Minnesota is part of the Mississippi Flyway, one of four major migratory bird corridors in North America. The 2025–2026 waterfowl season runs from September 6 through January 7, 2026, with 34 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.
2025-2026 Minnesota Dark Geese hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Segment
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
Early Goose
Sep 6
Sep 21
5
15
Second Split
Sep 27
Dec 26
5
15
Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise – sunset
Early season: 5-bird combined limit (Canada, white-fronted, brant) · No early goose permit required (2025) · Non-toxic shot · Plugged shotgun · No electronic calls
Youth
2025-2026 Minnesota Youth hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
Sep 13
Sep 14
6
18
Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise – sunset
Age 17 & under with non-hunting adult · All license/stamp requirements waived
Ducks
2025-2026 Minnesota Ducks hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
Sep 27
Nov 25
6
18
Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise – sunset
Non-toxic shot · Plugged shotgun · No electronic calls · Spinning-wing decoys allowed · Decoys max 2 hrs before shooting on public land · Three zones: North, Central, South
Light Geese
2025-2026 Minnesota Light Geese hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
Sep 27
Dec 26
20
60
Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise – sunset
Conservation Order (Feb 18-Apr 30) · Free permit ($2.50 fee) · No bag/possession limit · Electronic calls & unplugged shotguns allowed · Non-toxic shot · No other stamps needed
Coots
2025-2026 Minnesota Coots hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
Sep 27
Nov 25
15
45
Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise – sunset
Non-toxic shot required for moorhens · Same zone seasons as ducks · Plugged shotgun · No electronic calls
Mergansers
2025-2026 Minnesota Mergansers hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
Sep 27
Nov 25
5
15
Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise – sunset
Max 2 hooded mergansers/day · Same as duck zones · Non-toxic shot · Plugged shotgun · No electronic calls · Spinning-wing decoys allowed
Early Teal
2025-2026 Minnesota Early Teal hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
Sep 6
Sep 10
6
18
Shooting hours: Sunrise – sunset
Shooting hours sunrise to sunset only (no pre-sunrise) · Do not hunt on tribal wild rice beds (Mille Lacs, Leech Lake, White Earth) · Non-toxic shot
Dark Geese
2025-2026 Minnesota Dark Geese hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Segment
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
Early Goose
Sep 6
Sep 21
5
15
Second Split
Sep 27
Oct 5
5
15
Third Split
Oct 11
Dec 31
5
15
Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise – sunset
Early season: 5-bird combined limit (Canada, white-fronted, brant) · No early goose permit required (2025) · Non-toxic shot · Plugged shotgun · No electronic calls
Youth
2025-2026 Minnesota Youth hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
Sep 13
Sep 14
6
18
Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise – sunset
Age 17 & under with non-hunting adult · All license/stamp requirements waived
Ducks
2025-2026 Minnesota Ducks hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Segment
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
First Split
Sep 27
Oct 5
6
18
Second Split
Oct 11
Nov 30
6
18
Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise – sunset
Non-toxic shot · Plugged shotgun · No electronic calls · Spinning-wing decoys allowed · Decoys max 2 hrs before shooting on public land · Three zones: North, Central, South
Light Geese
2025-2026 Minnesota Light Geese hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Segment
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
First Split
Sep 27
Oct 5
20
60
Second Split
Oct 11
Dec 31
20
60
Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise – sunset
Conservation Order (Feb 18-Apr 30) · Free permit ($2.50 fee) · No bag/possession limit · Electronic calls & unplugged shotguns allowed · Non-toxic shot · No other stamps needed
Coots
2025-2026 Minnesota Coots hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Segment
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
First Split
Sep 27
Oct 5
15
45
Second Split
Oct 11
Nov 30
15
45
Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise – sunset
Non-toxic shot required for moorhens · Same zone seasons as ducks · Plugged shotgun · No electronic calls
Mergansers
2025-2026 Minnesota Mergansers hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Segment
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
First Split
Sep 27
Oct 5
5
15
Second Split
Oct 11
Nov 30
5
15
Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise – sunset
Max 2 hooded mergansers/day · Same as duck zones · Non-toxic shot · Plugged shotgun · No electronic calls · Spinning-wing decoys allowed
Early Teal
2025-2026 Minnesota Early Teal hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
Sep 6
Sep 10
6
18
Shooting hours: Sunrise – sunset
Shooting hours sunrise to sunset only (no pre-sunrise) · Do not hunt on tribal wild rice beds (Mille Lacs, Leech Lake, White Earth) · Non-toxic shot
Dark Geese
2025-2026 Minnesota Dark Geese hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Segment
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
Early Goose
Sep 6
Sep 21
5
15
Second Split
Sep 27
Oct 5
5
15
Third Split
Oct 18
Jan 7
5
15
Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise – sunset
Early season: 5-bird combined limit (Canada, white-fronted, brant) · No early goose permit required (2025) · Non-toxic shot · Plugged shotgun · No electronic calls
Youth
2025-2026 Minnesota Youth hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
Sep 13
Sep 14
6
18
Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise – sunset
Age 17 & under with non-hunting adult · All license/stamp requirements waived
Ducks
2025-2026 Minnesota Ducks hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Segment
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
First Split
Sep 27
Oct 5
6
18
Second Split
Oct 18
Dec 7
6
18
Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise – sunset
Non-toxic shot · Plugged shotgun · No electronic calls · Spinning-wing decoys allowed · Decoys max 2 hrs before shooting on public land · Three zones: North, Central, South
Light Geese
2025-2026 Minnesota Light Geese hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Segment
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
First Split
Sep 27
Oct 5
20
60
Second Split
Oct 18
Jan 7
20
60
Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise – sunset
Conservation Order (Feb 18-Apr 30) · Free permit ($2.50 fee) · No bag/possession limit · Electronic calls & unplugged shotguns allowed · Non-toxic shot · No other stamps needed
Coots
2025-2026 Minnesota Coots hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Segment
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
First Split
Sep 27
Oct 5
15
45
Second Split
Oct 18
Dec 7
15
45
Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise – sunset
Non-toxic shot required for moorhens · Same zone seasons as ducks · Plugged shotgun · No electronic calls
Mergansers
2025-2026 Minnesota Mergansers hunting season dates, daily bag limits, and possession limits
Segment
Opens
Closes
Daily Bag
Possession
First Split
Sep 27
Oct 5
5
15
Second Split
Oct 18
Dec 7
5
15
Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise – sunset
Max 2 hooded mergansers/day · Same as duck zones · Non-toxic shot · Plugged shotgun · No electronic calls · Spinning-wing decoys allowed
Duck Species Sub-Limits
SpeciesDaily Bag
Mottled DuckDusky duck aggregate with black duck
1
Redhead
2
Black Duck
2
Mallardeither · Max 2 hens per day
4
Canvasback
2
Wood Duck
3
Greater ScaupAggregate scaup combined; may reduce to 1 in last 15 days
2
Pintail (Northern)
3
Lesser ScaupAggregate scaup combined; may reduce to 1 in last 15 days
2
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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 2025-2026 season. This data was verified on March 9, 2026. Always confirm with your state's official regulations before hunting.