Connecticut Duck Season 2026-27: Waterfowl Zone Dates

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

October 10, 2026 to January 19, 2027, split across 2 zones (North Zone, South Zone), with split season segments inside the window. The full table on this page was read from Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP)'s own published page, linked beside it; confirm there before you hunt.

Q: What about goose season in Connecticut?

The goose table on this page lists the seasons as Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) publishes them, by species group and zone. Canada goose seasons run by goose management unit (AP, AFRP, NAP-H) layered over the North/South duck zones; unit boundaries are described in the agency guide.

Q: Which duck zone am I in?

Connecticut's zones (North Zone, South Zone) are drawn by the agency along highways, rivers and county lines. Your zone is determined from the agency's own map: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) publishes the official zone map and boundary descriptions, linked from this page.

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

At Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), 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.

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.

October 10, 2026 to January 19, 2027

Duck season

published

2 zones

Zones

with split segments

Atlantic

Flyway

federal framework

Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP)

Source

read 2026-09-01

The main event

Duck season in Connecticut, zone by zone

Ducks, 2026-27

publishedAtlantic Flyway

Duck season is OPEN now in the North Zone, through October 17, 2026.

Connecticut duck seasons 2026-27, as published by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP)
Zone	Season segments
North Zone	October 10, 2026 to October 17, 2026November 7, 2026 to November 11, 2026November 14, 2026 to January 9, 2027
South Zone	October 10, 2026 to October 12, 2026November 11, 2026 to November 11, 2026November 14, 2026 to January 19, 2027

Dates read from 2026-2027 Connecticut Migratory Bird Hunting Guide, accessed 2026-09-01.

Season covers ducks, mergansers and coots; all dates inclusive except Sundays, which are closed to migratory bird hunting. South Zone includes a one-day Veterans Day split. Youth waterfowl training days exist in October.

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 Connecticut

Geese, 2026-27

published

Goose season	Dates
Canada geese, September early season, North Zone	September 1, 2026 to September 30, 2026
Canada geese, September early season, South Zone	September 15, 2026 to September 30, 2026
Canada geese, regular season, AP Unit	October 10, 2026 to October 17, 2026November 21, 2026 to December 14, 2026
Canada geese, AP late season	December 15, 2026 to February 13, 2027
Canada geese, AFRP Unit	October 10, 2026 to October 17, 2026November 21, 2026 to February 13, 2027
Canada geese, NAP-H Unit, North Zone	October 10, 2026 to October 17, 2026November 10, 2026 to January 9, 2027
Canada geese, NAP-H Unit, South Zone	October 10, 2026 to October 12, 2026November 9, 2026 to January 14, 2027
Canada geese, NAP-H late season (South Zone east of Quinnipiac River)	January 15, 2027 to February 13, 2027
Snow geese (includes blue geese), statewide	October 1, 2026 to January 9, 2027February 16, 2027 to March 10, 2027
Brant, North Zone	December 7, 2026 to January 9, 2027
Brant, South Zone	December 16, 2026 to January 19, 2027

Dates read from 2026-2027 Connecticut Migratory Bird Hunting Guide, accessed 2026-09-01.

Canada goose seasons run by goose management unit (AP, AFRP, NAP-H) layered over the North/South duck zones; unit boundaries are described in the agency guide.

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 Connecticut’s dates get set: the Atlantic 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.

Connecticut selects its dates inside the Atlantic Flyway framework. The eastern seaboard corridor, Maine to Florida, inland to West Virginia.

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

Connecticut 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 Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP)and USFWS, and the regulations page is linked below.

Current Connecticut regulations

Bag limits and species restrictions, shooting hours, duck stamp and HIP requirements, license rules, and youth or veteran season details for Connecticut are set by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), are legally binding and change annually. Its current regulations page is linked here.

Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP): 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

Connecticut waterfowl season questions

When is duck season in Connecticut for 2026-27?

What about goose season in Connecticut?

What is a flyway, and which one is Connecticut 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. Connecticut selects its dates inside the Atlantic Flyway framework. The eastern seaboard corridor, Maine to Florida, inland to West Virginia.

Which duck zone am I in?

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 Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) 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 Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) 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.

Connecticut Duck & Goose Season 2026-27