Hunting Minnesota this season? Keep these dates and bag limits in your pocket — free in the BlindBook app.
Minnesota is part of the Mississippi Flyway, one of four major migratory bird corridors in North America. The 2026–2027 waterfowl season runs from September 27 through April 30, 2027, with 25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2 | Sep 27 – Nov 25 Regular Season | 6 | 18 |
| Central Zone1,3,4 | Sep 27 – Oct 5 First Split | 6 | 18 |
| Oct 11 – Nov 30 Second Split | |||
| South Zone1,5,6 | Sep 27 – Oct 5 First Split | 6 | 18 |
| Oct 18 – Dec 7 Second Split |
| Species | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Mallard either · Max 2 hens per day | 4 | 12 |
| Wood Duck | 3 | 9 |
| Mottled Duck Dusky duck aggregate with black duck | 1 | 3 |
| Redhead | 2 | 6 |
| Pintail (Northern) | 3 | 9 |
| Canvasback | 2 | 6 |
| Lesser Scaup Aggregate scaup combined; may reduce to 1 in last 15 days | 2 | 6 |
| Black Duck | 2 | 6 |
| Greater Scaup Aggregate scaup combined; may reduce to 1 in last 15 days | 2 | 6 |
1Non-toxic shot · Plugged shotgun · No electronic calls · Spinning-wing decoys allowed · Decoys max 2 hrs before shooting on public land · Three zones: North, Central, South
2North Zone - 60-day continuous
3Central Zone split 1
4Central Zone split 2
5South Zone split 1
6South Zone split 2
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| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1 | Sep 5 – Sep 9 | – | – |
1Early teal season; statewide
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1 | Sep 12 – Sep 27 September Goose | – | – |
1Early September goose season; no zone listed on page
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2 | Sep 27 – Dec 26 Regular Season | 20 | 60 |
| Central Zone1,3,4 | Sep 27 – Oct 5 First Split | 20 | 60 |
| Oct 11 – Dec 31 Second Split | |||
| South Zone1,5,6 | Sep 27 – Oct 5 First Split | 20 | 60 |
| Oct 18 – Jan 7 Second Split |
1Conservation Order (Feb 18-Apr 30) · Free permit ($2.50 fee) · No bag/possession limit · Electronic calls & unplugged shotguns allowed · Non-toxic shot · No other stamps needed
2North Zone light geese
3Central Zone light geese split 1
4Central Zone light geese split 2
5South Zone light geese split 1
6South Zone light geese split 2
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2 | Feb 18 – Apr 30 Spring Light Goose Conservation Order | – | – |
1Light geese (snow/Ross's) only
2Spring conservation order; listed under 2027 tab as 02/18/27 - 04/30/27
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2 | Sep 27 – Nov 25 Regular Season | 15 | 45 |
| Central Zone1,3,4 | Sep 27 – Oct 5 First Split | 15 | 45 |
| Oct 11 – Nov 30 Second Split | |||
| South Zone1,5,6 | Sep 27 – Oct 5 First Split | 15 | 45 |
| Oct 18 – Dec 7 Second Split |
1Non-toxic shot required for moorhens · Same zone seasons as ducks · Plugged shotgun · No electronic calls
2North Zone coots
3Central Zone coots split 1
4Central Zone coots split 2
5South Zone coots split 1
6South Zone coots split 2
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2 | Sep 27 – Nov 25 Regular Season | 5 | 15 |
| Central Zone1,2 | Sep 27 – Oct 5 First Split | 5 | 15 |
| Oct 11 – Nov 30 Second Split | |||
| South Zone1,2 | Sep 27 – Oct 5 First Split | 5 | 15 |
| Oct 18 – Dec 7 Second Split |
1Max 2 hooded mergansers/day · Same as duck zones · Non-toxic shot · Plugged shotgun · No electronic calls · Spinning-wing decoys allowed
2Max 2 hooded mergansers per day. Concurrent with duck season.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Goose Zone (Crane)1 | Sep 19 – Oct 17 | – | – |
1Northwest goose zone only
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1 | Sep 12 – Sep 13 | – | – |
1Youth Waterfowl Hunt weekend; statewide
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 July 13, 2026. Always confirm with your state's official regulations before hunting.
For waterfowl population trends, harvest analysis, and conservation research, see WaterfowlAI Insights.