Ducks, geese and coots
Teal hunting in Missouri
Opens Sep 12, 2026; limits, permits and places to hunt teal.
Photo: USFWS/Southeast (Public domain)
Missouri sets 9 dated windows for teal in 2026-27, running Sep 12, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027. Limits, permits, places to hunt and the field rules follow on this page.
How MDC sums up teal
- Keep: September teal 6 daily, 18 possession; regular duck limits later.
- Dates in brief: Sept 12-20 (sunrise-sunset).
MDC source (as of Jun 17, 2026), checked October 29, 2026.
GearHeading out for duck and goose season? Duck and goose gear checklist →
Teal season dates for 2026-27
Read the teal rows by area: counties, bear zones, the elk counties or duck zones where they apply.
| Season | Where | Bag | Opens | Closes | Days | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teal: September teal | Statewide | Limit table | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 9 | |
| 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 | Limit table | Oct 31, 2026 | Dec 29, 2026 | 60 | |
| Ducks, split 1 | Middle Zone | Limit table | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | 37 | |
| Ducks, split 2 | Middle Zone | Limit table | Dec 19, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | 23 | |
| Ducks, split 1 | South Zone | Limit table | Nov 26, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 4 | |
| Ducks, split 2 | South Zone | Limit table | Dec 7, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 56 |
Teal season notes
- Sunrise to sunset. 9-day season (2025 blue-winged teal estimate 4.4 million, below the 4.7 million 16-day threshold).
- 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.
From Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest p. 12, Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest p. 13 and Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest p. 14, checked October 29, 2026.
Teal: North, Middle and South
| Zone | Line | 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 |
For teal, zones matter for duck dates; goose seasons are statewide.
Reservation and draw 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.
How many teal and which permit
Youth permits for ages 6-15 are half price where the list shows them, including for teal.
| Row | Daily and possession |
|---|---|
| Teal (September) | 6 daily, 18 possession. |
| 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. |
Teal permits and fees
| 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. 12 and Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest p. 14, checked October 29, 2026.
Teal: the biggest public areas
Of the public places in this guide, 149 list waterfowl and ducks, which takes in teal.
| Area | County | Acres | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doniphan / Eleven Point district (Mark Twain National Forest) | Oregon County | 338,889 | Ranger district |
| Salem district (Mark Twain National Forest) | Reynolds County | 195,986 | Ranger district |
| Bull Shoals Lake lands | Ozark County | 34,736 | Corps lake lands |
| Schell-Osage Conservation Area | St. Clair County | 8,635 | Conservation Area |
| Weldon Spring Conservation Area | St. Charles County | 8,398 | Conservation Area |
| Deer Ridge Conservation Area | Lewis County | 7,185 | 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 |
| Truman Reservoir lands (Cross Timbers) | Hickory County | 4,815 | Corps lake lands |
| Pomme De Terre Lake lands | Polk County | 4,804 | Corps lake lands |
| Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area | Boone County | 4,429 | Conservation Area |
| Ralph and Martha Perry Memorial CA | Johnson County | 4,134 | Conservation Area |
| Indian Hills Conservation Area | Scotland County | 3,975 | 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.
Rules in the field for teal
- Shooting hours: MDC closes the teal day at sunset and opens it half an hour before sunrise. Teal in the September season may be taken only between sunrise and sunset.
- Orange clothing: The orange exemption list starts with migratory game birds, so teal hunters may stay in camouflage.
- Bait and feed: Teal fall under the federal bait rules that MDC prints in the digest.
- Telecheck: The Migratory Bird Hunting Permit doubles as HIP registration for teal.
Teal method rules
| 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.
Computed teal hours
Kansas City runs about 10 minutes behind Jefferson City and St. Louis about 8 minutes ahead, which the teal table reflects. September teal hours are sunrise to sunset; the table uses that rule.
| Date | County | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Jackson County | 6:27 a.m. | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | St. Louis County | 6:11 a.m. | 7:14 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Greene County | 6:23 a.m. | 7:26 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Boone County | 6:19 a.m. | 7:22 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Cape Girardeau County | 6:08 a.m. | 7:11 p.m. |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Nodaway County | 6:29 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. |
| 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. |
MDC sunrise and sunset table with the MDC longitude rule; checked October 29, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Common questions on teal
How many teal may one hunter keep?
6 daily, 18 possession. 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.
When do teal open and close in Missouri?
September teal Sep 12 to Sep 20, 2026; 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.
What gear is legal for teal hunting?
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 are the teal permit prices?
For teal, the resident Migratory Bird permit costs $8 (Age 16+). A nonresident hunting teal pays $60 for the Migratory Bird permit. Teal permits cost the same online, in the MO Hunting app and at vendors.
When must teal hunters wear orange?
The orange exemption list starts with migratory game birds, so teal hunters may stay in camouflage.
When does legal light end for teal?
MDC closes the teal day at sunset and opens it half an hour before sunrise. Teal in the September season may be taken only between sunrise and sunset.
What happens after I take teal?
The Migratory Bird Hunting Permit doubles as HIP registration for teal.
Where are the best public areas for teal?
149 public areas in this guide list teal 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). Method limits for teal are set area by area.
Where are the North, Middle and South 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.
Are Sundays open for teal?
Yes. Sundays count like any other day for teal; mandatory CWD sampling even falls on Sunday, Nov 15.
What is the poor line at MDC wetlands?
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.