Illinois Duck Season 2026-27: Waterfowl Zone Dates

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

October 24, 2026 to January 24, 2027, split across 3 zones (North Zone, Central Zone, South Zone), with split season segments inside the window. The full table on this page was read from Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)'s own published page, linked beside it; confirm there before you hunt.

Q: What about goose season in Illinois?

The goose table on this page lists the seasons as Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) publishes them, by species group and zone. September 1 to 15 segment is the early Canada goose season in every zone.

Q: Is there a September teal season in Illinois?

Yes: September 5, 2026 to September 13, 2026, as published by Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). September teal season, all zones.

Q: Which duck zone am I in?

Illinois's zones (North Zone, Central Zone, South Zone) are drawn by the agency along highways, rivers and county lines. Your zone is determined from the agency's own map: Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) publishes the official zone map and boundary descriptions, linked from this page.

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

At Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), 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 24, 2026 to January 24, 2027

Duck season

published

3 zones

Zones

with split segments

Mississippi

Flyway

federal framework

Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)

Source

read 2026-09-01

The main event

Duck season in Illinois, zone by zone

Ducks, 2026-27

publishedMississippi Flyway

Duck season opens in 9 days, on October 24, 2026 (North Zone).

Illinois duck seasons 2026-27, as published by Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)
Zone	Season segments
North Zone	October 24, 2026 to October 25, 2026October 31, 2026 to December 27, 2026
Central Zone	October 31, 2026 to December 13, 2026December 19, 2026 to January 3, 2027
South Zone	November 14, 2026 to December 6, 2026December 19, 2026 to January 24, 2027

Dates read from Illinois Waterfowl Season Dates and Zones 2026-2030 (IDNR, linked from dnr.illinois.gov waterfowl hunting page), accessed 2026-09-01.

2026-27 is the first year of Illinois's new three-zone, split-season structure (former South-Central and South zones merged). Youth waterfowl days also exist per zone.

September teal: September 5, 2026 to September 13, 2026. September teal season, all zones.

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 Illinois

Geese, 2026-27

published

Goose season	Dates
Canada goose, North Zone	September 1, 2026 to September 15, 2026October 24, 2026 to October 25, 2026October 31, 2026 to January 26, 2027
Canada goose, Central Zone	September 1, 2026 to September 15, 2026October 31, 2026 to December 13, 2026December 19, 2026 to January 31, 2027
Canada goose, South Zone	September 1, 2026 to September 15, 2026November 14, 2026 to January 31, 2027
Light goose and brant, North Zone	October 24, 2026 to October 25, 2026October 31, 2026 to January 26, 2027
Light goose and brant, Central Zone	October 31, 2026 to December 13, 2026December 19, 2026 to January 31, 2027
Light goose and brant, South Zone	November 14, 2026 to January 31, 2027
White-fronted goose, North Zone	October 31, 2026 to January 26, 2027
White-fronted goose, Central Zone	October 31, 2026 to December 13, 2026December 19, 2026 to January 31, 2027
White-fronted goose, South Zone	November 14, 2026 to January 31, 2027

Dates read from Illinois Waterfowl Season Dates and Zones 2026-2030 (IDNR, linked from dnr.illinois.gov waterfowl hunting page), accessed 2026-09-01.

September 1 to 15 segment is the early Canada goose season in every zone.

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 Illinois’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.

Illinois 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

Illinois 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 Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)and USFWS, and the regulations page is linked below.

Current Illinois regulations

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

Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR): 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

Illinois waterfowl season questions

When is duck season in Illinois for 2026-27?

What about goose season in Illinois?

Is there a September teal season in Illinois?

What is a flyway, and which one is Illinois 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. Illinois selects its dates inside the Mississippi Flyway framework. The continent's busiest duck corridor, following the Mississippi River system.

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 Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) 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 Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) 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.

Illinois Duck & Goose Season 2026-27