North Dakota waterfowl hunting guide regulations offer the various duck hunting season dates and rules. We have also listed other North Dakota waterfowl season information for various species.
North Dakota Duck Hunting Season Dates and Bag Limits
Ducks:
Low Plains Unit
Opens: September 27 (residents only), October 4 (nonresidents)
Closes: December 7
High Plains Unit
Opens: September 27 (residents only), October 4 (nonresidents)
Closes: December 7
Opens: December 13
Closes: January 4
Daily Limit: 5 (see Ducks and Mergansers restrictions below)
Possession Limit: 10
Shooting Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset
Mergansers
Low Plains Unit
Opens: September 27 (residents only), October 4 (nonresidents)
Closes: December 7
High Plains Unit
Opens: September 27 (residents only), October 4 (nonresidents)
Closes: December 7
Opens: December 13
Closes: January 4
Daily Limit: 5 (See Ducks and Mergansers restrictions below)
Possession Limit: 10
Shooting Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset
Ducks and Mergansers: Species/Sex Restrictions:
The daily bag limit on ducks is 5 with species and sex restrictions as follows: 2 scaup, 2 redheads, 2 wood ducks, only 1 from the following group: 1 hen mallard, or 1pintail, or 1 canvasback. The daily limit of 5 mergansers may include no more than 2 hooded mergansers. The possession limit on these restricted ducks and the hooded merganser is twice the daily limit.
Coots
Low Plains Unit
Opens: September 27 (residents only), October 4 (nonresidents)
Closes: December 7
High Plains Unit
Opens: September 27 (residents only), October 4 (nonresidents)
Closes: December 7
Opens: December 13
Closes: January 4
Daily Limit: 15
Possession Limit: 30
Shooting Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset
North Dakota Goose hunting season regulations:
Light Geese
Open Area: Statewide
Opens: September 27 (residents only), October 4 (nonresidents)
Closes: January 2
Daily Limit: 20
Possession Limit: No Limit
Shooting Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to: 1 pm CDT September 27 through November 1; 2 pm CST November 2 through end of season.
Exception: Shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset on Saturdays and Wednesdays from September 27 through November 29; and on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays from December 3 through end of season.
Canada Geese
Open Area: Statewide
Opens: September 27 (residents only), October 4 (nonresidents)
Closes: December 25 (Exception – Missouri River Zone closes January 2)
Daily Limit: 3
Possession Limit: 6
Shooting Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to: 1 pm CDT September 27 through November 1; 2 pm CST November 2 through end of season.
Exception: Shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset on Saturdays and Wednesdays from September 27 through November 29; and on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays from December 3 through end of season.
The Missouri River Canada Goose Zone is bordered by state, federal and county highways. The northwest boundary is the section line between section 8 and 9 of T146N R87 W (off of Mercer County 21), and the southern shoreline of Lake Sakakawea (including Mallard Island) to U.S. Highway 83.White-fronted Geese
Open Area: Statewide
Opens: September 27 (residents only), October 4 (nonresidents)
Closes: December 7
Daily Limit: 2
Possession Limit: 4
Shooting Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to: 1 pm CDT September 27 through November 1; 2 pm CST November 2 through end of season.
Exception: Shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset on Saturdays and Wednesdays from September 27 through November 29; and on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays from December 3 through end of season.
Special Youth Waterfowl Season
In addition to the regular North Dakota waterfowl hunting season, there is a special youth season. The dates and rules are as follows:
Open Area: Statewide
Opens: September 20
Closes: September 21
Shooting Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset
Legally licensed residents and nonresidents 15 years of age or younger may hunt ducks, mergansers, coots or geese. An adult of at least 18 years of age must accompany the youth hunter into the field. The adult may not hunt ducks, mergansers, coots or geese. The daily bag limit, including species restrictions, and all other regulations that apply to the regular duck and goose hunting seasons apply to this special season.
For more information on North Dakota duck hunting seasons and regulations, go to North Dakota waterfowl regulations through this link>
