Indiana · 2026-27 waterfowl

Indiana Duck & Goose Season 2026-27

Q: When is duck season in Indiana 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 Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife's own published page, linked beside it; confirm there before you hunt.

Q: What about goose season in Indiana?

The goose table on this page lists the seasons as Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife publishes them, by species group and zone.

Q: Is there a September teal season in Indiana?

Yes: September 5, 2026 to September 13, 2026, as published by Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife. September teal season, statewide.

Q: Which duck zone am I in?

Indiana'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: Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife publishes the official zone map and boundary descriptions, linked from this page.

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

At Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife, 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: October 24, 2026 to January 24, 2027, across 3 zones. Every date below was read from Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife’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.

October 24, 2026 to January 24, 2027

Duck season

published

3 zones

Zones

with split segments

Mississippi

Flyway

federal framework

Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Source

read 2026-09-01

The main event

Duck season in Indiana, zone by zone

Ducks, 2026-27

publishedMississippi Flyway

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

Indiana duck seasons 2026-27, as published by Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife
Zone	Season segments
North Zone	October 24, 2026 to December 13, 2026December 19, 2026 to December 27, 2026
Central Zone	October 31, 2026 to November 8, 2026November 21, 2026 to January 10, 2027
South Zone	November 7, 2026 to November 8, 2026November 28, 2026 to January 24, 2027

Dates read from Indiana DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife Waterfowl Seasons, Regulations and Rules, accessed 2026-09-01.

Three waterfowl zones, each with a split season.

September teal: September 5, 2026 to September 13, 2026. September teal season, statewide.

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 Indiana

Geese, 2026-27

published

Goose season	Dates
Canada geese, North Zone	September 5, 2026 to September 13, 2026October 24, 2026 to November 1, 2026November 21, 2026 to February 14, 2027
Canada geese, Central Zone	September 5, 2026 to September 13, 2026October 31, 2026 to November 8, 2026November 21, 2026 to February 14, 2027
Canada geese, South Zone	September 1, 2026 to September 13, 2026November 7, 2026 to November 11, 2026November 21, 2026 to February 14, 2027
Light geese (snow and Ross's) and white-fronted geese, all zones	November 21, 2026 to February 14, 2027

Dates read from Indiana DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife Waterfowl Seasons, Regulations and Rules, accessed 2026-09-01.

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 Indiana’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.

Indiana 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

Indiana 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 Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlifeand USFWS, and the regulations page is linked below.

Current Indiana regulations

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

Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife: 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

Indiana waterfowl season questions

When is duck season in Indiana for 2026-27?

What about goose season in Indiana?

Is there a September teal season in Indiana?

What is a flyway, and which one is Indiana 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. Indiana 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 Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife 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 Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife 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.