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Migratory birds · 2026-27
Duck Hunting in Wisconsin
Wisconsin ducks open with early teal (Sep 1 to Sep 9, 2026) and the youth hunt (Sep 19 to Sep 20, 2026); the regular season then runs Sep 26 to Nov 24, 2026 in the Northern Zone, Oct 3 to Oct 11, 2026 and Oct 17 to Dec 6, 2026 in the Southern Zone, and Oct 17 to Dec 15, 2026 in the Open Water Zone. Dates, limits, land and rules for ducks, all from the DNR Fall 2026-Spring 2027 regulations.
Photo: USFWS/Southeast (Public domain)
The Northern and Southern zones are divided by U.S. Highways 10 and 41, and the Open Water Zone runs along Lake Michigan from the Illinois line around Door County and takes in all of Green Bay. The daily bag is six ducks, no more than four mallards (two hens), two black ducks, three pintails, two canvasbacks, two redheads and three wood ducks, and scaup by a zone schedule, plus five mergansers. A small game license and HIP certification are required, plus the Wisconsin waterfowl stamp and the federal duck stamp from age 16, and only non-toxic shot may be used.
Duck summary from the DNR
- Legal methods and dates: Early teal Sept. 1-9; youth Sept. 19-20; North Sept. 26-Nov. 24; South Oct. 3-11 & Oct. 17-Dec. 6; Open Water Oct. 17-Dec. 15.
- Bag: 6 ducks with species limits; 5 mergansers (2 hooded).
- Keep in mind: State and federal stamps, HIP; non-toxic shot; open water blind rules.
DNR regulations page, checked October 19, 2026.
GearHeading out for duck and goose season? Duck and goose gear checklist →
Duck seasons by zone and method
Each bar is one duck segment; the table gives the zone, legal method and a live status for every row.
| Segment | Zone | Methods | Opening | Closing | Days | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Youth waterfowl hunt (ducks) | Statewide | Shotgun (non-toxic), bow, crossbow | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 2 | |
| Regular duck (ducks) | Northern Duck Zone | Shotgun (non-toxic), bow, crossbow, falconry | Sep 26, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | 60 | |
| Regular duck (split 1) (ducks) | Southern Duck Zone | Shotgun (non-toxic), bow, crossbow, falconry | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | 9 | |
| Regular duck (split 2) (ducks) | Southern Duck Zone | Shotgun (non-toxic), bow, crossbow, falconry | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | 51 | |
| Regular duck (ducks) | Open Water Zone | Shotgun (non-toxic), bow, crossbow, falconry | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 15, 2026 | 60 | |
| Early teal | Statewide | Shotgun (non-toxic shot, 3-shell max), bow, crossbow, falconry | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 9, 2026 | 9 | |
| Falconry | All zones | Falconry | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 2 | |
| Falconry | North Zone | Falconry | Sep 26, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | 60 | |
| Falconry | South Zone | Falconry | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | 9 | |
| Falconry | South Zone | Falconry | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | 51 | |
| Falconry | Open Water Zone | Falconry | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 15, 2026 | 60 | |
| Falconry | All zones | Falconry | Jan 8, 2027 | Feb 12, 2027 | 36 | |
| Falconry | Statewide | Falconry | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 9, 2026 | 9 |
Small print on the duck dates
- Ages 15 and under with adult mentor; license and stamp requirements waived; HIP required; bag same as regular duck season.
- Scaup 2/day Sept. 26-Nov. 9, 1/day Nov. 10-24.
- Scaup 1/day Oct. 17-22, 2/day Oct. 23-Dec. 6.
- Scaup 2/day Oct. 17-Nov. 30, 1/day Dec. 1-15.
- Daily bag 6. Shooting hours sunrise to sunset.
From the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Fall 2026-Spring 2027 regulations and the season dates page, checked October 19, 2026.
Duck bag limits and licenses
These duck limits are statewide unless a property sets its own rules.
Ducks (regular season)
6 ducks daily, no more than 4 mallards (2 hens), 2 black ducks, 3 pintail, 2 canvasbacks, 2 redheads, 3 wood ducks and scaup per zone schedule (1 or 2); other species combined to 6. Plus 5 mergansers (no more than 2 hooded).
Teal (early season)
6 daily.
Migratory game birds (possession rule)
Possession limit 3 times the daily bag; no more than the daily bag while in transit between harvest site and abode.
Falconry (migratory birds)
3 daily in aggregate, including no more than the Canada goose limit for the zone/season; possession 3x daily.
Duck license costs
| Product | Res. | Nonres. |
|---|---|---|
| Small game license | $18.00 | $90.00 |
| HIP certification | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Wisconsin waterfowl stamp | $12.00 | $12.00 |
| Federal duck stamp | Set federally | Set federally |
DNR regulations, Go Wild resident list and nonresident list, checked October 19, 2026. Wisconsin hunting license guide.
Duck zones in Wisconsin
Open water hunting has its own blind rules by waterbody.
Northern Duck Zone
39 counties wholly or partly
Southern Duck Zone
43 counties wholly or partly
Open Water Zone
Runs from the Lake Michigan border with Illinois around Door County and contains all of Green Bay; extends 500 feet from the mainland shore (mainland shore includes adjacent rooted vegetation, adjacent floating cattail and Green Bay's Long Tail and Little Tail Points).
Open water rules for duck hunters
| Waterbody | Distance from shore | Anchored | Removed daily |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Pepin and Grant County portions of the Mississippi River | No minimum | Yes | Yes |
| All other Mississippi River areas | Max. 100 ft. | Yes | Yes |
| Big Green Lake, Great Lakes and Green Bay | Min. 500 ft. | No | Yes |
| Beaver Dam Lake (excl. Rakes and Trestle Works bays), Castle Rock Lake (S of RR bridge and Cty. G), Fence Lake, Grindstone Lake, Lake Puckaway (W of W end of dredge bank), Lake Winnebago, Lake Wisconsin (N of RR bridge), Lake Wissota (S of Cty. S, N of Cty. X), North Twin Lake, Petenwell Flowage (N of Hwy 21, S of Hwy 73), Shawano Lake, Trout Lake | Min. 500 ft. | Yes | Yes |
Open Water Zone description, open water restrictions, checked October 19, 2026.
Duck ground: harvest leaders and public land
183 properties list waterfowl, from Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest down.
| Public area | Kind | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest | National Forest | Ashland, Bayfield, Florence… | 1,526,925 |
| Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge 80,794 ac | National Wildlife Refuge | La Crosse, Grant, Crawford… | 80,794 |
| Black River State Forest | State Forest | Jackson, Clark | 68,861 |
| Meadow Valley Wildlife Area | State Wildlife Area | Juneau, Monroe, Wood… | 58,071 |
| Brule River State Forest | State Forest | Douglas | 47,314 |
| Fort McCoy | Military Installation | Monroe | 45,648 |
| Necedah National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | Juneau | 45,000 |
| Apostle Islands National Lakeshore | National Lakeshore | Ashland, Bayfield | 42,863 |
| George W. Mead Wildlife Area 32,624 ac | State Wildlife Area | Marathon, Portage, Wood | 32,624 |
| Crex Meadows Wildlife Area | State Wildlife Area | Burnett | 29,800 |
| Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway 20,195 ac | National Scenic Riverway | Burnett, Washburn, Polk… | 20,195 |
| Wood County Wildlife Area | State Wildlife Area | Wood | 19,240 |
| Navarino Wildlife Area | State Wildlife Area | Shawano, Waupaca | 14,518 |
| Hay Creek-Hoffman Lake Wildlife Area 14,489 ac | State Wildlife Area | Iron, Ashland | 14,489 |
| Tiffany Wildlife Area | State Wildlife Area | Buffalo, Pepin | 14,004 |
Smaller duck properties
Fish Lake Wildlife Area · Leopold Wetland Management District · Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program Lands · White River Marsh Wildlife Area · Buena Vista Wildlife Area · Governor Earl Peshtigo River State Forest · Horicon Marsh Wildlife Area · Glacial Habitat Restoration Areas · Waterloo Wildlife Area · Upper Wolf River Fishery Area · St. Croix Wetland Management District · Grand River Marsh Wildlife Area · Killsnake Wildlife Area · Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge · Eldorado Wildlife Area · Theresa Marsh Wildlife Area · Pine Island Wildlife Area · Kickapoo River Wildlife Area – Wauzeka Unit · Amsterdam Sloughs Wildlife Area · Dike 17 Wildlife Area · Brillion Wildlife Area · Richard Bong State Recreation Area · Dunnville Wildlife Area · Vernon Wildlife Area · Powell Marsh Wildlife Area · Avon Bottoms Wildlife Area · Collins Marsh Wildlife Area · Buckhorn State Park · Princes Point Wildlife Area · Muddy Creek Wildlife Area · French Creek Wildlife Area · Peter Helland Wildlife Area · Poygan Marsh Wildlife Area · Paul J. Olson Wildlife Area · Jefferson Marsh Wildlife Area · Thunder Lake Wildlife Area · Loon Lake Wildlife Area · Wolf River Bottoms Wildlife Area – La Sage Unit · Rice Beds Creek Wildlife Area · Lima Marsh-Storrs Lake Wildlife Area · Brooklyn Wildlife Area · Cylon Wildlife Area · C.D. Besadny Fish and Wildlife Area · New Wood Wildlife Area · Lake Mills Wildlife Area
Properties and their game lists from DNR property pages, the DNR managed lands layer and federal managers, retrieved 2026-10-19. Wisconsin public land directory · County guides.
The DNR rulebook for ducks
Before going after ducks, check these registration, hour and bait rules.
Registration
Ducks are not registered; instead every hunter needs free HIP certification, added at license purchase.
Shooting hours
The duck day runs from a half hour before sunrise until sunset, the federal migratory bird window printed in the DNR tables. Early teal hunters wait for sunrise to start.
Orange rule
Ducks are waterfowl, and waterfowl hunters do not have to wear orange or pink.
Bait rules
Hunting ducks over bait is illegal, and a baited area stays off limits for 10 days after the bait is gone.
Sundays
No Sunday closure appears in the regulations, statutes or NR 10 for ducks.
Open water blinds
Illegal to hunt waterfowl in open water from or with the aid of any blind (including boats) except within 3 ft of shoreline or of naturally occurring rooted vegetation concealing 50%; standing on the bottom without a blind is legal; jump shooting from non-motorized boats on narrow streams allowed.
Youth waterfowl hunt
Youth waterfowl hunt Sept. 19-20, 2026 for 15 and under; license/stamp requirements waived; HIP required; adult mentor may accompany one youth (two if one is 12-15 with hunter ed); mentor may hunt only geese with the proper goose permit; adults may not hunt ducks.
Early teal hours
Early teal shooting runs from sunrise to sunset, not a half hour before sunrise.
Duck hours on key days
| Day | Opener or close | Northern Area | Southern Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 15, 2026 | Regular duck closes | 6:54 a.m. to 4:07 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 4:14 p.m. |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Regular duck (split 2) closes | 6:46 a.m. to 4:06 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 4:14 p.m. |
| Nov 24, 2026 | Regular duck closes | 6:32 a.m. to 4:11 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 4:18 p.m. |
| Oct 11, 2026 | Regular duck (split 1) closes | 6:31 a.m. to 6:11 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 6:14 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Regular duck (split 2) opens | 6:39 a.m. to 6:01 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 6:04 p.m. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Regular duck (split 1) opens | 6:21 a.m. to 6:26 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 6:28 p.m. |
| Sep 1, 2026 | Early teal opens | 6:11 a.m. to 7:28 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. to 7:26 p.m. |
| Sep 19, 2026 | Youth waterfowl hunt opens | 6:04 a.m. to 6:53 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 6:54 p.m. |
| Sep 20, 2026 | Youth waterfowl hunt closes | 6:05 a.m. to 6:51 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. to 6:52 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Regular duck opens | 6:12 a.m. to 6:40 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 6:41 p.m. |
From the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Fall 2026-Spring 2027 regulations: registration, blaze orange, baiting, shooting hours tables, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours by county · Wisconsin hunting laws.
Duck weapon rules
Allowed and banned equipment for ducks, side by side.
| Group | What is legal | What is not |
|---|---|---|
| Migratory game birds | Shotgun fired from the shoulder (max 3 shells, plugged), bow, crossbow, falconry; non-toxic shot BB, BBB, T, F or smaller. | Lead/toxic shot for ducks, geese, snipe, rails, coot, gallinule (and dove on DNR land); rifles, handguns, traps, nets; sink boxes; moving motorboats; electronic calls; live decoys; more than 200 ft decoy spread from cover; bait. |
Method limits on ducks
Waterfowl blinds on state property
Not before 7 days prior to the season or left more than 7 days after; must carry owner name, address and customer ID in 1 in. letters to occupy.
Electronic calls and decoys
No recorded/electronic calls for turkey or migratory birds; no live/electronic turkey decoys; waterfowl decoys not more than 200 ft from cover, not out more than 1 hour before or 20 minutes after shooting hours, not unattended in water.
Migratory bird transport and tagging
Head or one fully feathered wing attached in transit to the permanent abode; birds left with another person tagged with signature, address, number by species and dates; possession 3x daily bag.
Firearm transport
Firearms (except handguns) unloaded inside any vehicle and on moving vehicles; may be loaded on (not inside) a stationary vehicle; crossbows uncocked/unloaded in or on moving vehicles; all firearms/bows/crossbows unloaded in a motorboat with motor running. Shooting from an unhitched wagon allowed.
Wisconsin hunting regulations weapons and methods pages, Wis. Stat. ch. 29 and NR 10, checked October 19, 2026.
Common Wisconsin duck questions
What is the scaup limit in Wisconsin?
It changes by date and zone: Northern Duck Zone: 2/day Sept. 26-Nov. 9, 1/day Nov. 10-24.; Southern Duck Zone: 1/day Oct. 3-11.; Southern Duck Zone: 1/day Oct. 17-22, 2/day Oct. 23-Dec. 6.; Open Water Zone: 2/day Oct. 17-Nov. 30, 1/day Dec. 1-15.
When is early teal season in Wisconsin?
Sep 1 to Sep 9, 2026, six teal a day, from sunrise to sunset.
Can I hunt ducks from a boat on open water?
Illegal to hunt waterfowl in open water from or with the aid of any blind (including boats) except within 3 ft of shoreline or of naturally occurring rooted vegetation concealing 50%; standing on the bottom without a blind is legal; jump shooting from non-motorized boats on narrow streams allowed.
Where does the Open Water Zone start?
Runs from the Lake Michigan border with Illinois around Door County and contains all of Green Bay; extends 500 feet from the mainland shore (mainland shore includes adjacent rooted vegetation, adjacent floating cattail and Green Bay's Long Tail and Little Tail Points).
How many ducks may go in the bag under DNR rules?
6 ducks daily, no more than 4 mallards (2 hens), 2 black ducks, 3 pintail, 2 canvasbacks, 2 redheads, 3 wood ducks and scaup per zone schedule (1 or 2); other species combined to 6. Plus 5 mergansers (no more than 2 hooded). 6 daily.
Which Go Wild licenses cover ducks?
Required or relevant, at resident prices: Small game license ($18.00); HIP certification ($0.00); Wisconsin waterfowl stamp ($12.00); the federal duck stamp.
Which wildlife areas and forests carry ducks?
183 public properties, including Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge and Black River State Forest.
How long after sunset can ducks be taken?
The duck day runs from a half hour before sunrise until sunset, the federal migratory bird window printed in the DNR tables. Early teal hunters wait for sunrise to start.
Does the 50% blaze rule cover ducks?
Ducks are waterfowl, and waterfowl hunters do not have to wear orange or pink.
May ducks be hunted near feed?
Hunting ducks over bait is illegal, and a baited area stays off limits for 10 days after the bait is gone.
Do I have to register ducks in Wisconsin?
Ducks are not registered; instead every hunter needs free HIP certification, added at license purchase.
Does Wisconsin close Sunday hunting for ducks?
No Sunday closure appears in the regulations, statutes or NR 10 for ducks.
Which guns, bows and loads work for ducks?
Migratory game birds: Shotgun fired from the shoulder (max 3 shells, plugged), bow, crossbow, falconry; non-toxic shot BB, BBB, T, F or smaller.
When is the opener for ducks under the DNR 2026-27 rules?
The DNR sets ducks at youth waterfowl hunt Sep 19 to Sep 20, 2026; regular duck Sep 26 to Nov 24, 2026 (Northern Duck Zone); regular duck (split 1) Oct 3 to Oct 11, 2026 (Southern Duck Zone); regular duck (split 2) Oct 17 to Dec 6, 2026 (Southern Duck Zone); regular duck Oct 17 to Dec 15, 2026 (Open Water Zone). The full duck table is above.
Final notes on ducks
Before the duck trip, confirm your license, the property rules and the blaze orange rule for the dates you hunt.
Other photos on this page: Deborah Freeman (CC BY-SA 2.0); Chris Bowman (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain).