Massachusetts Duck Season 2026-27: Waterfowl Zone Dates

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

October 10, 2026 to January 27, 2027, split across 3 zones (Berkshire Zone, Central Zone, Coastal Zone), with split season segments inside the window. The full table on this page was read from Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife)'s own published page, linked beside it; confirm there before you hunt.

Q: What about goose season in Massachusetts?

The goose table on this page lists the seasons as Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) publishes them, by species group and zone. Cackling and white-fronted geese count within Canada goose limits; Ross's and blue geese count within snow goose limits. Berkshire Zone regular Canada goose season grew from 30 to 45 days this year.

Q: Which duck zone am I in?

Massachusetts's zones (Berkshire Zone, Central Zone, Coastal Zone) are drawn by the agency along highways, rivers and county lines. Your zone is determined from the agency's own map: Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) publishes the official zone map and boundary descriptions, linked from this page.

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

At Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), 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 10, 2026 to January 27, 2027

Duck season

published

3 zones

Zones

with split segments

Atlantic

Flyway

federal framework

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife)

Source

read 2026-09-01

The main event

Duck season in Massachusetts, zone by zone

Ducks, 2026-27

publishedAtlantic Flyway

Duck season is OPEN now in the Berkshire Zone, through November 28, 2026, with 3 zone segments open.

Massachusetts duck seasons 2026-27, as published by Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife)
Zone	Season segments
Berkshire Zone	October 12, 2026 to November 28, 2026December 14, 2026 to January 2, 2027
Central Zone	October 10, 2026 to November 28, 2026December 15, 2026 to January 2, 2027
Coastal Zone	October 10, 2026 to October 17, 2026November 27, 2026 to January 27, 2027

Dates read from Migratory game bird hunting regulations, 2026-2027 season dates and bag limits (Mass.gov), accessed 2026-09-01.

Season covers ducks, mergansers and sea ducks; hunting is prohibited on Sundays in Massachusetts. Youth and veterans waterfowl hunt days also exist.

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 Massachusetts

Geese, 2026-27

published

Goose season	Dates
Canada goose, early season, all zones	September 1, 2026 to September 25, 2026
Canada goose, regular season, Berkshire Zone	October 12, 2026 to November 28, 2026
Canada goose, regular season, Central Zone	October 10, 2026 to November 28, 2026December 15, 2026 to January 2, 2027
Canada goose, regular season, Coastal Zone	October 10, 2026 to October 17, 2026November 27, 2026 to January 27, 2027
Canada goose, late season, Berkshire Zone	December 15, 2026 to February 13, 2027
Canada goose, late season, Central Zone	January 16, 2027 to February 13, 2027
Canada goose, late season, North Coastal Zone only	January 28, 2027 to February 13, 2027
Snow goose, Berkshire Zone	October 12, 2026 to November 28, 2026December 14, 2026 to January 2, 2027
Snow goose, Central Zone	October 10, 2026 to November 28, 2026December 15, 2026 to January 2, 2027
Snow goose, Coastal Zone	October 10, 2026 to October 17, 2026November 27, 2026 to January 27, 2027
Snow goose, late season, Central Zone	January 16, 2027 to February 13, 2027
Snow goose, late season, North Coastal Zone only	January 28, 2027 to February 13, 2027
Brant, Coastal Zone	November 27, 2026 to December 31, 2026

Dates read from Migratory game bird hunting regulations, 2026-2027 season dates and bag limits (Mass.gov), accessed 2026-09-01.

Cackling and white-fronted geese count within Canada goose limits; Ross's and blue geese count within snow goose limits. Berkshire Zone regular Canada goose season grew from 30 to 45 days this year.

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 Massachusetts’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.

Massachusetts 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

Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife)and USFWS, and the regulations page is linked below.

Current Massachusetts regulations

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

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife): 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

Massachusetts waterfowl season questions

When is duck season in Massachusetts for 2026-27?

What about goose season in Massachusetts?

What is a flyway, and which one is Massachusetts 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. Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) 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 Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) 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.

Massachusetts Duck & Goose Season 2026-27