Indiana is part of the Mississippi Flyway, one of four major migratory bird corridors in North America. The 2026–2027 waterfowl season runs from September 1 through February 14, 2027, with 27 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2 | Oct 24 – Dec 13 First Split | 6 | 18 |
| Dec 19 – Dec 27 Second Split | |||
| Central Zone3 | Oct 31 – Nov 8 First Split | 6 | 18 |
| Nov 21 – Jan 10 Second Split | |||
| South Zone4 | Nov 7 – Nov 8 First Split | 6 | 18 |
| Nov 28 – Jan 24 Second Split |
| Species | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Mallard No more than 2 hens | 4 | 12 |
| Wood Duck | 3 | 9 |
| Canvasback | 2 | 6 |
| Redhead | 2 | 6 |
| Black Duck | 2 | 6 |
| Pintail (Northern) | 1 | 3 |
1Coots: 15/day; Mergansers: 5/day (no more than 2 hooded); Ducks: 6/day including no more than 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 3 pintail, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 1 mottled duck, 1 scaup before Nov. 7 / 2 scaup on or after Nov. 7
2Coots: 15/day; Mergansers: 5/day (no more than 2 hooded); Ducks: 6/day including no more than 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 3 pintail, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 1 mottled duck, 2 scaup (on or after Nov. 7)
3Coots: 15/day; Mergansers: 5/day (no more than 2 hooded); Ducks: 6/day including no more than 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 3 pintail, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 1 mottled duck, 1 scaup before Nov. 26 / 2 scaup on or after Nov. 26
4Coots: 15/day; Mergansers: 5/day (no more than 2 hooded); Ducks: 6/day including no more than 4 mallards (2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 3 pintail, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 1 mottled duck, 1 scaup before Dec. 10 / 2 scaup on or after Dec. 10
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1 | Sep 5 – Sep 13 | 6 | 18 |
1Statewide early teal season. Shooting hours sunrise to sunset for teal.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2,3 | Sep 5 – Sep 13 Early Canada Goose | 5 | 15 |
| Oct 24 – Nov 1 Second Segment | |||
| Nov 21 – Feb 14 White-fronted Geese | |||
| Nov 21 – Feb 14 Third Segment | |||
| Central Zone1,3,4,5 | Sep 5 – Sep 13 Early Canada Goose | 5 | 15 |
| Oct 31 – Nov 8 Second Segment | |||
| Nov 21 – Feb 14 White-fronted Geese | |||
| Nov 21 – Feb 14 Third Segment | |||
| South Zone1,3,6 | Sep 1 – Sep 13 Early Canada Goose | 5 | 15 |
| Nov 7 – Nov 11 Second Segment | |||
| Nov 21 – Feb 14 White-fronted Geese | |||
| Nov 21 – Feb 14 Third Segment |
1Canada geese and brant: 5 aggregate daily bag. Light geese (snow, blue, Ross): 20/day, no possession limit.
2Season listed as three segments: Sept. 5-13, Oct. 24-Nov. 1, and Nov. 21-Feb. 14.
3White-fronted geese only; daily bag 2, possession limit 6
4Bag limit shown as *** in table; footnote states daily bag limit is 2, possession limit 6
5Season listed as three segments: Sept. 5-13, Oct. 31-Nov. 8, and Nov. 21-Feb. 14.
6South Zone early segment opens Sept. 1 (vs Sept. 5 in North/Central).
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2 | Oct 17 – Oct 18 | 6 | 18 |
| Central Zone1,2,3,4 | Oct 24 – Oct 25 | 6 | 18 |
| Oct 24 – Oct 25 Youth & Veteran Weekend | |||
| South Zone1,2,3,5 | Oct 31 – Nov 1 Youth & Veteran Weekend | 6 | 18 |
| Oct 31 – Nov 1 |
1Same as regular season; scaup: 1/day for youth and veteran hunters.
2Youth & Veteran weekend.
3Same as regular season bag limits; scaup 1/day
4Covers both Youth and Veteran hunters; scaup limited to 1/day per footnote ****
5Covers both Youth and Veteran hunters; footnote *** (South Zone) references same as regular season
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2 | Nov 21 – Feb 14 | 2 | 6 |
| Central Zone1,3 | Nov 21 – Feb 14 | 2 | 6 |
| South Zone1,4 | Nov 21 – Feb 14 | 2 | 6 |
1White-fronted geese only.
2White-fronted geese listed separately from Canada/Light geese.
3Page lists bag limit reference *** for Central Zone white-fronted geese; footnote *** states daily bag limit is 2.
4White-fronted geese listed separately.
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 June 12, 2026. Always confirm with your state's official regulations before hunting.
For waterfowl population trends, harvest analysis, and conservation research, see WaterfowlAI Insights.