Hunting Kentucky this season? Keep these dates and bag limits in your pocket — free in the BlindBook app.
Kentucky 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 March 31, 2027, with 22 distinct season segments covering ducks, geese, coots, and other migratory game birds. Season dates and bag limits are set annually by the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources within frameworks established by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3,4 | Nov 26 – Nov 29 Thanksgiving Segment | 6 | 18 |
| Dec 7 – Jan 31 Second Segment |
| Species | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Mallard No more than 2 hens | 4 | 12 |
| Wood Duck | 3 | 9 |
| Redhead | 2 | 6 |
| Pintail (Northern) | 3 | 9 |
| Black Duck | 2 | 6 |
| Canvasback | 2 | 6 |
| Lesser Scaup Statewide · 1 scaup Nov. 26–29 | 1 | 3 |
| Lesser Scaup Statewide · 1 scaup Nov. 28–Dec. 17; 2 scaup Dec. 18–Jan. 31 | 1 | 3 |
| Mottled Duck Statewide · Listed separately in duck species table | 1 | 3 |
| Mottled Duck Statewide · Per duck species table | 1 | 3 |
14 mallards (2 hens max), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 3 pintails, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 1 scaup
2Thanksgiving segment: Nov. 26–29, 2026; scaup limit is 1 during this segment
34 mallards (2 hens max); 3 wood ducks; 2 redheads; 3 pintails; 2 black ducks; 2 canvasbacks; 1 scaup Dec. 7–Dec. 17; 2 scaup Dec. 18–Jan. 31
4Second segment Dec. 7, 2026–Jan. 31, 2027 (56 consecutive days).
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| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2 | Sep 19 – Sep 23 | 6 | 18 |
1No more than 2 wood ducks in the daily bag; no more than 6 wood ducks in possession
2Season covers teal (blue-winged, green-winged, cinnamon) and wood ducks; 5-day season beginning third Saturday in September
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2 | Nov 26 – Feb 15 Regular Season | 5 | 15 |
| Eastern Goose Zone3,4 | Sep 16 – Sep 30 September Canada Goose | 5 | 15 |
| Western Goose Zone5,6 | Sep 1 – Sep 15 September Canada Goose | 5 | 15 |
15 combined dark geese: 3 Canada geese (including cackling), 2 greater white-fronted geese, 1 brant; brant harvest requires reducing Canada or white-fronted geese so total ≤5
2Canada/Cackling Goose, White-fronted Goose & Brant combined season Nov. 26, 2026–Feb. 15, 2027
3Canada geese only (resident birds). Eastern Zone.
4September Canada Goose season; Eastern Zone Sept. 16–30.
5Canada geese only (resident birds). Western Zone.
6September Canada Goose season; Western Zone Sept. 1–15.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1 | Nov 26 – Feb 15 Regular Season | 20 | 60 |
1Snow goose (including Ross's goose) regular season concurrent with dark geese season
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2 | Feb 16 – Mar 31 Light Goose Conservation Order | – | – |
1No daily bag or possession limit. Electronic callers permitted. Unplugged guns allowed. Mandatory FREE permit required.
2†Mandatory FREE Snow Goose Conservation Order Permit required. Must report hunting activity by April 10.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3 | Nov 26 – Jan 31 | 15 | 45 |
| Nov 26 – Nov 29 Thanksgiving Segment | |||
| Dec 7 – Jan 31 Second Segment |
1Coot season same dates as duck season (both splits: Nov 26–29 and Dec 7–Jan 31). Table shows same dates row with rowspan.
2Coot season concurrent with duck season; same split dates.
3Coot season concurrent with duck season second segment.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3,4,5 | Nov 26 – Nov 29 Thanksgiving Segment | 5 | 15 |
| Nov 26 – Jan 31 | |||
| Dec 7 – Jan 31 Second Segment |
1Only 2 may be hooded mergansers
2Merganser season concurrent with duck season; includes common, red-breasted, and hooded.
3No more than 2 hooded mergansers
4Same dates as duck season. Possession = triple daily bag = 15.
5Merganser season concurrent with duck season second segment.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2 | Dec 7 – Jan 31 | 2 | 3 |
1Daily bag limit is 2 for permit holders with 2+ tags, or 1 for hunters with 1 tag. Permit required (quota hunt drawing in September). Hunters must telecheck harvested birds on day taken.
2Possession limit 3 per table. Permit only via quota hunt drawing. Post-season survey required within 14 days of season close.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3,4 | Nov 21 – Nov 21 Youth-Only Waterfowl - First Day | 6 | 18 |
| Feb 13 – Feb 13 Youth-Only Waterfowl (Second Day) |
1Scaup limit is 2 daily; youth must not have reached 16th birthday on day of hunt; adults may accompany but may not harvest ducks or geese
2First youth day: Saturday before Thanksgiving; same bag limits as regular season with scaup limit of 2
3Scaup limit is 2 daily; same as regular seasons otherwise. Adults may accompany; may harvest geese but not ducks.
4Second youth day. Adults may accompany and may harvest geese but not ducks.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3,4 | Nov 22 – Nov 22 First Veterans Day | 6 | 18 |
| Feb 14 – Feb 14 Military/Veteran-Only Waterfowl (Second Day) |
1Scaup limit is 2 scaup daily. Non-veterans may accompany but may not harvest ducks and geese.
2Sunday before Thanksgiving. Same limits as regular seasons per table.
3Scaup limit is 2 daily; same as regular seasons otherwise. Non-veterans may accompany; may harvest geese but not ducks.
4Second veteran/military day. Non-veterans may accompany and may harvest geese but not ducks.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3,4,5,6 | Nov 26 – Feb 15 Falconry - Geese | – | – |
| Nov 26 – Feb 15 Falconry - Geese | |||
| Nov 26 – Feb 21 Falconry - Ducks, Coots & Mergansers |
1Same as regular goose season
2Falconry for geese: Nov. 26, 2026–Feb. 15, 2027; same limits as regular goose season
3Same as regular goose season.
4Table states 'Same as regular season*' for bag/dates. Dates inferred as matching regular goose season Nov. 26–Feb. 15.
5Pit and blind restrictions at some WMAs do not apply to falconers when gun/archery seasons are not open
6Falconry for ducks, coots & mergansers: Nov. 26, 2026–Feb. 21, 2027
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 1, 2026. Always confirm with your state's official regulations before hunting.
For waterfowl population trends, harvest analysis, and conservation research, see WaterfowlAI Insights.