Maryland Duck Season 2026-27: Waterfowl Zone Dates

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

October 3, 2026 to January 30, 2027, split across 2 zones (Eastern Zone, Western Zone), with split season segments inside the window. The full table on this page was read from Maryland Department of Natural Resources's own published page, linked beside it; confirm there before you hunt.

Q: What about goose season in Maryland?

The goose table on this page lists the seasons as Maryland Department of Natural Resources publishes them, by species group and zone. Resident zone segments are printed as separate consecutive windows, matching the rows in the agency table. A light goose conservation order is to be determined; check MD DNR in fall 2026.

Q: Is there a September teal season in Maryland?

Yes: September 17, 2026 to September 26, 2026, as published by Maryland Department of Natural Resources. September teal season, statewide.

Q: Which duck zone am I in?

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

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

At Maryland Department of Natural Resources, 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 30, 2027

Duck season

published

2 zones

Zones

with split segments

Atlantic

Flyway

federal framework

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Source

read 2026-09-01

The main event

Duck season in Maryland, zone by zone

Ducks, 2026-27

publishedAtlantic Flyway

Duck season is OPEN now in the Eastern Zone, through October 17, 2026, with 2 zone segments open.

Maryland duck seasons 2026-27, as published by Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Zone	Season segments
Eastern Zone	October 10, 2026 to October 17, 2026November 14, 2026 to November 27, 2026December 15, 2026 to January 30, 2027
Western Zone	October 3, 2026 to October 17, 2026November 21, 2026 to November 27, 2026December 15, 2026 to January 30, 2027

Dates read from Maryland Migratory Game Bird Seasons and Limits (official Maryland Guide to Hunting and Trapping digest), accessed 2026-09-01.

Three-way split seasons in both zones; sea ducks fall within the regular duck framework. Youth, veteran and military waterfowl hunting days also exist.

September teal: September 17, 2026 to September 26, 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 Maryland

Geese, 2026-27

published

Goose season	Dates
Resident Canada geese, early season, Eastern Zone	September 1, 2026 to September 15, 2026
Resident Canada geese, early season, Western Zone	September 1, 2026 to September 25, 2026
Canada geese, Atlantic Population Hunt Zone	November 24, 2026 to November 27, 2026December 15, 2026 to January 30, 2027
Canada geese, Resident Population (Southern Maryland Resident Canada Goose) Zone	November 21, 2026 to November 23, 2026November 24, 2026 to November 27, 2026December 15, 2026 to January 30, 2027February 1, 2027 to March 10, 2027
Light geese (snow geese), statewide	November 7, 2026 to November 27, 2026November 30, 2026 to February 6, 2027
Light geese (snow geese), Eastern Zone only	February 8, 2027 to March 10, 2027
Brant, statewide	December 28, 2026 to January 30, 2027

Dates read from Maryland Migratory Game Bird Seasons and Limits (official Maryland Guide to Hunting and Trapping digest), accessed 2026-09-01.

Resident zone segments are printed as separate consecutive windows, matching the rows in the agency table. A light goose conservation order is to be determined; check MD DNR in fall 2026.

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 Maryland’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.

Maryland 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

Maryland 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 Maryland Department of Natural Resourcesand USFWS, and the regulations page is linked below.

Current Maryland regulations

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

Maryland Department of Natural Resources: 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

Maryland waterfowl season questions

When is duck season in Maryland for 2026-27?

What about goose season in Maryland?

Is there a September teal season in Maryland?

What is a flyway, and which one is Maryland 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. Maryland 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 Maryland Department of Natural Resources 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 Maryland Department of Natural Resources 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.

Maryland Duck & Goose Season 2026-27