New Jersey is part of the Atlantic Flyway, one of four major migratory bird corridors in North America. The 2025–2026 waterfowl season runs from October 11 through January 22, 2026, with 20 distinct season segments covering ducks, geese, coots, and other migratory game birds. Season dates and bag limits are set annually by the Department of Environmental Protection within frameworks established by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1 | Oct 18 – Oct 25 First Split | 6 | 18 |
| Nov 22 – Jan 22 Second Split | |||
| South Zone1 | Oct 18 – Oct 25 First Split | 6 | 18 |
| Nov 22 – Jan 22 Second Split |
| Species | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Duck | 3 | 9 |
| Pintail (Northern) | 3 | 9 |
| Canvasback | 2 | 6 |
| Black Duck | 2 | 6 |
| Redhead | 2 | 6 |
| Lesser Scaup | 1 | 3 |
| Greater Scaup | 1 | 3 |
| Mallard No more than 2 hens | 4 | 12 |
1Verified: North/South zones Oct 18-25, Nov 22-Jan 22, 6/18 match eReg. Pintail updated to 3/9 (2025-26 national change). Scaup has variable limits (1 early, 2 late) - DB shows flat 1/3. GAPS: Coastal Zone missing entirely (Nov 22-Jan 30). Sea duck sub-limits not tracked.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1 | Nov 27 – Nov 29 Canada Goose Seg 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Dec 23 – Jan 22 Canada Goose Seg 2 | |||
| South Zone1 | Nov 27 – Nov 29 Canada Goose Seg 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Dec 23 – Jan 22 Canada Goose Seg 2 |
1Verified: Fixed daily_bag 3→1, possession 9→3 per eReg. Dates match: Nov 27-29, Dec 23-Jan 22. GAPS: Coastal Zone missing (Nov 22-Jan 30, 2/6). Sept early goose missing (Sept 1-30, 15/45). Special Winter goose missing (Jan 23-Feb 14, 5/15).
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1 | Nov 22 – Nov 29 Brant Seg 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Dec 13 – Jan 8 Brant Seg 2 | |||
| South Zone1 | Nov 22 – Nov 29 Brant Seg 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Dec 13 – Jan 8 Brant Seg 2 | |||
| Coastal Zone | Nov 22 – Nov 29 Brant Seg 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Dec 24 – Jan 19 Brant Seg 2 |
1Verified: Brant Nov 22-29, Dec 13-Jan 8, 1/3 matches eReg for North/South. GAPS: Coastal Zone Brant missing (Nov 22-29, Dec 24-Jan 19). Light geese missing entirely (regular Oct 16-Feb 14 25/no-limit, conservation Feb 16-Apr 4 no-limit).
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1 | Oct 18 – Oct 25 First Split | 15 | 45 |
| Nov 22 – Jan 22 Second Split | |||
| South Zone1 | Oct 18 – Oct 25 First Split | 15 | 45 |
| Nov 22 – Jan 22 Second Split |
1Verified: 15/45 coot matches eReg. Dates concurrent with duck seasons. Gallinule should be 1/3 (eReg), DB shows 15/45 - minor discrepancy. GAPS: Coastal Zone missing.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1 | Oct 11 – Oct 11 Youth Day | 6 | – |
| South Zone1 | Oct 11 – Oct 11 Youth Day | 6 | – |
1Verified: Oct 11 matches eReg for North/South zones. GAPS: Coastal Zone youth day Nov 15 missing. Veterans/Military days missing (Nov 8, Jan 31).
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 has not yet been verified against official sources for this season. Always confirm with your state's official regulations before hunting.