Louisiana Duck Season 2026-27: Waterfowl Zone Dates

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

November 14, 2026 to January 31, 2027, split across 2 zones (East Zone, West Zone), with split season segments inside the window. The full table on this page was read from Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF)'s own published page, linked beside it; confirm there before you hunt.

Q: What about goose season in Louisiana?

The goose table on this page lists the seasons as Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) publishes them, by species group and zone.

Q: Is there a September teal season in Louisiana?

Yes: September 19, 2026 to September 27, 2026, as published by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF). September teal season, statewide.

Q: Which duck zone am I in?

Louisiana's zones (East Zone, West Zone) are drawn by the agency along highways, rivers and county lines. Your zone is determined from the agency's own map: Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) publishes the official zone map and boundary descriptions, linked from this page.

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

At Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), 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.

November 14, 2026 to January 31, 2027

Duck season

published

2 zones

Zones

with split segments

Mississippi

Flyway

federal framework

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF)

Source

read 2026-09-01

The main event

Duck season in Louisiana, zone by zone

Ducks, 2026-27

publishedMississippi Flyway

Duck season opens in 30 days, on November 14, 2026 (West Zone).

Louisiana duck seasons 2026-27, as published by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF)
Zone	Season segments
East Zone	November 21, 2026 to December 6, 2026December 19, 2026 to January 31, 2027
West Zone	November 14, 2026 to December 6, 2026December 19, 2026 to January 24, 2027

Dates read from LDWF Seasons and Regulations, 2026-2027 waterfowl seasons, accessed 2026-09-01.

Louisiana moved to East and West waterfowl zones for 2026-27 through 2029-30. A special black-bellied whistling duck season runs Oct 3 to 11, 2026.

September teal: September 19, 2026 to September 27, 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 Louisiana

Geese, 2026-27

published

Goose season	Dates
Light geese (snow, blue and Ross's), East and West zones	November 14, 2026 to December 6, 2026December 19, 2026 to February 7, 2027
White-fronted geese (specklebelly), East and West zones	November 14, 2026 to December 6, 2026December 19, 2026 to February 7, 2027
Canada geese, East and West zones	November 14, 2026 to December 6, 2026December 19, 2026 to February 7, 2027

Dates read from LDWF Seasons and Regulations, 2026-2027 waterfowl seasons, accessed 2026-09-01.

Light goose conservation order: December 7, 2026 to December 18, 2026, and February 8, 2027 to March 7, 2027. A conservation order is a federal population control measure, not a regular hunting season, and runs under its own rules. Light goose conservation order runs between regular goose splits and after the close, both zones. Details live at Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF).

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 Louisiana’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.

Louisiana 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

Louisiana 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 Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF)and USFWS, and the regulations page is linked below.

Current Louisiana regulations

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

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF): 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

Louisiana waterfowl season questions

When is duck season in Louisiana for 2026-27?

What about goose season in Louisiana?

Is there a September teal season in Louisiana?

What is a flyway, and which one is Louisiana 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. Louisiana 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 Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) 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 Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) 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.

Louisiana Duck & Goose Season 2026-27