Ducks, geese and coots
Ducks hunting in Missouri
The 2026-27 MDC rules for ducks, with harvest figures and public land.
Photo: Yellowstone National Park (Public domain)
This guide follows the 2026-27 MDC regulations for ducks: the first legal day is Oct 24, 2026 and the last is Jan 31, 2027, each row with its source.
Ducks at a glance
- Bag limit: 6 daily with species limits; possession 3x.
- Methods: North Oct 31-Dec 29; Middle Nov 7-Dec 13, Dec 19-Jan 10; South Nov 26-29, Dec 7-Jan 31.
- Notes: Includes mallard, pintail, wood duck, black duck, canvasback, redhead, scaup, mottled duck and others.
MDC source (as of Jun 17, 2026), checked October 29, 2026.
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When ducks are open in Missouri
These are the 2026-27 duck rows; conservation areas and managed hunts can add their own limits.
| Segment | Area | Limit | First day | Last day | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Youth waterfowl days | North Zone | Regular duck, coot and goose limits | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 2 | |
| Youth waterfowl days | Middle Zone | Regular duck, coot and goose limits | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 2 | |
| Youth waterfowl days | South Zone | Regular duck, coot and goose limits | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | 2 | |
| Ducks and coots: Regular ducks | North Zone | See the limits | Oct 31, 2026 | Dec 29, 2026 | 60 | |
| Ducks, split 1 | Middle Zone | See the limits | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | 37 | |
| Ducks, split 2 | Middle Zone | See the limits | Dec 19, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | 23 | |
| Ducks, split 1 | South Zone | See the limits | Nov 26, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 4 | |
| Ducks, split 2 | South Zone | See the limits | Dec 7, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 56 | |
| Falconry waterfowl (late) | Statewide | 3 daily, 9 possession combined with doves | Feb 11, 2027 | Mar 10, 2027 | 28 |
Fine print for ducks
- Age 15 or younger with an adult 18+ (adult may not hunt ducks). No permits needed for the youth.
- Shotguns 10 ga or smaller, 3 shells, nontoxic shot
- 60-day season (liberal package); 2026-2030 zone lines and date formulas. Scaup 2 daily for the first 45 days, 1 for the last 15.
- Also open during teal (Sept 12-20), youth days and regular duck seasons in each zone.
From Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest p. 13, Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest p. 14 and Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest p. 17, checked October 29, 2026.
Ducks zones and managed wetlands
| Duck zone | Boundary | Counties (GIS) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
The duck zone lines follow highways and rivers, so the digest map is the final word near a boundary.
Intensively managed wetlands
| 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.
Ducks: limits, permits, prices
Missouri calls hunting licenses permits; the duck permits below come from the 2026 MDC price list, and the permit year runs March 1 to the end of February.
| Limit type | Text |
|---|---|
| Ducks | 6 daily: 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 pintails, 3 wood ducks, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 2 hooded mergansers, 2 redheads, 2 scaup (first 45 days) then 1, 1 mottled duck. Possession 3x daily. |
| Scaup by zone | 2 daily/6 possession: North Oct 31-Dec 14; Middle Nov 7-Dec 13 and Dec 19-26; South Nov 26-29 and Dec 7-Jan 16. 1 daily/3 possession: North Dec 15-29; Middle Dec 27-Jan 10; South Jan 17-31. |
| Falconry (doves, ducks, coots, mergansers) | 3 daily, 9 possession combined. |
Permits for ducks
| 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. 14 and Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest p. 17, checked October 29, 2026.
Places to hunt ducks
149 public areas in this guide list waterfowl and ducks hunting, the group that covers ducks; the biggest by acreage are below.
| Area | County | Acres | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs district (Mark Twain National Forest) | Taney County | 316,688 | Ranger district |
| Bull Shoals Lake lands | Ozark County | 34,736 | Corps lake lands |
| Upper Mississippi Conservation Area | Lewis County | 14,912 | Conservation Area |
| August A. Busch Jr. Memorial Wetlands at Four Rivers CA | Bates County | 13,939 | Conservation Area |
| Fountain Grove Conservation Area | Linn County | 8,122 | Conservation Area |
| Settle's Ford Conservation Area | Bates County | 7,363 | Conservation Area |
| Stephen C. Bradford Unit of Black Island CA | Pemiscot County | 6,430 | Conservation Area |
| Duck Creek Conservation Area | Bollinger County | 6,319 | Conservation Area |
| Lamine River Conservation Area | Cooper County | 6,071 | Conservation Area |
| Donaldson Point Conservation Area | New Madrid County | 5,945 | Conservation Area |
| Truman Reservoir lands (Deepwater Creek) | Henry County | 5,631 | Corps lake lands |
| Bilby Ranch Lake CA | Nodaway County | 5,110 | Conservation Area |
| Norfork Lake Management Lands | Ozark County | 4,861 | Corps lake lands |
| B. K. Leach Memorial CA | Lincoln County | 4,308 | Conservation Area |
| Kind of land | Areas |
|---|---|
| Conservation Area | 108 |
| Corps lake lands | 17 |
| Cooperative Area | 14 |
| Ranger district | 6 |
| Public Access Area | 2 |
| Natural Area | 1 |
| National Forest | 1 |
| MDC region | Areas |
|---|---|
| Kansas City | 33 |
| Northwest | 33 |
| Southeast | 23 |
| Northeast | 16 |
| Central | 15 |
| Southwest | 13 |
| St. Louis | 9 |
| Ozark | 7 |
Area lists from MDC area pages and the MDC places directory; methods from the MDC atlas; checked October 29, 2026.
Ducks hunting rules
- When to shoot: Expect one window all season for ducks: 30 minutes before sunrise until the sun sets.
- Hunter orange rule: No hunter orange is needed for ducks; MDC exempts migratory bird hunting.
- Baiting law: No bait for ducks; the waterfowl rule bans manipulated crops, the dove rule allows normal farming.
- Checking game: Carry ducks with a head or a fully feathered wing attached, and buy the migratory permit that enrolls you in HIP.
Legal methods for ducks
| 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.
Ducks legal hours on key dates
The duck window on key dates, computed from the MDC table for six counties from Nodaway to Cape Girardeau.
| Date | County | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 24, 2026 | Jackson County | 7:06 a.m. | 6:27 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | St. Louis County | 6:50 a.m. | 6:11 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Greene County | 7:02 a.m. | 6:23 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Boone County | 6:58 a.m. | 6:19 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Cape Girardeau County | 6:47 a.m. | 6:08 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Nodaway County | 7:08 a.m. | 6:29 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Jackson County | 7:13 a.m. | 6:19 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | St. Louis County | 6:57 a.m. | 6:03 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Greene County | 7:09 a.m. | 6:15 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Boone County | 7:05 a.m. | 6:11 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Cape Girardeau County | 6:54 a.m. | 6:00 p.m. |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Nodaway County | 7:15 a.m. | 6:21 p.m. |
MDC sunrise and sunset table with the MDC longitude rule; checked October 29, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Answers about ducks
What possession limit applies to ducks?
6 daily: 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 pintails, 3 wood ducks, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 2 hooded mergansers, 2 redheads, 2 scaup (first 45 days) then 1, 1 mottled duck. Possession 3x daily. 2 daily/6 possession: North Oct 31-Dec 14; Middle Nov 7-Dec 13 and Dec 19-26; South Nov 26-29 and Dec 7-Jan 16. 1 daily/3 possession: North Dec 15-29; Middle Dec 27-Jan 10; South Jan 17-31.
What permit do I need for ducks?
For ducks, the resident Migratory Bird permit costs $8 (Age 16+). A nonresident hunting ducks pays $60 for the Migratory Bird permit. Buy duck permits at mdc.mo.gov, in the app or at a vendor; phone sales add $1.
Which firearms and bows are legal for ducks?
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 hours apply to duck hunting?
Expect one window all season for ducks: 30 minutes before sunrise until the sun sets.
What orange rule applies to ducks?
No hunter orange is needed for ducks; MDC exempts migratory bird hunting.
How many public areas allow duck hunting?
149 public areas in this guide list ducks or the hunting group that covers them; the largest include Mark Twain National Forest, Doniphan / Eleven Point district (Mark Twain National Forest) and Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs district (Mark Twain National Forest). Every area posts its own duck rules.
How is a duck harvest recorded?
Carry ducks with a head or a fully feathered wing attached, and buy the migratory permit that enrolls you in HIP.
Is Sunday duck hunting legal?
Yes. MDC prints no Sunday closure, so the duck season includes every Sunday.
What line divides the Missouri duck zones?
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.
When are managed waterfowl reservations?
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 are the 2026-27 duck dates in Missouri?
Youth waterfowl days (North Zone) Oct 24 to Oct 25, 2026; Youth waterfowl days (Middle Zone) Oct 31 to Nov 1, 2026; Youth waterfowl days (South Zone) Nov 21 to Nov 22, 2026; Regular ducks (North Zone) Oct 31 to Dec 29, 2026; Ducks, split 1 (Middle Zone) Nov 7 to Dec 13, 2026; Ducks, split 2 (Middle Zone) Dec 19, 2026 to Jan 10, 2027.