Minnesota Duck Season 2026-27: Waterfowl Zone Dates

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

September 26, 2026 to December 6, 2026, 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 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR)'s own published page, linked beside it; confirm there before you hunt.

Q: What about goose season in Minnesota?

The goose table on this page lists the seasons as Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) publishes them, by species group and zone. Regular goose season covers Canada, white-fronted and brant plus snow, blue and Ross's geese in each zone. The snow goose early-season row prints Sep 6 to 21 in the regulations booklet.

Q: Is there a September teal season in Minnesota?

Yes: September 5, 2026 to September 9, 2026, as published by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Statewide early teal season for blue-winged, green-winged and cinnamon teal. Restrictions apply on some tribal reservation wild rice waters.

Q: Which duck zone am I in?

Minnesota'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: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) publishes the official zone map and boundary descriptions, linked from this page.

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

At Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), 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.

September 26, 2026 to December 6, 2026

Duck season

published

3 zones

Zones

with split segments

Mississippi

Flyway

federal framework

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

Source

read 2026-09-01

The main event

Duck season in Minnesota, zone by zone

Ducks, 2026-27

publishedMississippi Flyway

Duck season is OPEN now in the North Zone, through November 24, 2026, with 2 zone segments open.

Minnesota duck seasons 2026-27, as published by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Zone	Season segments
North Zone	September 26, 2026 to November 24, 2026
Central Zone	September 26, 2026 to October 4, 2026October 10, 2026 to November 29, 2026
South Zone	September 26, 2026 to October 4, 2026October 17, 2026 to December 6, 2026

Dates read from 2026 Minnesota Hunting Regulations, Waterfowl section (2026 Seasons and Bag Limits), accessed 2026-09-01.

Statewide opener Sep 26, 2026 in all three zones; Central and South zones split. Youth waterfowl hunt runs Sep 12 to 13, 2026.

September teal: September 5, 2026 to September 9, 2026. Statewide early teal season for blue-winged, green-winged and cinnamon teal. Restrictions apply on some tribal reservation wild rice waters.

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 Minnesota

Geese, 2026-27

published

Goose season	Dates
Early goose season, statewide (Canada, white-fronted and brant)	September 5, 2026 to September 20, 2026
Early goose season, statewide (snow, blue and Ross's)	September 6, 2026 to September 21, 2026
Regular goose season, North Zone	September 26, 2026 to December 25, 2026
Regular goose season, Central Zone	September 26, 2026 to October 4, 2026October 10, 2026 to December 30, 2026
Regular goose season, South Zone	September 26, 2026 to October 4, 2026October 17, 2026 to January 6, 2027

Dates read from 2026 Minnesota Hunting Regulations, Waterfowl section (2026 Seasons and Bag Limits), accessed 2026-09-01.

Regular goose season covers Canada, white-fronted and brant plus snow, blue and Ross's geese in each zone. The snow goose early-season row prints Sep 6 to 21 in the regulations booklet.

Light goose conservation order: February 18, 2027 to April 30, 2027. A conservation order is a federal population control measure, not a regular hunting season, and runs under its own rules. Minnesota plans a spring light goose conservation action; the DNR seasons page lists Feb 18 to Apr 30, 2027 statewide. Details live at Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

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 Minnesota’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.

Minnesota 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

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

Current Minnesota regulations

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

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR): 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

Minnesota waterfowl season questions

When is duck season in Minnesota for 2026-27?

What about goose season in Minnesota?

Is there a September teal season in Minnesota?

What is a flyway, and which one is Minnesota 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. Minnesota 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 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) 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 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) 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.

Minnesota Duck & Goose Season 2026-27