Ducks, geese and sandhill cranes
Duck hunting in Oklahoma, 2026-27
Dates, limits, licenses, legal hours and public land for ducks, mergansers and coots.
Photo: Shogun_X (CC BY-SA 2.0)
What Oklahoma allows for ducks, mergansers and coots
Oklahoma duck hunters work with 7 windows between October 3, 2026 and February 6, 2027 this season. Bag in one line for the duck: Six ducks (species limits); coots 15.
- In short (duck): Panhandle Oct 10-Jan 13; Zones 1 & 2 Nov 14-Dec 6 and Dec 12-Jan 31; youth/veteran/military days; falconry Feb 1-22.
- Take (duck): Six ducks (species limits); coots 15.
From ODWC season dates page, ODWC migratory bird regulations and 2026-2027 Oklahoma Fishing & Hunting Regulations p. 44 (as of November 2, 2026), checked November 3, 2026.
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Duck season dates for 2026-27
The duck calendar holds 8 lines; zone links open the pages where limits or dates change by area.
| Window | Zone or area | Take | Begins | Through | Days | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | Panhandle | Limits below | Oct 10, 2026 | Jan 13, 2027 | 96 | |
| Youth and veteran day | Panhandle | Limits below | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 3, 2026 | 1 | Done |
| Youth and veteran day | Panhandle | Limits below | Jan 30, 2027 | Jan 30, 2027 | 1 | |
| Regular segment 1 | Zones 1 and 2 | Limits below | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | 23 | |
| Regular segment 2 | Zones 1 and 2 | Limits below | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 51 | |
| Youth and veteran day | Zones 1 and 2 | Same as regular season. | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 7, 2026 | 1 | |
| Youth and veteran day | Zones 1 and 2 | Same as regular season. | Feb 6, 2027 | Feb 6, 2027 | 1 | |
| Extended Falconry | Zones 1 and 2 | Limits below | Feb 1, 2027 | Feb 22, 2027 | 22 |
Footnotes for ducks, mergansers and coots
- Cimarron, Texas and Beaver counties.
- Youth 17 and younger with an adult 18+ (hunter-ed certified or exempt) who may not hunt ducks/mergansers/coots unless a veteran or active military; veterans (38 U.S.C. 101) and active-duty military incl.
- National Guard/Reserves on active duty may hunt.
- All counties except Cimarron, Texas and Beaver.
- Youth 17 and younger with an adult 18+ (hunter-ed certified or exempt) who may not hunt ducks/mergansers/coots unless a veteran or active military; veterans and active-duty military may hunt.
- Hawking hours one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
From ODWC duck, merganser and coot page, ODWC regulation page, ODWC youth and veteran waterfowl page and 2026-2027 Oklahoma Fishing & Hunting Regulations p. 47, checked November 3, 2026.
How many ducks, mergansers and coots one hunter may take
The duck limits come from the regulations guide and the ODWC species pages, with each season row's own bag after them.
| Applies to | Rule |
|---|---|
| Ducks and mergansers | 6 daily incl. ≤5 mallards (≤2 hens), ≤3 wood ducks, ≤3 pintails, ≤2 redheads, ≤2 canvasbacks, ≤1 scaup. |
| Coots | 15 daily. |
| Migratory possession rule | One daily limit after one day hunted, two after two days, never more than three daily limits; field possession one daily limit. |
| Regular, Panhandle | Ducks and mergansers six combined: no more than five mallards (two hens), three wood ducks, three pintails, two redheads, two canvasbacks, one scaup. Coots 15. Possession three daily limits. |
| Youth and veteran day, Panhandle | Same as regular season (ducks, mergansers, coots and geese). |
| Youth and veteran day, Zones 1 and 2 | Same as regular season. |
| Extended Falconry, Zones 1 and 2 | Three daily, nine in possession, migratory game birds singly or in aggregate. |
From ODWC duck, merganser and coot page and ODWC migratory bird regulations, checked November 3, 2026.
Zone and refuge rules for ducks, mergansers and coots
- High Plains unit (duck): Panhandle Counties (High Plains Mallard Management Unit), Beaver, Cimarron and Texas.
- Main duck zones (duck): Zones 1 and 2 share all 2026-27 dates; the map labels them together and no Zone 1/Zone 2 boundary is published on the pages read.
- Managed wetlands (duck): WDUs: nontoxic shot only for all shotgun hunting, no lead possession, waterfowl shooting ends 1 p.m.
- WRP closure (duck): WRPs closed to all public use Oct 15-Jan 31 except controlled hunt permittees; nontoxic shot only.
Only ducks, mergansers and coots split by zone; the duck rows outside that group are statewide.
From ODWC duck, merganser and coot page and ODWC zone map, checked November 3, 2026.
Duck: the harvest record
ODWC has not published a duck harvest estimate; the 2025 survey rows skip it.
From 2025 Game Harvest Survey and ODWC Big Game Harvest Report, checked November 3, 2026.
Duck on WMAs, refuges and walk-in land
The largest of 142 public areas that name ducks, mergansers and coots.
| Public land | Kind | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ouachita WMA | WMA | Le Flore, McCurtain | 354,559 |
| Ouachita WMA – Le Flore Unit | WMA unit | Le Flore | 221,559 |
| Three Rivers WMA | WMA | McCurtain, Pushmataha | 185,199 |
| Ouachita WMA – McCurtain & Tiak Units | WMA unit | McCurtain | 133,000 |
| Oklahoma Land Access Program (OLAP) | Program | Beaver, Blaine +23 | 91,185 |
| Honobia Creek WMA | WMA | Pushmataha | 78,998 |
| Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge | Refuge | Comanche | 58,227 |
| Camp Gruber Training Center | Military | Muskogee | 51,840 |
| Eufaula WMA | WMA | Latimer, McIntosh +2 | 48,614 |
| Wister WMA | WMA | Le Flore | 35,500 |
| Salt Plains NWR | Refuge | Alfalfa | 32,464 |
| Cherokee WMA | WMA | Cherokee | 31,360 |
| Black Kettle WMA | WMA | Roger Mills | 30,710 |
| Fort Gibson WMA | WMA | Cherokee, Mayes +1 | 25,298 |
| Fort Gibson PHA | PHA | Cherokee, Mayes +1 | 21,798 |
29 entries are enrolled private OLAP land, open on foot with a Land Access Permit.
From lands.json (ODWC area pages, special regulations, OLAP layer and federal rules), checked November 3, 2026.
Weapons and field rules for ducks, mergansers and coots
| Row | May use | May not use |
|---|---|---|
| Migratory birds | For ducks, mergansers and coots: Shotgun 10 ga or smaller holding 3 shells, archery, raptors; nontoxic shot for waterfowl and coots statewide and all shotgun hunting on WDUs and refuges. | Not for ducks, mergansers and coots: traps, nets, rifles, pistols, slugs, guns over 10 ga, sink boxes, vehicles/aircraft, moving motorboats, live decoys, recordings (except crow and COLGS), bait. |
- Baiting (duck): No turkey hunting within 100 yards of bait; no placing or hunting over bait on ODWC-owned or managed lands (incl. licensed Corps lands); no bear baiting on WMAs; federal migratory bird baiting rules (10-day rule). No general private-land deer baiting ban found.
- Motor vehicles (duck): No hunting or harassing wildlife from motor-driven land, air or water conveyances except non-ambulatory/motor vehicle permit holders (vehicle stopped, engine off); vehicles may follow dogs on public roads/waterways and on private land with permission.
- Possession and transfer (duck): Transfers need written/electronic statement with names, addresses, customer ID, date, number/type and harvest confirmation number; no payment; selling protected wildlife prohibited except as provided (hides, antlers of legally taken big game may be sold, antlers off the skull).
Shotgun shot larger than #4 buckshot is not legal for ducks, mergansers and coots unless the target is a feral hog.
From ODWC migratory bird regulations, ODWC turkey regulations and ODWC general hunting regulations, checked November 3, 2026.
Duck: orange, reporting and transport
- Duck: orange: No. The orange rule for other hunters during big game firearm dates exempts waterfowl, crow, crane and dove hunters, which takes in ducks, mergansers and coots.
- Duck check-in: No E-Check for ducks, mergansers and coots. HIP certification is required each license year. Tag birds left with others; head or fully feathered wing attached in transport (except doves); COLGS participants register for the harvest survey.
- Handing over ducks, mergansers and coots: Give written or electronic transfer information (names, addresses, customer ID, date taken, number/type, confirmation number); no compensation.
From the ODWC big game regulations, ODWC general hunting regulations and the 2026-2027 regulations guide, checked November 3, 2026.
License costs for ducks, mergansers and coots
Youth 17 and under need no base license, but the Youth Annual Super license is required for ducks, mergansers and coots if they are big game, turkey, waterfowl or furbearers.
| License | Who buys | Group | Fee | Lasts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Hunting | Resident | Age 18+ | $36 | 365 days |
| Youth Annual Super Hunting | Resident | Age 17 and under | $26 | 365 days |
| Oklahoma Waterfowl License (state stamp) | Both | Age 18+ (resident 18-64) | $21 res., $31 nonres. | July 1-June 30 |
| Federal Duck Stamp | Both | Age 16+ | $29 (dealers; $25 at post offices) | July 1-June 30 |
| Harvest Information Program (HIP) Permit | Both | Migratory bird hunters 63 and younger (youth not hunting wat | $3 (free online) | July 1-June 30 |
| Nonresident Game Bird Permit | Nonresident | Any age hunting game birds on a WMA (GMA, PHA, WRP, WDU, WMU | $100 | 365 days |
From the ODWC license fee page and the ODWC license requirements, checked November 3, 2026.
Duck shooting light on key dates
Times for ducks, mergansers and coots are worked out for the centre of each county with the NOAA solar formula; ODWC prints no sunrise and sunset table, only the rule.
ODWC hour rule for ducks, mergansers and coots: One-half hour before official sunrise to official sunset unless otherwise provided; COLGS extends to one-half hour after sunset; WDUs waterfowl close 1 p.m.
| Date | Point | County | Near | Sunrise | Sunset | Legal window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3, 2026 | Start | Cimarron County | Boise City area | 7:46 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Start | Oklahoma County | Oklahoma City area | 7:25 a.m. | 7:12 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 7:12 p.m. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Start | Tulsa County | Tulsa area | 7:19 a.m. | 7:06 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 7:06 p.m. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Start | McCurtain County | Idabel area | 7:14 a.m. | 7:02 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 7:02 p.m. |
| Feb 6, 2027 | Final day | Cimarron County | Boise City area | 7:49 a.m. | 6:19 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 6:19 p.m. |
| Feb 6, 2027 | Final day | Oklahoma County | Oklahoma City area | 7:26 a.m. | 6:01 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 6:01 p.m. |
| Feb 6, 2027 | Final day | Tulsa County | Tulsa area | 7:21 a.m. | 5:54 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 5:54 p.m. |
| Feb 6, 2027 | Final day | McCurtain County | Idabel area | 7:13 a.m. | 5:53 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:53 p.m. |
Rules from the ODWC big game regulations and ODWC migratory bird regulations; sunrise and sunset worked out with the NOAA solar formula (Central Time); checked November 3, 2026. Legal hours for all 77 counties.
Blue-winged teal swimming on a pond at Will Rogers Park in Oklahoma City. Photo: BaronBrian (CC BY 2.0)
Male gadwall duck. Photo: born1945 (CC BY 2.0)
Male wood duck. Photo: Frank.Vassen (CC BY 2.0)
Questions about ducks, mergansers and coots in Oklahoma
Must I wear orange when hunting ducks, mergansers and coots?
No. The orange rule for other hunters during big game firearm dates exempts waterfowl, crow, crane and dove hunters, which takes in ducks, mergansers and coots.
Where can I hunt ducks, mergansers and coots on public land in Oklahoma?
The biggest of the 142 listed areas are Ouachita WMA, Ouachita WMA – Le Flore Unit and Three Rivers WMA.
Can duck hunters go out on Sundays?
Sundays are normal days for ducks, mergansers and coots; ODWC prints no Sunday restriction.
Does E-Check apply to ducks, mergansers and coots?
No E-Check for ducks, mergansers and coots. HIP certification is required each license year. Tag birds left with others; head or fully feathered wing attached in transport (except doves); COLGS participants register for the harvest survey.
What special waterfowl areas have rules?
WDUs: nontoxic shot only for all shotgun hunting, no lead possession, waterfowl shooting ends 1 p.m. WRPs closed to all public use Oct 15-Jan 31 except controlled hunt permittees; nontoxic shot only.
Is the Panhandle a separate duck zone?
The Panhandle (Beaver, Cimarron and Texas, the High Plains Mallard Management Unit) runs October 10, 2026 to January 13, 2027. Zones 1 and 2 share all 2026-27 dates; the map labels them together and no Zone 1/Zone 2 boundary is published on the pages read.
What gauge is legal for ducks, mergansers and coots?
Shotgun 10 ga or smaller holding 3 shells, archery, raptors; nontoxic shot for waterfowl and coots statewide and all shotgun hunting on WDUs and refuges. Not legal: Traps, nets, rifles, pistols, slugs, guns over 10 ga, sink boxes, vehicles/aircraft, moving motorboats, live decoys, recordings (except crow and COLGS), bait.
Are there active military duck days?
Youth, Veteran & Active Military Days: Panhandle Oct 3, 2026 and Jan 30, 2027; Zones 1 & 2 Nov 7, 2026 and Feb 6, 2027. Youth means 17 and younger for these days in 2026-27.
How many ducks, mergansers and coots can I take in Oklahoma?
6 daily incl. ≤5 mallards (≤2 hens), ≤3 wood ducks, ≤3 pintails, ≤2 redheads, ≤2 canvasbacks, ≤1 scaup. 15 daily.
When can I hunt ducks, mergansers and coots in Oklahoma?
7 season rows cover October 3, 2026 to February 6, 2027.
What are the legal methods for ducks, mergansers and coots?
For ducks, mergansers and coots, ODWC permits shotgun 10 ga or smaller holding 3 shells, archery, raptors; nontoxic shot for waterfowl and coots statewide and all shotgun hunting on WDUs and refuges.
What does a duck hunter need to buy?
For ducks, mergansers and coots: Annual Hunting (resident, $36); Youth Annual Super Hunting (resident, $26); Oklahoma Waterfowl License (state stamp) (both, $21 resident / $31 nonresident); Federal Duck Stamp (both, $29 (dealers; $25 at post offices)).
When does legal shooting time start for ducks, mergansers and coots?
Hours for ducks, mergansers and coots: One-half hour before official sunrise to official sunset unless otherwise provided; COLGS extends to one-half hour after sunset; WDUs waterfowl close 1 p.m.
Other photos on this page: BaronBrian (CC BY 2.0); born1945 (CC BY 2.0); Frank.Vassen (CC BY 2.0).