Alabama · 2026-27 waterfowl

Alabama Duck & Goose Season 2026-27

Q: When is duck season in Alabama for 2026-27?

November 27, 2026 to January 31, 2027, with split season segments inside the window. The full table on this page was read from Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Outdoor Alabama)'s own published page, linked beside it; confirm there before you hunt.

Q: What about goose season in Alabama?

The goose table on this page lists the seasons as Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Outdoor Alabama) publishes them, by species group and zone. Alabama prints one combined goose season; dark and light geese carry different rules in the agency table.

Q: Is there a September teal season in Alabama?

Yes: September 12, 2026 to September 20, 2026, as published by Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Outdoor Alabama). September teal season.

Q: Where are the bag limits, shooting hours and stamp requirements?

At Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Outdoor Alabama), linked on this page, along with the federal duck stamp and HIP registration rules from USFWS. Those change annually and are legally binding. This page carries the season window, sourced and dated.

Q: Can these dates change?

Yes. This page covers the 2026-27 season year with data as of September 2, 2026, says so in the copy, and links the exact agency page it read. Agencies amend and correct their own tables; treat the agency page as the final word on the morning you hunt.

Ducks: November 27, 2026 to January 31, 2027. Every date below was read from Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Outdoor Alabama)’s own published page, linked beside it, inside the Mississippi Flyway framework.

This page covers the 2026-27 season year. Dates were read from the agency sources linked below, last checked September 2, 2026. Seasons change annually and agencies correct their own pages; confirm against the linked agency page before you hunt.

November 27, 2026 to January 31, 2027

Duck season

published

Statewide

Zones

with split segments

Mississippi

Flyway

federal framework

Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Outdoor Alabama)

Source

read 2026-09-01

The main event

Duck season in Alabama, zone by zone

Ducks, 2026-27

publishedMississippi Flyway

Duck season opens in 43 days, on November 27, 2026.

Alabama duck seasons 2026-27, as published by Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Outdoor Alabama)
Zone	Season segments
Statewide	November 27, 2026 to November 28, 2026December 5, 2026 to January 31, 2027

Dates read from Waterfowl Seasons 2026-2027 (Outdoor Alabama), accessed 2026-09-01.

Ducks, coots and mergansers share the split season. Special youth, military and veteran waterfowl days fall on Nov 21, 2026 and Feb 6, 2027.

September teal: September 12, 2026 to September 20, 2026. September teal season.

Waterfowl hunter setting goose decoys on a tidal flat with a retriever watching — Setting decoys with help. Photo: Rebecca Fabbri/USFWS. “Waterfowl hunter and dog” — Rebecca Fabbri / USFWS Alaska Region — Public domain

Geese

Goose seasons in Alabama

Geese, 2026-27

published

Goose season	Dates
All geese (Canada, white-fronted, snow, blue and Ross's)	September 5, 2026 to October 4, 2026October 17, 2026 to October 31, 2026November 27, 2026 to November 28, 2026December 5, 2026 to January 31, 2027

Dates read from Waterfowl Seasons 2026-2027 (Outdoor Alabama), accessed 2026-09-01.

Alabama prints one combined goose season; dark and light geese carry different rules in the agency table.

Canada geese dropping into a refuge wetland with wings set — Canada geese dropping into a refuge marsh. Photo: Jennifer Jewett/USFWS. “Canada Geese” by Jennifer Jewett / USFWS Mountain-Prairie, CC BY 2.0

The structure over the state

How Alabama’s dates get set: the Mississippi Flyway

Waterfowl seasons are the most federal of all hunting seasons. Migratory birds cross every border, so the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service publishes annual frameworks for each of the four administrative flyways, setting the earliest openers, latest closers and maximum season lengths, and each state then selects its own dates and zones inside its framework.

Alabama selects its dates inside the Mississippi Flyway framework. The continent's busiest duck corridor, following the Mississippi River system.

Large mixed flock of ducks and geese over water at sunset — A mixed flock of ducks and geese at sunset. Photo: Steve Hillebrand/USFWS. “A mixed flock of ducks and geese fly from a wetland area” — Steve Hillebrand, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — Public domain

Rules

Alabama waterfowl hunting regulations

Season windows are carried here with their source and read date attached. Everything else a hunter is bound by, including the federal duck stamp and HIP registration every waterfowl hunter needs, is set by Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Outdoor Alabama)and USFWS, and the regulations page is linked below.

Current Alabama regulations

Bag limits and species restrictions, shooting hours, duck stamp and HIP requirements, license rules, and youth or veteran season details for Alabama are set by Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Outdoor Alabama), are legally binding and change annually. Its current regulations page is linked here.

Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Outdoor Alabama): current regulations

Father and daughter in waders with a retriever in a duckweed marsh — Father and daughter on Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. Photo: Tim Miller/USFWS. “Waterfowl Hunting (Upper Mississippi River NWFR)” — Tim Miller / USFWS Midwest Region — Public domain

Alabama waterfowl season questions

When is duck season in Alabama for 2026-27?

What about goose season in Alabama?

Is there a September teal season in Alabama?

What is a flyway, and which one is Alabama in?

Waterfowl seasons are set in two steps: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service publishes annual federal frameworks for each of the four administrative flyways (Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, Pacific), setting the outside limits, and each state selects its season dates and zones inside its flyway's framework. Alabama selects its dates inside the Mississippi Flyway framework. The continent's busiest duck corridor, following the Mississippi River system.

Where are the bag limits, shooting hours and stamp requirements?

Can these dates change?

Wetland at sunset with a fallen snag and mountains on the horizon — Wood River Wetland, Oregon. The habitat the flyways run on. Photo: Greg Shine/BLM. “Wood River Wetland” — Greg Shine / Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington — Public domain

This page covers the 2026-27 season year with data as of September 2, 2026. Every season window is republished from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Outdoor Alabama) page linked beside it, read on the date shown; windows the agency had not yet published are labelled not yet published. Bag limits, legal methods, shooting hours, stamp and license rules are set by Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Outdoor Alabama) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, whose pages are the final word on the day you hunt. See also the national waterfowl season guide.