Read from Department of Natural Resources on September 6, 2026.
Seasons and limits change, and corrections are issued mid-season. Confirm with Department of Natural Resources before you hunt.
Open the official Iowa regulationsHunting Iowa this season? Keep these dates and bag limits in your pocket — free in the BlindBook app.
Iowa is part of the Mississippi Flyway, one of four major migratory bird corridors in North America. The 2026–2027 waterfowl season runs from September 1 through January 23, 2027, with 49 distinct season segments covering ducks, geese, coots, and other migratory game birds. Season dates and bag limits are set annually by the Department of Natural Resources within frameworks established by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Season dates, bag limits, shooting hours, and other regulatory information are provided for convenience only, may be inaccurate or out of date, and do not constitute legal advice. You are solely responsible for verifying current regulations with your state or provincial wildlife agency before every hunt.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2,3 | Oct 3 – Oct 9 First Split | 6 4 mallards (2 hens max), 3 wood ducks, 3 pintail, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasback; Scaup: 1 for first 15 days of season | 18 |
| Oct 17 – Dec 8 Second Split | 6 4 mallards (2 hens max), 3 wood ducks, 3 pintail, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasback; Scaup: 1 for first 15 days (through Oct. 18), 2 thereafter | 18 | |
| Central Zone1,4,5 | Oct 10 – Oct 16 First Split | 6 4 mallards (2 hens max), 3 wood ducks, 3 pintail, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasback; Scaup: 1 for first 15 days of season | 18 |
| Oct 24 – Dec 15 Second Split | 6 4 mallards (2 hens max), 3 wood ducks, 3 pintail, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasback; Scaup: 1 for first 15 days (through Oct. 25), 2 thereafter | 18 | |
| South Zone1,6,7 | Oct 17 – Oct 23 First Split | 6 4 mallards (2 hens max), 3 wood ducks, 3 pintail, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasback; Scaup: 1 for first 15 days of season | 18 |
| Oct 31 – Dec 22 Second Split | 6 4 mallards (2 hens max), 3 wood ducks, 3 pintail, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasback; Scaup: 1 for first 15 days (through Nov. 1), 2 thereafter | 18 |
| Species | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Mallard no more than 2 may be female | 4 | 12 |
| Wood Duck | 3 | 9 |
| Pintail (Northern) | 3 | 9 |
| Redhead | 2 | 6 |
| Black Duck | 2 | 6 |
| Canvasback | 2 | 6 |
| Lesser Scaup Central Zone · 1/day for first 15 days of season (through Oct. 25); 2/day beginning Oct. 26 | 2 | 6 |
| Lesser Scaup North Zone · 1 for first 15 days; 2-bird daily bag limit begins Oct. 19 in North Zone | 1 | 3 |
| Lesser Scaup South Zone · 1 for first 15 days; 2-bird daily bag limit begins Nov. 2 in South Zone | 1 | 3 |
| Lesser Scaup North Zone · 1/day for first 15 days of season (through Oct. 18); 2/day beginning Oct. 19 | 2 | 6 |
| Lesser Scaup Central Zone · 1 for first 15 days; 2-bird daily bag limit begins Oct. 26 in Central Zone | 1 | 3 |
| Lesser Scaup South Zone · 1/day for first 15 days (through Nov. 1); 2/day beginning Nov. 2 | 2 | 6 |
14 mallards (2 hens max), 3 wood ducks, 3 pintail, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasback; Scaup: 1 for first 15 days of season
24 mallards (2 hens max), 3 wood ducks, 3 pintail, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasback; Scaup: 1 for first 15 days (through Oct. 18), 2 thereafter
3Scaup 2-bird daily bag limit begins Oct. 19 in the North Zone
44 mallards (2 hens max), 3 wood ducks, 3 pintail, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasback; Scaup: 1 for first 15 days (through Oct. 25), 2 thereafter
5Scaup 2-bird daily bag limit begins Oct. 26 in Central Zone
64 mallards (2 hens max), 3 wood ducks, 3 pintail, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasback; Scaup: 1 for first 15 days (through Nov. 1), 2 thereafter
7Scaup 2-bird daily bag limit begins Nov. 2 in South Zone
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| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3 | Sep 5 – Sep 13 | 6 Blue-winged, Green-winged & Cinnamon teal only | 18 |
| Sep 5 – Sep 13 Special September Teal | 6 | 18 |
1Blue-winged, Green-winged & Cinnamon teal only
2Special September Teal season, statewide
3Bag backfilled 2026-09-14 from the Iowa DNR regs PDF: "SPECIAL SEPTEMBER TEAL Sept. 5-13 Daily limit is 6"; possession is 3x daily.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2,3,4 | Sep 26 – Oct 11 First Segment | 5 No more than 2 Canada geese during first segment; includes white-fronted geese and brant | 15 |
| Oct 17 – Dec 8 Second Segment | 5 No more than 3 Canada geese beginning with second segment; includes white-fronted geese and brant | 15 | |
| Dec 12 – Jan 9 Third Segment | 5 No more than 3 Canada geese; includes white-fronted geese and brant | 15 | |
| Central Zone1,3,4 | Oct 3 – Oct 18 First Segment | 5 No more than 2 Canada geese during first segment; includes white-fronted geese and brant | 15 |
| Oct 24 – Dec 15 Second Segment | 5 No more than 3 Canada geese beginning with second segment; includes white-fronted geese and brant | 15 | |
| Dec 19 – Jan 16 Third Segment | 5 No more than 3 Canada geese; includes white-fronted geese and brant | 15 | |
| South Zone1,3,4 | Oct 10 – Oct 25 First Segment | 5 No more than 2 Canada geese during first segment; includes white-fronted geese and brant | 15 |
| Oct 31 – Dec 22 Second Segment | 5 No more than 3 Canada geese beginning with second segment; includes white-fronted geese and brant | 15 | |
| Dec 26 – Jan 23 Third Segment | 5 No more than 3 Canada geese; includes white-fronted geese and brant | 15 | |
| Cedar Rapids-Iowa City Metro Canada Goose Zone5,6Iowa DNR 2026-27: metro Canada goose zone, Sept. 12-20, daily limit 5. | Sep 12 – Sep 20 Special September Season | 5 Additional regulations apply. In specified areas only. Includes Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Zone, Des Moines Zone, and Waterloo/Cedar Falls Zone. | 15 |
| Des Moines Metro Canada Goose Zone5,6Iowa DNR 2026-27: metro Canada goose zone, Sept. 12-20, daily limit 5. | Sep 12 – Sep 20 Special September Season | 5 Additional regulations apply. In specified areas only. Includes Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Zone, Des Moines Zone, and Waterloo/Cedar Falls Zone. | 15 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls Metro Canada Goose Zone5,6Iowa DNR 2026-27: metro Canada goose zone, Sept. 12-20, daily limit 5. | Sep 12 – Sep 20 Special September Season | 5 Additional regulations apply. In specified areas only. Includes Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Zone, Des Moines Zone, and Waterloo/Cedar Falls Zone. | 15 |
1No more than 2 Canada geese during first segment; includes white-fronted geese and brant
2Geese season (Canada geese and associated dark geese)
3No more than 3 Canada geese beginning with second segment; includes white-fronted geese and brant
4No more than 3 Canada geese; includes white-fronted geese and brant
5Additional regulations apply. In specified areas only. Includes Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Zone, Des Moines Zone, and Waterloo/Cedar Falls Zone.
6Metropolitan Canada Goose Hunting Season in specified areas. Additional regulations apply.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2,3 | Sep 26 – Oct 11 First Segment | 20 White and blue-phase snow geese and Ross' geese only; no possession limit | – |
| Oct 17 – Dec 8 Second Segment | 20 White and blue-phase snow geese and Ross' geese only; no possession limit | – | |
| Dec 12 – Jan 9 Third Segment | 20 White and blue-phase snow geese and Ross' geese only; no possession limit | – | |
| Central Zone1,3 | Oct 3 – Oct 18 First Segment | 20 White and blue-phase snow geese and Ross' geese only; no possession limit | – |
| Oct 24 – Dec 15 Second Segment | 20 White and blue-phase snow geese and Ross' geese only; no possession limit | – | |
| Dec 19 – Jan 16 Third Segment | 20 White and blue-phase snow geese and Ross' geese only; no possession limit | – | |
| South Zone1,3 | Oct 10 – Oct 25 First Segment | 20 White and blue-phase snow geese and Ross' geese only; no possession limit | – |
| Oct 31 – Dec 22 Second Segment | 20 White and blue-phase snow geese and Ross' geese only; no possession limit | – | |
| Dec 26 – Jan 23 Third Segment | 20 White and blue-phase snow geese and Ross' geese only; no possession limit | – |
1White and blue-phase snow geese and Ross' geese only; no possession limit
2Light geese run concurrent with dark geese season per p. 10 table
3Concurrent with dark geese season
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2 | Jan 24 – May 1 Light Goose Conservation Order | – White & blue phase snow geese and Ross' geese only; no daily bag or possession limit; electronic callers and unplugged shotguns allowed; federal duck stamp not required | – |
1White & blue phase snow geese and Ross' geese only; no daily bag or possession limit; electronic callers and unplugged shotguns allowed; federal duck stamp not required
2Light Goose Conservation Order; additional regulations apply. See p. 21.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1 | Oct 3 – Oct 9 First Split | 15 | 45 |
| Oct 17 – Dec 8 Second Split | 15 | 45 | |
| Central Zone1 | Oct 10 – Oct 16 First Split | 15 | 45 |
| Oct 24 – Dec 15 Second Split | 15 | 45 | |
| South Zone1 | Oct 17 – Oct 23 First Split | 15 | 45 |
| Oct 31 – Dec 22 Second Split | 15 | 45 |
1Concurrent with duck season; dates inherited from duck season
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2 | Oct 3 – Oct 9 First Split | 5 No more than 2 hooded mergansers | 15 |
| Oct 17 – Dec 8 Second Split | 5 No more than 2 hooded mergansers | 15 | |
| Central Zone1,2 | Oct 10 – Oct 16 First Split | 5 No more than 2 hooded mergansers | 15 |
| Oct 24 – Dec 15 Second Split | 5 No more than 2 hooded mergansers | 15 | |
| South Zone1,2 | Oct 17 – Oct 23 First Split | 5 No more than 2 hooded mergansers | 15 |
| Oct 31 – Dec 22 Second Split | 5 No more than 2 hooded mergansers | 15 |
1No more than 2 hooded mergansers
2Concurrent with duck season; dates inherited from duck season
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2 | Sep 26 – Sep 27 | 6 Youth hunters ages 15 or younger; bag limits conform to regular waterfowl seasons | 18 |
| Central Zone1,2 | Oct 3 – Oct 4 | 6 Youth hunters ages 15 or younger; bag limits conform to regular waterfowl seasons | 18 |
| South Zone1,2 | Oct 10 – Oct 11 | 6 Youth hunters ages 15 or younger; bag limits conform to regular waterfowl seasons | 18 |
1Youth hunters ages 15 or younger; bag limits conform to regular waterfowl seasons
2Shooting hours and daily bag limits conform to those set for the regular waterfowl seasons
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 | Sep 1 – Nov 29 Mourning Dove | 15 Mourning Dove and Eurasian Collared Dove; plug required limiting gun to 3 shells; HIP registration required | 45 |
| Sep 5 – Nov 13 Rails | 12 Sora and Virginia Rails | 36 | |
| Sep 5 – Nov 30 Snipe | 8 Common Snipe (Wilson's Snipe) | 24 | |
| Oct 3 – Nov 16 Woodcock | 3 Woodcock; shooting hours are sunrise to sunset (exception to general rule) | 9 |
1Mourning Dove and Eurasian Collared Dove; plug required limiting gun to 3 shells; HIP registration required
2Dove season; shooting hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset per general rule
3Sora and Virginia Rails
4Rail season
5Woodcock; shooting hours are sunrise to sunset (exception to general rule)
6Woodcock season; sunrise to sunset shooting hours per general migratory bird regulations exception
7Common Snipe (Wilson's Snipe)
8Snipe season
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 September 6, 2026. Always confirm with the official regulations before hunting.
For waterfowl population trends, harvest analysis, and conservation research, see WaterfowlAI Insights.