These are the 2008 Minnesota waterfowl season regulations at the time of printing.
If changes are made there will be an announcement, and the changes will
be available on the DNR Web site:www.mndnr.gov
Minnesota's Duck Hunting Season Dates:
Oct. 4th through Dec. 2nd 2008.
Duck Hunting Bag Limits:
6 ducks daily; may not include more than any combination of the following:
4 mallards (only 1 hen mallard), 2 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 1 black duck, 1 pintail. If not listed up to 6 ducks of a species may be taken. The possession limit is twice the daily bag limit.
Scaup bag limit: One scaup daily except from Oct. 25-Nov. 13 when two scaup may be taken daily.
Canvasback closed: No canvasback may be taken.
Coot and moorhen (gallinule) bag limits: Daily bag limit is 15. The possession limit is twice the daily bag limit.
Merganser bag limits: Daily bag limit is five, no more than 2 of which may be a hooded merganser. The possession limit is twice the daily bag limit.
Minnesota Goose Hunting Season Dates and Bag Limits:
Snow Blue and Ross Geese - Oct. 4 - Dec. 22. Bag Limit 20 combined and possession, 40 combined.
White-Fronted Geese - Oct. 4 - Dec. 22. Bag Limit 1 combined and possession, 2 combined.
Brant Geese - Oct. 4 - Dec. 22. Bag Limit 1 combined and possession, 2 combined.
CANADA GEESE
West-Central zone Oct. 16 - Oct. 19th, Oct. 25 - Nov. 30 bag limit 2 possession limit 4
West zone Oct. 4 - Dec. 2 bag limit 2 possession limit 4
Remainder of state (includes Metro & SE zone) Oct. 4 - Dec. 12 bag limit 2 possession limit 4
SEPTEMBER (EARLY) CANADA GOOSE HUNT Shooting hours are one half hour before sunrise to sunset Southeast zone (map, page 22) Sept. 6 - 22 2 bag limit, 4 possession limit.
Remainder of state (includes all Sept. 6 - 22 5 bag limit, 10 possession limit.
zones not listed above including the northwest goose zone which has been merged with the remainder of the state.)
(The controlled hunting zone at Lac Qui Parle is closed to goose hunting during the September goose season.)
DECEMBER (LATE) Canada Goose Hunt Shooting hours are one half hour before sunrise to sunset.
West central zone (map, page 22) No late goose season
Southeast zone (map, page 22) Dec. 13 - 22 2 4
Remainder of state (includes all Dec. 13 - 22 5 10
Youth Hunt:
On Sept. 20, 2008, waterfowl hunters age 15 and younger, when accompanied by
a non-hunting adult (age 18 and older, no license required) may take ducks, Canada geese, mergansers, coots and moorhens from one-half hour before sunrise to 4 p.m. Motorized decoy restrictions are in effect. Bag limits are the same as the regular duck season. Five Canada geese may be taken, except in the Metro, southeast and northwest goose zones, and Carlos Avery WMA and Swan Lake area (map, page 22-23), where the limit is one. There are no license requirements, except hunters ages 13 to 15 must have a firearms safety certificate in their possession. All other
migratory bird hunting regulations apply.
Special Falconry Season
Dates:
Ducks, coots and moorhens may be taken by falconry from Oct. 4, 2008 to
Jan. 17, 2009.
Geese may be taken by falconry during any open goose season. Woodcock,
rails and snipe may be taken by falconry from Sept. 1 to Dec. 16.
Bag limits and hours:
Three daily combined and six in possession combined.
Falconry hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset, except after Oct.
4, when they are the same as the waterfowl shooting hours.
DUCKS, COOTS, MERGANSERS, MOORHENS (GALLINULES) Oct. 4 - Dec. 2
Shooting Hours:
Shooting hours for ducks and geese are one-half hour before sunrise (except
9 a.m. on Oct. 4) to 4 p.m. through Saturday Oct. 11, and until sunset
thereafter. See youth hunt and early goose season for additional hours.
