Hunting Ontario this season? Keep these dates and bag limits in your pocket — free in the BlindBook app.
Ontario is part of the Central Flyway, one of four major migratory bird corridors in North America. The 2026–2027 waterfowl season runs from September 1 through April 30, 2027, with 45 distinct season segments covering ducks, geese, coots, and other migratory game birds. Season dates and bag limits are set annually by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry within frameworks established by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern District1,2 | Sep 10 – Dec 25 | 6 | 18 |
| Central District1,2 | Sep 19 – Jan 3 | 6 | 18 |
| Southern District2,3,4,5 | Sep 26 – Jan 10 | 6 | 18 |
| Sep 26 – Jan 10 | |||
| Hudson-James Bay District1,2 | Sep 1 – Dec 16 | 6 | 18 |
| Species | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Ducks (general) Central District, Hudson-James Bay District, Northern District · Not more than 1 may be Barrow's Goldeneye | 6 | 18 |
| Ducks (general) Southern District · WMUs 60–87E: max 1 Barrow's Goldeneye. WMUs 88–95: max 1 Barrow's Goldeneye and max 3 Black Ducks. | 6 | 18 |
| Black Duck Sub-limit applies only in WMUs 88–95; counted within 6-duck aggregate. | 3 | – |
1Not more than 1 may be Barrow's Goldeneye. No open season for Harlequin Ducks.
2Ducks other than Harlequin Ducks, combined.
3WMUs 60–87E: not more than 1 may be Barrow's Goldeneye. WMUs 88–95: not more than 1 may be Barrow's Goldeneye and not more than 3 may be American Black Ducks. No open season for Harlequin Ducks.
4Black Duck sub-limit applies only in WMUs 88–95.
5Not more than 1 may be Barrow's Goldeneye. In WMUs 88–95: not more than 3 may be American Black Ducks. No open season for Harlequin Ducks.
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| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern District1,2,3,4 | Sep 1 – Sep 9 Early Season | 10 | – |
| Sep 1 – Dec 16 Other Geese | |||
| Sep 10 – Dec 16 Regular Season | |||
| Central District3,5,6 | Sep 1 – Sep 18 Early Season | 10 | – |
| Sep 1 – Dec 16 Other Geese | |||
| Sep 19 – Dec 16 Regular Season | |||
| Southern District3,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18 | Sep 10 – Sep 20 Early Season | 10 | – |
| Sep 26 – Jan 10 Other Geese | |||
| Sep 26 – Dec 30 Regular Season (WMUs 60–68, 69B, 74–76, 82–85, 94, 95) | |||
| Sep 26 – Dec 30 Regular Season – WMUs 60–68, 69B, 74–76, 82–85, 94, 95 | |||
| Oct 3 – Dec 30 Regular Season (WMUs 69A, 70–73, 77–81, 86–93) | |||
| Oct 3 – Dec 30 Regular Season – WMUs 69A, 70–73, 77–81, 86–93 | |||
| Feb 27 – Mar 5 Winter Season – WMUs 69A, 70-73, 77-81, 86-93 | |||
| Feb 27 – Mar 5 Winter Season - WMUs 69A, 70-73, 77-81, 86-93 | |||
| Hudson-James Bay District3,19,20,21 | Sep 1 – Dec 16 | 5 | – |
| Sep 1 – Dec 16 Other Geese |
1Canada Geese and Cackling Geese, combined. Daily bag 10 in WMUs 8, 10, 13, 36, 37, 39, 41 and 45; 5 in other WMUs. Possession limit: no limit.
2Bag limit varies by WMU; 10 listed as daily_bag_limit for the higher-limit WMUs.
3Geese other than Canada, Cackling, Snow and Ross's Geese, combined.
4Canada Geese and Cackling Geese, combined. Daily bag 5 throughout. Possession limit: no limit.
5Canada Geese and Cackling Geese, combined. Daily bag 10. Possession limit: no limit.
6Canada Geese and Cackling Geese, combined. Daily bag 5. Possession limit: no limit.
7Canada Geese and Cackling Geese, combined. Daily bag 10 in WMUs 60–81, 83, 86–92 and 95; 8 in WMUs 82, 84, 85, 93 and 94. Possession limit: no limit.
8Early season bag limit varies by WMU.
9Canada Geese and Cackling Geese combined. Sep 26–Oct 30: bag 5 (WMUs 60–68, 69B, 74–76, 83, 95), bag 3 (WMUs 82, 84, 85). Oct 31–Dec 30: bag 5 (WMUs 60–68, 69B, 74–76, 82–85, 95), bag 3 (WMU 94). Possession limit: No limit.
10Possession limit is no limit.
11Canada Geese and Cackling Geese combined. Sep 26–Oct 30: bag 5 (WMUs 60–68, 69B, 74–76, 83, 95), bag 3 (WMUs 82, 84, 85), bag 3 (WMU 94 entire season). Oct 31–Dec 30: bag 5 (WMUs 60–68, 69B, 74–76, 82–85, 95). Possession limit: No limit.
12Canada Geese and Cackling Geese combined. Oct 3–Oct 30: bag 5 (WMUs 69A, 70–73, 77–81, 86–92), bag 3 (WMU 93). Oct 31–Dec 30: bag 5 (all listed WMUs). Possession limit: No limit.
13Opens the Saturday following duck season opening per 2026-2027 updates.
14Opens Oct 3 (Saturday following duck season opener) per updates section.
15Canada Geese and Cackling Geese, combined. Daily bag 10 in WMUs 69A, 70–73, 77–81, 86–92; 8 in WMU 93. Possession limit: no limit.
167-day winter season in select WMUs.
17Canada Geese and Cackling Geese combined. Bag limit 10 in WMUs 69A, 70–73, 77–81, 86–92; bag limit 8 in WMU 93. Possession limit: No limit.
187-day winter season.
19Canada Geese and Cackling Geese, combined. Possession limit: no limit.
20No possession limit stated.
21Covers White-fronted and other non-light, non-Canada geese.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern District1 | Sep 1 – Dec 16 | 20 | – |
| Central District1 | Sep 1 – Dec 16 | 20 | – |
| Southern District1,2,3,4,5 | Sep 26 – Jan 10 Regular Season – WMUs 60-68, 69B, 74-76, 82-85, 94, 95 | 20 | – |
| Oct 3 – Jan 10 Regular Season – WMUs 69A, 70-73, 77-81, 86-93 | |||
| Oct 3 – Jan 10 Regular Season (WMUs 69A, 70–73, 77–81, 86–93) | |||
| Feb 27 – Mar 5 Winter Season – WMUs 69A, 70-73, 77-81, 86-93 | |||
| Feb 27 – Mar 5 Winter Season – WMUs 69A, 70–73, 77–81, 86–93 | |||
| Hudson-James Bay District1,6 | Sep 1 – Dec 16 | 50 | – |
1Snow Geese and Ross's Geese, combined. Possession limit: no limit.
2Snow Geese and Ross's Geese combined. Possession: No limit.
37-day winter season.
4Snow Geese and Ross's Geese combined. Possession limit: No limit.
57-day winter season per updates section.
6No possession limit stated.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern District1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 | Sep 26 – Jan 10 Regular Season – WMUs 65, 66, 67, 69B | 20 | – |
| Sep 26 – Jan 10 Special Measures - Regular Season (WMUs 65-68, 69B, others per text) | |||
| Apr 1 – Apr 30 Spring Season (WMUs 65, 66, 67, 69B) | |||
| Apr 1 – Apr 30 Spring Conservation Order – WMUs 65, 66, 67, 69B |
1Snow Geese and Ross's Geese, combined. Electronic bird calls permitted. Possession limit: no limit.
2Special measures for overabundant species. Electronic calls of Snow and Ross's Geese permitted; while hunting those species, any other open-season migratory bird may also be hunted.
3Snow Geese and Ross's Geese combined. Electronic bird calls of Snow/Ross's Geese may be used. While hunting with electronic calls, any other species in open season may also be hunted. Possession limit: No limit.
4Special measures for overabundant species section. Spring season (WMUs 65, 66, 67, 69B only) reduced from previous years to April 1–30 on farmland only.
5Snow Geese and Ross's Geese combined. On farmland only. Electronic bird calls of Snow/Ross's Geese may be used. Possession: No limit.
6Spring season shortened from prior year (was 62 days longer). Bag limit decreased from 20 to 12 per Important Updates. Applies only to WMUs 65, 66, 67 and 69B.
7Snow Geese and Ross's Geese, combined. Farmland only. Electronic bird calls permitted. Possession limit: no limit.
8Spring season shortened by 62 days vs prior year; now Apr 1–Apr 30 only on farmland. Daily bag decreased from 20 to 12.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern District1 | Sep 10 – Dec 25 | 10 | 30 |
| Central District1 | Sep 19 – Jan 3 | 10 | 30 |
| Southern District1 | Sep 26 – Jan 10 | 10 | 30 |
| Hudson-James Bay District1 | Sep 1 – Dec 16 | 10 | 30 |
1Rails (other than Yellow Rails and King Rails), Coots and Gallinules, combined. Not more than 8 may be Coots and not more than 4 may be Gallinules.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern District1,2,3,4 | Sep 12 – Sep 25 | 1 | 1 |
| Sep 12 – Sep 25 | |||
| Central District2,4,5,6 | Sep 12 – Sep 25 | 1 | 1 |
| Sep 12 – Sep 25 | |||
| Hudson-James Bay District7,8,9,10 | Sep 1 – Sep 14 | 1 | 1 |
| Sep 1 – Sep 14 |
1Canadian residents only. Farmland only. Season only open in WMUs 23, 24, 27 to 30, 36, 37, 39 to 41 and 45.
2New open season for Sandhill Cranes on farmland in select WMUs.
3Residents of Canada only. On farmland only. Season only open in WMUs 23, 24, 27 to 30, 36, 37, 39 to 41 and 45.
4New open season for Sandhill Cranes.
5Canadian residents only. Farmland only. Season only open in WMUs 42, 43, 47 and 48.
6Residents of Canada only. On farmland only. Season only open in WMUs 42, 43, 47 and 48.
7Restricted to residents of Canada only.
8New open season for Sandhill Cranes in all areas of the Hudson-James Bay District.
9Restricted to residents of Canada only. In all areas of the Hudson-James Bay District.
10New open season for Sandhill Cranes per 2026-2027 updates.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central District1,2 | Sep 1 – Nov 30 | 15 | 45 |
| Southern District1,3 | Sep 1 – Nov 30 | 15 | 45 |
1Mourning Doves
2Mourning Doves season in Central District
3Mourning Doves season in Southern District
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 4, 2026. Always confirm with your state's official regulations before hunting.
For waterfowl population trends, harvest analysis, and conservation research, see WaterfowlAI Insights.