California Duck Hunting Season Dates and Bag Limits by Zone


The duck hunting season in California is broken up in five (5) zones. Here is a listing of the California duck hunting season by zone. We have also listed the complete California waterfowl season including the goose hunting season as well as the American Coot and the Common Moorhen. Lastly, we have included the special California youth hunting season dates by zone.



California Duck Hunting Season Dates and Bag Limits by Zone:

Northeastern California Zone:

Ducks (including Mergansers - From second Saturday in October extending 105 days. (Oct 11 – Jan 23). Canvasback Season Closed. Scaup: From the second Saturday in October extending for 86 days. (Oct 11 – Jan 4)

Daily bag limit: 7
Daily bag limit may include:

7 mallards, but not more than 1 female.
1 pintail (either sex).
2 redheads (either sex).
2 scaup (either sex).
Possession limit: double the daily bag limit

Geese From the second Saturday in October extending for 100 days. (Oct 11 – Jan 18)

Daily bag limit: 8
Daily bag limit may include:

6 white geese.
4 white-fronted geese.
2 Large Canada geese (see definitions: 502(a)).
1 Small Canada goose (see definitions: 502(a)).
Possession limit: double the daily bag limit

Southern San Joaquin Valley Zone

Ducks (including Mergansers) - A split season from the first Saturday in October extending for a period of 23 days (Oct 4 – Oct 26) and from the second Saturday in November extending for a period of 79 days. (Nov 8 – Jan 25)

Canvasback Season Closed.

Scaup: From the second Saturday in November extending for 79 days. (Nov 8 – Jan 25)

Daily bag limit: 7
Daily bag limit may include:

7 mallards, but not more than 1 female.
1 pintail (either sex).
2 redheads (either sex).
2 scaup (either sex).
Possession limit: double the daily bag limit.

Geese - From the third Saturday in October extending for 100 days. (Oct 18 – Jan 25)
Daily bag limit: 8
Daily bag limit may include:

6 white geese.
4 white-fronted geese.
4 Large Canada geese. (see definitions: 502(a)).
6 Small Canada geese (see definitions: 502(a)).
Possession limit: double the daily bag limit.




Southern California Zone

Ducks (including Mergansers) From the third Saturday in October extending for 100 days. (Oct 18 – Jan 25)

Canvasback Season Closed.

Scaup: From the first Saturday in November extending for 86 days. (Nov 1 – Jan 25)
Daily bag limit: 7
Daily bag limit may include:

7 mallards, but not more than 1 female.
1 pintail (either sex).
2 redheads (either sex).
2 scaup (either sex).
Possession limit: double the daily bag limit.

Geese From the third Saturday in October extending for 100 days. (Oct 18 – Jan 25)
Daily bag limit: 8
Daily bag limit may include:

6 white geese.
3 dark geese (see definitions: 502(a)).
Possession limit: double the daily bag limit.

Colorado River Zone

Ducks (including Mergansers). From the Friday after the second Sunday in October extending for 101 days. (Oct 17 – Jan 25)

Canvasback Season Closed.

Scaup: From the first Saturday in November extending for 86 days. (Nov 1 – Jan 25)
Daily bag limit: 7
Daily bag limit may include:

7 mallards, but not more than 2 females or Mexican-like ducks.
1 pintail (either sex).
2 redheads (either sex).
2 scaup (either sex).
Possession limit: double the daily bag limit.

Geese From October 17 extending 101 days. (Oct 17 – Jan 25)

Daily bag limit: 6
Daily bag limit may include:

6 white geese.
3 dark geese (see definitions: 502(a)).
Possession limit: double the daily bag limit.

Balance of State Zone

Ducks (including Mergansers). From the third Saturday in October extending for 100 days. (Oct 18 – Jan 25)

Canvasback Season Closed.

Scaup: From the first Saturday in November extending for 86 days. (Nov 1 – Jan 25)
Daily bag limit: 7
Daily bag limit may include:

7 mallards, but not more than 1 female.
1 pintail (either sex).
2 redheads (either sex).
2 scaup (either sex).
Possession limit: double the daily bag limit.

Geese From the third Saturday in October extending for 100 days (Oct 18 – Jan 25) EXCEPT in the Sacramento Valley (West) Special Management Area where the white-fronted goose season will be open from the last Saturday in October through December 14. (Oct 25 – Dec 14)

Daily bag limit: 8
Daily bag limit may include:

6 white geese.
4 white-fronted geese. EXCEPT in the Sacramento Valley (West) Special Management Area where only 2 may be taken.
4 Large Canada geese (see definitions: 502(a)).
6 Small Canada geese (see definitions: 502(a)).
Possession limit: double the daily bag limit.

Youth Hunting Days Regulations

(NOTE: To participate in these Youth hunts, federal regulations require that hunters must be 15 years of age or younger and must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult 18 years of age or older.)

Ducks (including Mergansers), American Coot, Common Moorhen, Black Brant, Geese
1. Northeastern California Zone: The Saturday fourteen days before the opening of waterfowl season extending for 2 days. (Sept 27 – Sept 28)

2. Southern San Joaquin Valley Zone: The Saturday following the closing of waterfowl season extending for 2 days. (Jan 31 – Feb 1)

3. Southern California Zone: The Saturday following the closing of waterfowl season extending for 2 days. (Jan 31 – Feb 1)

4. Colorado River Zone: The Saturday following the closing of waterfowl season extending for 2 days. (Jan 31 – Feb 1)

5. Balance of State Zone: The Saturday following the closing of waterfowl season extending for 2 days. (Jan 31 – Feb 1)

Bag Limit same as above zones.

For more information click here

Illinois Duck Hunting Seasons for 2008-09

Duck Hunting season for Illinois
The USFWS is again allowing a 60-day duck season with a daily bag limit of six ducks. This marks the 12th consecutive year in which hunters in Illinois have been offered a 60-day duck season.


The Illinois duck hunting season dates are as follows:

North Zone - Saturday, Oct. 18 - Tuesday, Dec. 16
Central Zone - Saturday, Oct. 25 - Tuesday, Dec. 23
South Zone - Thursday, Nov. 27 - Sunday, Jan. 25

The daily limit of six ducks may include no more than four mallards (two hens), three wood ducks, two redheads, one black duck, and one pintail.

Canvasback season is closed statewide for 2008-09.

The daily limit for scaup in each zone will vary during the season (limit of one for 40 days and two for 20 days) as follows:

North Zone scaup limits - Oct. 18-Nov. 3 and Nov. 24-Dec. 16 - daily limit of one
Nov. 4-Nov. 23 - daily limit of two
Central Zone scaup limits - Oct. 25-Nov. 10 and Dec. 1-Dec. 23 - daily limit of one
Nov. 11-Nov. 30 - daily limit of two
South Zone scaup limits - Nov. 27-Dec. 16 - daily limit of two
Dec. 17-Jan. 25 - daily limit of one

The daily bag limit for mergansers is five, only two of which may be hooded mergansers.

Possession limits are twice the daily bag limits.

The USFWS annual survey of key nesting areas indicated 37.3 million breeding ducks, 9 percent lower than last year's 41.2 million birds, and 11 percent above the 1955-2007 long-term average. In 2006 there were 32.6 million ducks and in 2005 there were 31.7 million ducks. More details on specific duck species are below:

• Mallards - The mid-continent mallard fall flight forecast is 9.2 million. The fall flight index predicts 1.3 million young mallards will fly south this year compared to two million last year. Young mallards are generally twice as vulnerable to hunting as adults.

• Pintails - The northern pintail population of 2.6 million was 22 percent lower than last year. Pintails remain 36 percent below their long-term average, but the population this year was above the threshold of 2.5 million, again justifying a full season length according to the USFWS interim pintail harvest strategy.

• Canvasbacks - The canvasback population dropped 44 percent from last year's record population to 489,000 and was 14 percent below the long-term average. Based upon this population estimate, the canvasback harvest strategy does not allow a nationwide canvasback season this year. As a result, the USFWS has closed the season on canvasbacks. Based on the harvest estimate from last year's seasons, it is clear that harvest alone is not responsible for the drop. Canvasback estimates typically have higher variation than for many other species. Although it is possible that the large change in the population estimate is the result of normal sampling variation, the USFWS has no data to suggest this year's population estimate is not accurate.

• Scaup - Scaup population estimates of 3.74 million increased 8 percent over last year, but are still 27 percent below the long-term average. There is no strong evidence indicating that hunting is the primary cause of scaup declines and many agencies continue to conduct research to understand reasons for the population decline. This year, the USFWS offered the Mississippi Flyway three options which would result in a reduction of scaup harvest. In the Flyway and Illinois, a decision has been made to allow two scaup to be taken daily during 20 consecutive days of the 60-day season. During the remaining 40 days, one scaup will be allowed daily. Illinois seasons were set to allow two scaup daily during the 20 days when past aerial survey data indicated that the most scaup would likely be present in Illinois in each zone.

• Wood Ducks - The USFWS has worked with the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways during the past decade to assess harvest potential of wood ducks in eastern North America. A model-based approach was used to predict population responses to increased harvest. Results indicate that wood ducks can support more harvest pressure and the two eastern Flyways are being allowed to increase the wood duck bag limit from two to three birds daily this year. The USFWS and Flyway Councils will monitor wood duck harvest rates to ensure that bag limits remain in line with the harvest level that the population can support.

The preliminary 2007-08 Illinois duck harvest estimate of 464,366 was 8 percent lower than in 2006 (507,464) and was the sixth highest harvest since state estimates began in 1981. The harvest was 33 percent above the long term average (348,654). The North Zone harvested an estimated 81,338 ducks, while the Central took 224,200 and the South took 153,404 last year. Preliminary mallard harvest was 265,369, the sixth highest since 1981. According to federal estimates, Illinois hunters took more scaup (14,416) than any other state in the Mississippi Flyway last season. Harvest of teal during the 2007 September season was 29,800 compared to 28,016 in 2006.

The quality of habitat for breeding waterfowl in the U.S. and Canada was not as good as last year due to drought in parts of the traditional surveyed area. The estimate of May ponds for the northern U.S. and Prairie Canada was 4.4 million, which is 37 percent less than last year and 10 percent below the long term average. In Prairie Canada, there were 3.1 million ponds compared to 5 million last year. Green-winged teal are the third most harvested duck in Illinois after mallards and gadwalls. Green-winged teal populations again increased to the second highest level since 1955. Blue-winged teal were at their fourth highest level recorded. Redheads again reached a record population. Gadwalls decreased 19 percent from last year but were still 56 percent above the long term average. American wigeon populations decreased 11 percent and were 5 percent below the long term average. Experienced duck hunters know that individual hunter success is much more dependent on the weather during migration and on local water and food conditions at refuges and hunting areas. Many Illinois waterfowl areas along the Illinois River and at Lake Shelbyville and Carlyle Lake had high summer water levels which will likely cause poor duck food production. This could hurt hunting success on these areas this season. Rend Lake water levels have declined, which may result in decent moist-soil production.

September Teal Season for 2008

The statewide 16-day teal season is Sept. 6-21 from sunrise to sunset. The daily bag limit is four teal with a possession limit of eight

Michigan Duck Hunting Season Set

Waterfowl hunters will have 60 days of duck hunting and at least 45 days of goose hunting statewide this fall as a result of Natural Resources Commission action on waterfowl season regulations at its Aug. 14 meeting in Lansing.

A big change this year is a new three-zone system for goose hunting with goose zones being the same as current duck hunting zones. The traditional North, Middle and South duck zones now apply to Canada goose hunting as well.

"This simplifies waterfowl hunting regulations and increases goose hunting opportunity across the state," said DNR waterfowl specialist Barb Avers. "It also provides duck and goose hunting opportunities at the same time, something hunters say is one of their top priorities."

Canada goose regular seasons are:


North Zone Sept. 22 - Nov. 5
Middle Zone Oct. 4 - Nov. 10, and Nov. 27 - Dec.3
South Zone Oct. 11 - Nov. 13, and Nov. 27 - Dec.7
The Tuscola/Huron and Saginaw goose management units (GMU) have the same goose season dates as the South zone. There will still be different seasons for the two special goose management zones in southwestern Michigan. The season at the Allegan County GMU is Nov. 8-10 and Dec. 20 - Jan. 30. The season at Muskegon Waste Water GMU is Oct. 14 - Nov. 13 and Dec. 2-15. The daily bag limit is two for all GMUs.

The late goose season will be Jan. 3 to Feb. 1, 2009 in all of the South Zone, except the Allegan County and Muskegon Waste Water GMUs. The daily bag limit during the late season will be five geese, except in GMUs where it is two.

In the Middle and South zones, the goose season opener corresponds to the duck season openers.

Duck seasons are:

North Zone Oct. 4 - Dec. 2
Middle Zone Oct. 4 - Nov. 30 and Dec. 6-7
South Zone Oct. 11 - Dec. 7 and Jan. 3-4
The federal framework does not allow a season for canvasback ducks this year.

An unusual aspect to the upcoming duck season is a federal framework that allows hunters a two-bird daily bag limit for scaup (bluebills) for only 20 days of the 60-day duck season and just one scaup daily during the remaining 40 days. The 20-day, two-bird seasons for Michigan are Oct. 11-30 in the North Zone; Oct. 18-Nov. 6 in the Middle Zone; Oct. 25 - Nov. 13 in the South Zone. The 20-day seasons were set to correspond to the peak of scaup migration.

The daily bag limit is six ducks. Hunters will be allowed to take three wood ducks a day this year, up from two last year. All other daily bag limits for individual species - four mallards, no more than one hen; two redheads; one pintail and one black duck, are the same as last year. In addition, hunters may take up to five mergansers, no more than two of which may be hooded mergansers. The possession limit for waterfowl is twice the daily bag limit.

Michigan will once again have a youth waterfowl hunting weekend for all properly licensed youths 10 to 15 years of age. This season is Sept. 20-21. Youths must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or someone 18 years of age or older, designated by their parent or guardian. The adult is not allowed to hunt waterfowl. Regulations and species restrictions are the same as for the regular waterfowl seasons