Idaho Duck Season 2026-27: Waterfowl Zone Dates

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

October 3, 2026 to January 31, 2027, split across 3 zones (Area 1 (all parts of the state not in Areas 2 and 3), Area 2, Area 3). The full table on this page was read from Idaho Department of Fish and Game's own published page, linked beside it; confirm there before you hunt.

Q: What about goose season in Idaho?

Goose seasons in Idaho run different windows by species group and zone; this page shows the overall span the agency publishes and sends you to the agency table for the species detail. Canada goose Areas 3 and 4, white fronted goose and light goose seasons run their own windows, some into February and March 2027; the booklet's goose pages carry the area by area detail.

Q: Which duck zone am I in?

Idaho's zones (Area 1 (all parts of the state not in Areas 2 and 3), Area 2, Area 3) are drawn by the agency along highways, rivers and county lines. Your zone is determined from the agency's own map: Idaho Department of Fish and Game publishes the official zone map and boundary descriptions, linked from this page.

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

At Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 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 3, 2026 to January 31, 2027

Duck season

published

3 zones

Zones

as the agency draws it

Pacific

Flyway

federal framework

Idaho Department of Fish and Game

Source

read 2026-09-01

The main event

Duck season in Idaho, zone by zone

Ducks, 2026-27

publishedPacific Flyway

Duck season is OPEN now in the Area 2, through January 15, 2027, with 2 zone segments open.

Idaho duck seasons 2026-27, as published by Idaho Department of Fish and Game
Zone	Season segments
Area 1 (all parts of the state not in Areas 2 and 3)	October 19, 2026 to January 31, 2027
Area 2	October 3, 2026 to January 15, 2027
Area 3	October 10, 2026 to January 22, 2027

Dates read from Idaho Migratory Game Bird 2026-2027 Seasons and Rules (official booklet), accessed 2026-09-01.

Scaup run shorter windows inside each area (Area 1: Nov 7 to Jan 31; Area 2: Oct 3 to Dec 27). The youth waterfowl weekend is Sep 26 to 27, 2026. Idaho redrew its duck areas for 2026 through 2030 after a hunter survey.

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 Idaho

Geese, 2026-27

published

Goose season	Dates
Canada goose, Area 1	October 19, 2026 to January 31, 2027
Canada goose, Area 2	October 3, 2026 to January 15, 2027

Dates read from Idaho Migratory Game Bird 2026-2027 Seasons and Rules (official booklet), accessed 2026-09-01.

Canada goose Areas 3 and 4, white fronted goose and light goose seasons run their own windows, some into February and March 2027; the booklet's goose pages carry the area by area detail.

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 Idaho’s dates get set: the Pacific 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.

Idaho selects its dates inside the Pacific Flyway framework. The western corridor from Alaska down the coast states and Great Basin.

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

Idaho 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 Idaho Department of Fish and Gameand USFWS, and the regulations page is linked below.

Current Idaho regulations

Bag limits and species restrictions, shooting hours, duck stamp and HIP requirements, license rules, and youth or veteran season details for Idaho are set by Idaho Department of Fish and Game, are legally binding and change annually. Its current regulations page is linked here.

Idaho Department of Fish and Game: 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

Idaho waterfowl season questions

When is duck season in Idaho for 2026-27?

What about goose season in Idaho?

What is a flyway, and which one is Idaho 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. Idaho selects its dates inside the Pacific Flyway framework. The western corridor from Alaska down the coast states and Great Basin.

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 Idaho Department of Fish and Game 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 Idaho Department of Fish and Game 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.

Idaho Duck & Goose Season 2026-27