Longest Duck Seasons in the US — 2025–26 Rankings

Why Southern States Get the Longest Seasons

The USFWS allocates season lengths through the flyway council system based on population data, habitat conditions, and historical harvest pressure. States at the bottom of flyways — where ducks concentrate for the winter — receive the most liberal allocations. Arkansas's White River, Cache River, and Grand Prairie systems host the largest mallard concentrations in North America each winter, justifying its maximum allocation.

California, Washington, and Oregon receive similar allocations in the Pacific Flyway, where the Sacramento Valley and Columbia Basin provide critical wintering habitat. Northern states (Minnesota, Wisconsin, the Dakotas) open earliest but close soonest — ducks don't winter there, so season length is limited to the migration window.