Hunting Delaware this season? Keep these dates and bag limits in your pocket — free in the BlindBook app.
Delaware is part of the Atlantic Flyway, one of four major migratory bird corridors in North America. The 2026–2027 waterfowl season runs from September 1 through April 10, 2027, with 40 distinct season segments covering ducks, geese, coots, and other migratory game birds. Season dates and bag limits are set annually by the Division of Fish and Wildlife within frameworks established by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3,4 | Oct 31 – Nov 7 First Split | 6 | 18 |
| Nov 25 – Nov 29 Second Split | |||
| Dec 16 – Jan 31 Third Split |
| Species | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Mallard no more than 2 hens | 4 | 12 |
| Black Duck | 2 | 6 |
| Pintail (Northern) | 3 | 9 |
| Canvasback | 2 | 6 |
| Wood Duck | 3 | 9 |
| Redhead | 2 | 6 |
| Lesser Scaup 2 per day Jan. 12–Jan. 31 | 1 | 3 |
| Green-winged Teal | 6 | 18 |
| Northern Shoveler | 6 | 18 |
| Gadwall | 6 | 18 |
| American Wigeon | 6 | 18 |
| Common Goldeneye | 6 | 18 |
| Ring-necked Duck | 6 | 18 |
| Bufflehead | 6 | 18 |
| Ruddy Duck | 6 | 18 |
| Mottled Duck | 1 | 3 |
| Sea Ducks (general) No more than 3 scoters; 3 eiders (1 hen); 3 long-tailed ducks | 4 | 12 |
14 mallards (2 hens max); 2 black ducks; 3 pintail; 2 canvasback; 3 wood ducks; 2 redheads; 1 scaup (2/day Jan. 12–Jan. 31); 6 teal; 6 shovelers; 6 gadwall; 6 wigeon; 6 goldeneye; 6 ring-necked ducks; 6 bufflehead; 6 ruddy ducks; 1 mottled duck; 1 fulvous whistling-duck; 4 total sea ducks (no more than 3 scoters; 3 eiders (1 hen); 3 long-tailed ducks). Harlequin duck season closed.
2Regular Season, First Split
3Regular Season, Second Split
4Regular Season, Third Split. Scaup increases to 2/day from Jan. 12–Jan. 31.
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| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3,4,5 | Sep 5 – Sep 13 | 6 | 18 |
| Sep 20 – Sep 28 | |||
| Sep 20 – Sep 28 September Teal | |||
| Special Teal Zone3,6 | Sep 5 – Sep 13 | 6 | 18 |
1Limited to designated teal zone south of C&D Canal to north of Route 9 in Lewes, and east of Routes 13, 113/113A, and 1. Bag limit may include any combination of blue-winged and/or green-winged teal.
2Zone-restricted September teal season. See special teal zone map.
3Limited to designated teal zone south of C&D Canal to north of Route 9 in Lewes, east of Routes 13, 113/113A, and 1. Any combination of blue-winged and/or green-winged teal.
4September teal season restricted to Special Teal Zone only.
5September Teal season; zone-restricted to the Special September Teal Zone.
6September Teal season; zone-restricted. See Special Teal Zone Map.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13 | Sep 1 – Sep 19 Resident Canada Goose - Inside Teal Zone, First Segment | 15 | 15 |
| Sep 1 – Sep 19 Resident Canada Goose - Inside Teal Zone, Segment 1 | |||
| Sep 1 – Sep 19 Resident Canada Goose – Inside Teal Zone, Segment 1 | |||
| Sep 5 – Sep 13 Canada Goose Resident - Inside Teal Zone Segment 2 | |||
| Sep 14 – Sep 25 Canada Goose Resident - Inside Teal Zone Segment 3 | |||
| Nov 25 – Nov 29 Migratory Canada Goose / White-fronted - First Split | |||
| Nov 25 – Nov 29 Canada Goose Migratory First Split | |||
| Dec 23 – Jan 31 Migratory Canada Goose / White-fronted - Second Split | |||
| Dec 23 – Jan 31 Canada Goose Migratory Second Split | |||
| Outside the September Teal Zone14,15 | Sep 1 – Sep 25 Resident Canada Goose - Outside Teal Zone | 15 | 45 |
| Inside the September Teal Zone16,17,18,19,20,21 | Sep 1 – Sep 4 Resident Canada Goose - Inside Teal Zone, Segment 1 | 15 | 15 |
| Sep 5 – Sep 13 Resident Canada Goose - Inside Teal Zone, Segment 2 | |||
| Sep 14 – Sep 25 Resident Canada Goose - Inside Teal Zone, Segment 3 |
1Special hunting methods allowed throughout. Inside the September Teal Zone.
2Resident Canada Goose inside Teal Zone, Sept. 1–19 segment. Possession limit is 15 (not 45).
3Canada Goose (Migratory) including White-fronted geese. Bag limit 2/day.
4Migratory Canada Goose including White-fronted geese.
5Special hunting methods allowed throughout. Inside September Teal Zone only.
6Possession limit is 15 (not 3x daily) inside the teal zone.
7Resident Canada Goose inside September Teal Zone, first segment (before teal season opens).
8Inside the September Teal Zone. Special hunting methods NOT allowed during this period.
9Overlaps with September teal season. No special methods.
10Inside the September Teal Zone. Special hunting methods allowed during this period.
11Possession limit 15 per table. Special methods allowed.
12Including white-fronted geese. Bag limit 2.
13Canada Goose (Migratory) including White-fronted geese.
14Canada Goose (Resident) only.
15Outside the September Teal Zone. Bag limit 15/day.
16Canada Goose (Resident). Special hunting methods allowed Sept. 1–4 and Sept. 14–25 inside Teal Zone. Possession limit is 15 (not 3x daily).
17Inside Teal Zone; special hunting methods allowed. Footnote 1 applies.
18Canada Goose (Resident). Special hunting methods NOT allowed during this segment inside Teal Zone.
19Inside Teal Zone Sept. 5–13; special methods NOT allowed. Footnote 2 applies.
20Canada Goose (Resident). Special hunting methods allowed Sept. 14–25 inside Teal Zone.
21Inside Teal Zone Sept. 14–25; special methods allowed. Footnote 1 applies.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | Dec 19 – Jan 2 First Split | 1 | 3 |
| Jan 16 – Jan 30 Second Split |
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3 | Nov 25 – Jan 31 Regular Season First Split | 25 | – |
| Feb 1 – Feb 6 Regular Season Second Split | |||
| Feb 8 – Mar 10 Regular Season Third Split |
1Including Ross' goose.
2No possession limit stated.
3No possession limit stated. Bridges gap between regular season and CO. Feb. 7 is Youth/Vet day with 25/day bag, no CO methods.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3 | Feb 1 – Feb 6 Snow Goose Conservation Order - First Segment | – | – |
| Feb 8 – Apr 10 Snow Goose Conservation Order - Second Segment |
1No bag or possession limits. Unplugged shotguns and electronic calls permitted. Free annual permit required (register via Digital DNREC after Jan. 1). Harvest reporting required after CO closes.
2Conservation Order first segment; CO closed Feb. 7 for Youth/Vet/Military Hunt.
3Conservation Order second segment; opens Feb. 8 after Youth Hunt day (Feb. 7).
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3 | Oct 31 – Nov 7 First Split | 15 | 45 |
| Nov 1 – Jan 31 | |||
| Nov 25 – Nov 29 Second Split | |||
| Dec 16 – Jan 31 Third Split |
1Season dates same as regular duck season (3 splits).
2Season dates same as Regular Duck Season (all 3 splits: Nov. 1–9, Nov. 26–30, Dec. 17–Jan. 31).
3Coots season is same dates as duck season (3 splits). Close date listed here reflects end of final duck split.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3,4 | Oct 31 – Nov 7 First Split | 5 | 15 |
| Nov 1 – Jan 31 | |||
| Nov 25 – Nov 29 Second Split | |||
| Dec 16 – Jan 31 Third Split |
1No more than 2 hooded mergansers daily (6 in possession). Season dates same as Regular Duck Season (all 3 splits).
2Merganser season is same dates as duck season (3 splits).
3Aggregate of hooded, common, and red-breasted mergansers. No hooded merganser sub-limit.
4Same dates as Duck Season.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2 | Nov 8 – Jan 31 | 1 | 1 |
1By special permit ONLY. 1 per season.
2Tundra Swan season by special permit. Bag and possession are 1 per season.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3 | Oct 24 – Oct 24 Fall Youth/Veteran Hunt | – | – |
| Feb 7 – Feb 7 Winter Youth/Veteran Hunt |
1Youth must be under age 16. Daily bag limit same as regular seasons for each applicable species.
2Youth, Veteran's, and Active Military Waterfowl Hunt. May harvest ducks, mergansers, coots, moorhens, gallinules, Canada geese, snow geese, brant, and swans.
3Youth must be under age 16. Daily bag limit same as regular seasons for each applicable species. Snow geese may be harvested under regular season framework (25/day bag limit); no liberal CO methods allowed.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3,4 | Oct 24 – Oct 24 Youth/Veteran/Active Military Waterfowl Hunt - October | – | – |
| Feb 7 – Feb 7 Youth/Veteran/Active Military Waterfowl Hunt - February |
1Veterans and active military. Daily bag limits same as regular seasons for ducks, mergansers, coots, moorhens, gallinules, Canada geese, snow geese, brant, and swans.
2Combined Youth/Veteran/Active Military day Oct. 24. Bag limits per applicable species regular seasons.
3Veterans and active military. Daily bag limits same as regular seasons for applicable species. Snow geese may be harvested under regular season framework (bag 25); no liberal CO methods allowed.
4Combined Youth/Veteran/Active Military day Feb. 7; separate veterans row per rule 4b.
Season dates and bag limits are verified against official state wildlife agency publications and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Data shown is for the 2026-2027 season. This data was verified on August 5, 2026. Always confirm with your state's official regulations before hunting.
For waterfowl population trends, harvest analysis, and conservation research, see WaterfowlAI Insights.