Maryland 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 March 10, 2027, with 35 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.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Zone1,2,3,4,5,6 | Oct 10 – Oct 17 First Split | 6 | 18 |
| Nov 14 – Nov 27 Second Split | |||
| Dec 15 – Jan 30 Third Split | |||
| Western Zone3,5,7,8,9,10 | Oct 3 – Oct 17 First Split | 6 | 18 |
| Nov 21 – Nov 27 Second Split | |||
| Dec 15 – Jan 30 Third Split |
| Species | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Pintail (Northern) | 1 | 3 |
| Wood Duck | 3 | 9 |
| Redhead | 2 | 6 |
| Mallard No more than 2 hens | 4 | 12 |
| Canvasback | 2 | 6 |
| Lesser Scaup | 1 | 3 |
| Greater Scaup | 1 | 3 |
| Black Duck | 2 | 6 |
14 mallards (2 hens max); 3 wood ducks; 2 canvasbacks; 3 pintails; 2 redheads; 1 scaup/day (2/day Jan 8–Jan 30); 1 fulvous tree duck; 1 mottled duck; 4 sea ducks (max 3 scoters, 3 long-tailed ducks, 3 eiders/1 eider hen). No harlequin ducks. Black ducks NOT included (no Black Duck Season this split).
2Possession limit is 3x daily bag (18). Three-split season for Eastern Zone.
34 mallards (2 hens max); 3 wood ducks; 2 black ducks (Black Duck Season only); 2 canvasbacks; 3 pintails; 2 redheads; 1 scaup/day; 1 fulvous tree duck; 1 mottled duck; 4 sea ducks (max 3 scoters, 3 long-tailed ducks, 3 eiders/1 eider hen). No harlequin ducks.
4Black Duck Season also open Nov. 14–Nov. 27 in Eastern Zone.
54 mallards (2 hens max); 3 wood ducks; 2 black ducks (Black Duck Season only); 2 canvasbacks; 3 pintails; 2 redheads; 1 scaup/day (2/day Jan 8–Jan 30); 1 fulvous tree duck; 1 mottled duck; 4 sea ducks (max 3 scoters, 3 long-tailed ducks, 3 eiders/1 eider hen). No harlequin ducks.
6Black Duck Season also open Dec. 15–Jan. 30 in Eastern Zone.
74 mallards (2 hens max); 3 wood ducks; 2 canvasbacks; 3 pintails; 2 redheads; 1 scaup/day (2/day Jan 8–Jan 30); 1 fulvous tree duck; 1 mottled duck; 4 sea ducks (max 3 scoters, 3 long-tailed ducks, 3 eiders/1 eider hen). No harlequin ducks. Black ducks NOT included this split.
8Three-split season for Western Zone.
9Black Duck Season also open Nov. 21–Nov. 27 in Western Zone.
10Black Duck Season also open Dec. 15–Jan. 30 in Western Zone.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2 | Sep 17 – Sep 26 Special September Teal Season | 6 | 18 |
| Eastern Zone3,4 | Sep 17 – Sep 26 Special September Teal Season | 6 | 18 |
1Blue-winged and green-winged teal only. Open in specific Eastern Shore and partial Anne Arundel, Prince George's, and Charles counties only.
2Not truly statewide — limited to listed counties (Eastern Shore + parts of Anne Arundel, PG, Charles). Used 'Statewide' zone as no Eastern/Western zone distinction is made for teal.
3Blue-winged and green-winged teal only. Open in specific counties (Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Harford, Kent, Queen Anne's, St. Mary's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, Worcester, and parts of Anne Arundel, Prince George's, and Charles counties).
4Season is statewide in named Eastern-type counties only; mapped to Eastern Zone as closest match. Page notes dates contingent on USFWS approval.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Zone1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 | Sep 1 – Sep 15 Early Resident Canada Goose Season | 8 | 24 |
| Nov 21 – Nov 23 Late Southern Maryland Resident Canada Goose - Segment 1 | |||
| Nov 24 – Nov 27 Migratory Canada Goose (Atlantic Population) - First Split | |||
| Nov 24 – Nov 27 Late Southern Maryland Resident Canada Goose - Segment 2 | |||
| Dec 15 – Jan 30 Migratory Canada Goose (Atlantic Population) - Second Split | |||
| Dec 15 – Jan 30 Late Southern Maryland Resident Canada Goose - Segment 3 | |||
| Feb 1 – Mar 10 Late Southern Maryland Resident Canada Goose - Segment 4 | |||
| Western Zone3,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20 | Sep 1 – Sep 25 Early Resident Canada Goose Season | 8 | 24 |
| Nov 21 – Nov 23 Late Southern Maryland Resident Canada Goose – Split 1 | |||
| Nov 21 – Nov 27 Late Western Maryland Resident Canada Goose - Segment 1 | |||
| Nov 24 – Nov 27 Late Southern Maryland Resident Canada Goose – Split 2 | |||
| Dec 15 – Mar 10 Late Western Maryland Resident Canada Goose - Segment 2 | |||
| Dec 15 – Jan 30 Late Southern Maryland Resident Canada Goose – Split 3 | |||
| Feb 1 – Mar 10 Late Southern Maryland Resident Canada Goose – Split 4 |
1Bag limit may include Canada geese, cackling geese, and white-fronted geese. Atlantic Population Hunt Zone only (specific counties listed).
2Atlantic Population Hunt Zone spans parts of Eastern and some Western counties; mapped as Eastern Zone here per zone structure. Zone boundary roughly aligns with Eastern Zone.
3Shotguns capable of holding more than 3 shells may be used during September season only.
4Early resident Canada goose season; Eastern Zone counties listed on page.
5Includes Canada geese, cackling geese, white-fronted geese singly or in aggregate. Zone: Montgomery Co.; portion of Prince George's Co. west of Rt 3/301; portion of Charles Co. west of Rt 301.
6Late Southern Maryland Resident Canada Goose Zone — this zone is technically in the Western/central part of the state but not a strict Eastern/Western zone designation per the duck zones. Assigned Eastern Zone as a best-fit since the known zone list doesn't include a 'Southern Zone'. Reviewer should note this.
7Atlantic Population Hunt Zone second segment.
8Includes Canada geese, cackling geese, white-fronted geese. Zone: Montgomery Co.; parts of Prince George's and Charles counties west of Rt 3/301.
9Late Southern Maryland Resident Canada Goose Zone, second segment.
10Late Southern Maryland Resident Canada Goose Zone, third segment.
11Late Southern Maryland Resident Canada Goose Zone, fourth segment.
12Includes Canada geese, cackling geese, and white-fronted geese singly or in aggregate. Late Southern Maryland Zone: Montgomery County; parts of Prince George's County west of Route 3/301; parts of Charles County west of Route 301.
13Late Southern Maryland Resident Canada Goose Zone; mapped to Western Zone as closest fit per county descriptions.
14Early resident Canada goose season; Western Zone counties listed on page.
15Includes Canada geese, cackling geese, white-fronted geese. Zone: Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, Washington, and part of Carroll County.
16Late Western Maryland Resident Canada Goose Zone, first segment.
17Late Southern Maryland Resident Canada Goose Zone, second split.
18Late Western Maryland Resident Canada Goose Zone, second segment.
19Late Southern Maryland Resident Canada Goose Zone, third split.
20Late Southern Maryland Resident Canada Goose Zone, fourth split.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3 | Nov 7 – Nov 27 Light Goose Season - First Segment | 25 | – |
| Nov 30 – Feb 6 Light Goose Season - Second Segment | |||
| Eastern Zone4,5 | Feb 8 – Mar 10 Light Goose Season - Third Segment (Eastern Zone Only) | 25 | – |
1Greater snow geese, lesser snow geese, Ross's geese. No possession limit.
2Statewide first segment of light goose season.
3Statewide second segment of light goose season.
4Eastern Zone only. Greater snow geese, lesser snow geese, Ross's geese. No possession limit. Special methods allowed: shotguns holding >3 shells, electronic calls.
5Third segment is Eastern Zone only with special conservation-order-like methods; shooting hours extended to 1/2 hour after sunset.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Zone1,2 | Oct 10 – Oct 17 First Split | 15 | 45 |
| Nov 14 – Nov 27 Second Split | |||
| Dec 15 – Jan 30 Third Split | |||
| Western Zone3 | Oct 3 – Oct 17 First Split | 15 | 45 |
| Nov 21 – Nov 27 Second Split | |||
| Dec 15 – Jan 30 Third Split |
1Coots are included in the Duck Season table; coot bag limit is separate from the 6-duck limit. Dates follow Eastern Zone duck season splits.
2Coot season concurrent with Eastern Zone duck season splits.
3Coot season concurrent with Western Zone duck season splits.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3 | Nov 7 – Nov 7 Youth/Veteran/Military Day 1 | 6 | – |
| Feb 6 – Feb 6 Youth/Veteran/Military Day 2 |
16 ducks (4 sea ducks, 4 mallards/2 hens, 3 wood ducks, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 3 pintails, 2 redheads, 2 scaup, 1 fulvous tree duck, 1 mottled duck); 1 brant; 2 Canada geese (Atlantic Pop. zone) or 5 Canada geese (Late Southern/Western Resident zone); 15 coots; 25 light geese. Open to hunters age 16 or younger, veterans, and active duty military.
2Also includes veterans and active duty military. Two days total: Nov. 7, 2026 and Feb. 6, 2027.
3Second of two statewide Youth/Veteran/Military days.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2 | Feb 1 – Mar 10 Extended Falconry - Ducks | 3 | 9 |
1Falconry only. No Sunday hunting for migratory birds. Valid hunting license, migratory game bird stamps, and Falconry Permit required.
2Extended Falconry Season for ducks only.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1 | Dec 28 – Jan 30 Brant Season | 1 | 3 |
1Brant statewide 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 has not yet been verified against official sources for this season. Always confirm with your state's official regulations before hunting.
For waterfowl population trends, harvest analysis, and conservation research, see WaterfowlAI Insights.