Hunting Wisconsin this season? Keep these dates and bag limits in your pocket — free in the BlindBook app.
Wisconsin is part of the Mississippi Flyway, one of four major migratory bird corridors in North America. The 2026–2027 waterfowl season runs from September 16 through January 5, 2027, with 24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Zone1 | Sep 26 – Nov 24 | – | – |
| Southern Zone2,3 | Oct 3 – Oct 11 First Split | – | – |
| Oct 17 – Dec 6 Second Split | |||
| Open Water Zone4 | Oct 17 – Dec 15 | – | – |
| Species | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Black Duck | 2 | 6 |
| Canvasback | 2 | 6 |
| Mallard either · Max 2 hens per day | 4 | 12 |
| Pintail (Northern) | 3 | 9 |
| Greater Scaup Aggregate 2 scaup combined; may reduce to 1 in last 15 days of zone season | 2 | 6 |
| Mottled Duck Dusky duck aggregate with black duck | 1 | 3 |
| Redhead | 2 | 6 |
| Wood Duck | 3 | 9 |
| Lesser Scaup Aggregate 2 scaup combined; may reduce to 1 in last 15 days of zone season | 2 | 6 |
1Northern Duck Zone; coots follow same dates as ducks in each zone
2Southern Duck Zone first split; coots follow same dates as ducks in each zone
3Southern Duck Zone second split; coots follow same dates as ducks in each zone
4Open Water Duck Zone; coots follow same dates as ducks in each zone
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| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1 | Sep 1 – Sep 9 | – | – |
1Early Teal season listed in 2026 Season Dates table
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Zone1 | Sep 16 – Dec 16 Northern Goose Zone | – | – |
| Southern Zone2,3,4 | Sep 16 – Oct 11 First Split | – | – |
| Oct 17 – Dec 6 Second Split | |||
| Dec 19 – Jan 2 Third Split | |||
| Open Water Zone5,6 | Oct 3 – Oct 11 First Split | – | – |
| Oct 17 – Jan 5 Second Split |
1Northern Goose Zone; Early Goose (Sept. 1-15) precedes this season statewide
2Southern Goose Zone first split
3Southern Goose Zone second split
4Southern Goose Zone third split; closes Jan. 2, 2027
5Mississippi River Goose Zone first split; mapped to Open Water Zone as closest known zone
6Mississippi River Goose Zone second split; closes Jan. 5, 2027; mapped to Open Water Zone as closest known zone
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Zone1,2 | Sep 16 – Dec 16 Regular Season | 25 | – |
| Southern Zone1,3,4,5 | Sep 16 – Oct 12 First Split | 25 | – |
| Oct 18 – Dec 7 Second Split | |||
| Dec 20 – Jan 2 Third Split |
1Conservation Order: electronic calls & unplugged shotguns allowed · No bag limit · Non-toxic shot required
2Northern Zone light geese - no possession limit [FLAG: Light goose bag 25 needs confirmation - may be 20 for MS Flyway]
3Southern Zone light geese split 1 [FLAG: Light goose bag 25 needs confirmation - may be 20 for MS Flyway]
4Southern Zone light geese split 2 [FLAG: Light goose bag 25 needs confirmation - may be 20 for MS Flyway]
5Southern Zone light geese holiday split [FLAG: Light goose bag 25 needs confirmation - may be 20 for MS Flyway]
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Zone1,2 | Sep 26 – Nov 24 | – | – |
| Southern Zone1,3,4 | Oct 3 – Oct 11 First Split | – | – |
| Oct 17 – Dec 6 Second Split | |||
| Open Water Zone1,5 | Oct 17 – Dec 15 | – | – |
1Same dates as ducks for each zone
2Coot season same as Northern Duck Zone per table footnote
3Coot season same as Southern Duck Zone first split per table footnote
4Coot season same as Southern Duck Zone second split per table footnote
5Coot season same as Open Water Duck Zone per table footnote
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Zone1,2 | Sep 27 – Nov 25 Regular Season | 5 | 15 |
| Southern Zone1,2 | Oct 4 – Oct 12 First Split | 5 | 15 |
| Oct 18 – Dec 7 Second Split | |||
| Open Water Zone1,2 | Oct 18 – Dec 16 Regular Season | 5 | 15 |
1Max 2 hooded mergansers/day · Same as ducks · Non-toxic shot · Plugged shotgun · No electronic calls · Decoy rules apply
2Max 2 hooded mergansers per day. Concurrent with duck season.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2 | Sep 19 – Sep 20 | – | – |
1Hunters 15 years old and younger; all license and stamp requirements waived; HIP registration required
2Youth Waterfowl Hunt weekend listed in 2026 Season Dates table
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.