Covers | Bag | Opening | Closing | Span | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Canada goose | Statewide | 3 daily combined, 9 possession | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | 9 | |
| Geese: Regular geese | Statewide | Full limit below | Nov 11, 2026 | Feb 6, 2027 | 88 |
From Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest p. 16, checked October 29, 2026.
Where brant zones divide
| Zone | Description | Counties |
|---|---|---|
| North | North of a line from the Illinois border at Lock and Dam 25 west on Sandy Slough Rd East/North, Lincoln County Hwy N, MO-79, MO-47, I-70, US 63 (north), US 24, MO-10, US 69 (north), MO-116 and US 59 (south) to Kansas. | 41 |
| South | South of a line from the Illinois border on MO-74 to MO-25, US 62, MO-53, MO-51, US 60, MO-21, MO-72, MO-32, US 65 (north), US 54 west to Kansas. | 38 |
| Middle | The rest of Missouri. | 61 |
Near a zone line, a brant hunter should read the digest map rather than the county lists.
Managed waterfowl areas and acres
| Area | Acres | Counties | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.K. Leach Memorial | 4,307 | Lincoln County | |
| Bob Brown | 3,307 | Holt County | |
| Duck Creek | 6,318 | Bollinger County, Stoddard County, Wayne County | |
| Eagle Bluffs | 4,428 | Boone County | Construction may affect 2026-27 hunting. |
| Fountain Grove | 8,122 | Linn County, Livingston County | |
| Four Rivers | 13,929 | Vernon County, Bates County | |
| Grand Pass | 5,301 | Saline County | |
| Marais Temps Clair | 918 | St. Charles County | 1 p.m. closure; waterfowl hunting Fri.-Mon. only. |
| Nodaway Valley | 3,881 | Holt County, Andrew County | |
| Otter Slough | 4,866 | Stoddard County | |
| Schell-Osage | 8,633 | Vernon County, St. Clair County | Waterfowl hunting closed for 2026-27 (wetland renovation). |
| Ted Shanks | 6,705 | Pike County | |
| Ten Mile Pond | 3,755 | Mississippi County |
waterfowl digest zones, managed wetland grid, checked October 29, 2026.
Bag limits and permit costs for brant
A $5 Share the Harvest donation can be added when buying brant permits.
| Group | Limit |
|---|---|
| Canada geese and brant | 3 daily, 9 possession (early and regular seasons). |
Permit list for brant
| Permit | Residency | Who | Price | Valid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Migratory Bird | resident | Age 16+ | $8 | To June 30, 2027 |
| Migratory Bird | nonresident | Age 16+ | $60 | To June 30, 2027 |
| Federal Duck Stamp | both | Age 16+ waterfowl hunters | $32 e-Stamp ($7 handling) / $25 paper | July 1-June 30 |
| Small Game | resident | Age 16-64 | $11.50 | Permit year |
| Daily Small Game | nonresident | All | $16 | 1 day |
| Small Game | nonresident | Age 16+ | $108.50 | Permit year |
From Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 8, Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 9, Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest p. 16 and Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest p. 6, checked October 29, 2026.
Public areas that list brant
Brant can be hunted on 142 public places that list waterfowl; each area page has its own method limits.
| Area | County | Acres | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton Lake Management Lands | Cedar County | 16,572 | Corps lake lands |
| Deer Ridge Conservation Area | Lewis County | 7,185 | Conservation Area |
| Lamine River Conservation Area | Cooper County | 6,071 | Conservation Area |
| Bilby Ranch Lake CA | Nodaway County | 5,110 | Conservation Area |
| Norfork Lake Management Lands | Ozark County | 4,861 | Corps lake lands |
| Pomme De Terre Lake lands | Polk County | 4,804 | Corps lake lands |
| Columbia Bottom Conservation Area | St. Louis County | 4,451 | Conservation Area |
| Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area | Boone County | 4,429 | Conservation Area |
| Robert E. Talbot CA | Lawrence County | 4,361 | Conservation Area |
| Indian Hills Conservation Area | Scotland County | 3,975 | Conservation Area |
| Locust Creek Conservation Area | Sullivan County | 3,717 | Conservation Area |
| Hornersville Swamp Conservation Area | Dunklin County | 3,382 | Conservation Area |
| Bob Brown Conservation Area | Holt County | 3,307 | Conservation Area |
| Coon Island Conservation Area | Butler County | 3,223 | Conservation Area |
| Kind of land | Areas |
|---|---|
| Conservation Area | 108 |
| Corps lake lands | 17 |
| Cooperative Area | 14 |
| Public Access Area | 2 |
| Natural Area | 1 |
| MDC region | Areas |
|---|---|
| Kansas City | 33 |
| Northwest | 33 |
| Southeast | 21 |
| Northeast | 16 |
| Central | 15 |
| Southwest | 11 |
| St. Louis | 9 |
| Ozark | 4 |
Area lists from MDC area pages and the MDC places directory; methods from the MDC atlas; checked October 29, 2026.
Before you hunt brant
- Hours: For brant, legal time is sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset in every zone and split.
- Visibility: Brant hunters need no orange even when a firearms deer portion is open.
- Feed and bait: Doves may be hunted over normal agricultural work on the land where the crop grew; waterfowl may not be hunted over manipulated crops.
- Reporting: HIP registration comes with the migratory bird permit; leave a head or a feathered wing on each bird you carry home.
Methods for brant hunting
| Methods | Rule |
|---|---|
| Legal | Shotguns 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells; nontoxic shot for waterfowl and coots; electronically switched mechanical calls for waterfowl. |
| Not legal | Rifles, pistols, recorded/amplified calls (except crows and the light goose order), sink boxes, live decoys, bait, motor vehicles/aircraft. |
Nontoxic shot: Required for waterfowl and coots statewide; for doves on 26 areas and all shotgun hunting on 46 MDC areas.
shooting hours, hunter orange, methods, checked October 29, 2026.
Brant: first and last legal minutes
MDC prints one sun table for Jefferson City; the brant times here are adjusted by longitude for six counties.
| Date | County | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3, 2026 | Jackson County | 6:46 a.m. | 6:57 p.m. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | St. Louis County | 6:30 a.m. | 6:41 p.m. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Greene County | 6:42 a.m. | 6:53 p.m. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Boone County | 6:38 a.m. | 6:49 p.m. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Cape Girardeau County | 6:27 a.m. | 6:38 p.m. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Nodaway County | 6:48 a.m. | 6:59 p.m. |
| Nov 11, 2026 | Jackson County | 6:25 a.m. | 5:08 p.m. |
| Nov 11, 2026 | St. Louis County | 6:09 a.m. | 4:52 p.m. |
| Nov 11, 2026 | Greene County | 6:21 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. |
| Nov 11, 2026 | Boone County | 6:17 a.m. | 5:00 p.m. |
| Nov 11, 2026 | Cape Girardeau County | 6:06 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. |
| Nov 11, 2026 | Nodaway County | 6:27 a.m. | 5:10 p.m. |
MDC sunrise and sunset table with the MDC longitude rule; checked October 29, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Brant hunting FAQ
Is hunter orange required for brant?
Brant hunters need no orange even when a firearms deer portion is open.
Is there public land for brant?
142 public areas in this guide list brant or the hunting group that covers them; the largest include Bull Shoals Lake lands, Stockton Lake Management Lands and Upper Mississippi Conservation Area. Read each area page before a brant hunt, since methods vary.
Does Missouri require a brant check?
HIP registration comes with the migratory bird permit; leave a head or a feathered wing on each bird you carry home.
Can I hunt brant on Sunday in Missouri?
Yes. Missouri has no Sunday rule, and brant seasons run seven days a week.
How did the duck zones change for 2026?
North, Middle and South, with new lines for 2026-2030. Duck dates: North Oct 31-Dec 29; Middle Nov 7-Dec 13 and Dec 19-Jan 10; South Nov 26-29 and Dec 7-Jan 31. Waterfowl zones.
How do I hunt a managed waterfowl area?
Half of spots by reservation (half pre-season Sept 1-18 online, residents only, up to 3 areas; half weekly in-season), half by the morning poor-line drawing. Party max 4. ADA blinds by reservation (up to 5 areas). Schell-Osage is closed for 2026-27 renovation.
What dates apply to brant this season?
Early Canada goose Oct 3 to Oct 11, 2026; Regular geese Nov 11, 2026 to Feb 6, 2027.
What are the brant limits?
3 daily, 9 possession (early and regular seasons).
Which permit do brant hunters buy?
For brant, the resident Migratory Bird permit costs $8 (Age 16+). A nonresident hunting brant pays $60 for the Migratory Bird permit. Prices for brant permits match the Wildlife Code fee schedule.
What can I hunt brant with?
Shotguns 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells; nontoxic shot for waterfowl and coots; electronically switched mechanical calls for waterfowl. Not legal: Rifles, pistols, recorded/amplified calls (except crows and the light goose order), sink boxes, live decoys, bait, motor vehicles/aircraft.
What time can I start hunting brant?
For brant, legal time is sunrise minus 30 minutes to sunset in every zone and split.