Missouri Duck Season 2026-27: Waterfowl Zone Dates

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

October 31, 2026 to January 31, 2027, split across 3 zones (North Zone, Middle Zone, South Zone), with split season segments inside the window. The full table on this page was read from Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC)'s own published page, linked beside it; confirm there before you hunt.

Q: What about goose season in Missouri?

The goose table on this page lists the seasons as Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) publishes them, by species group and zone.

Q: Is there a September teal season in Missouri?

Yes: September 12, 2026 to September 20, 2026, as published by Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). Early September teal season, statewide per the MDC release.

Q: Which duck zone am I in?

Missouri's zones (North Zone, Middle Zone, South Zone) are drawn by the agency along highways, rivers and county lines. Your zone is determined from the agency's own map: Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) publishes the official zone map and boundary descriptions, linked from this page.

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

At Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), 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 31, 2026 to January 31, 2027

Duck season

published

3 zones

Zones

with split segments

Mississippi

Flyway

federal framework

Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC)

Source

read 2026-09-02

The main event

Duck season in Missouri, zone by zone

Ducks, 2026-27

publishedMississippi Flyway

Duck season opens in 16 days, on October 31, 2026 (North Zone).

Missouri duck seasons 2026-27, as published by Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC)
Zone	Season segments
North Zone	October 31, 2026 to December 29, 2026
Middle Zone	November 7, 2026 to December 13, 2026December 19, 2026 to January 10, 2027
South Zone	November 26, 2026 to November 29, 2026December 7, 2026 to January 31, 2027

Dates read from MDC sets upcoming migratory game bird and waterfowl seasons (Missouri Department of Conservation, March 27, 2026), accessed 2026-09-02.

Three waterfowl zones; North runs one continuous segment.

September teal: September 12, 2026 to September 20, 2026. Early September teal season, statewide per the MDC release.

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 Missouri

Geese, 2026-27

published

Goose season	Dates
Canada geese and brant	October 3, 2026 to October 10, 2026November 11, 2026 to February 6, 2027
Snow, blue and Ross's geese	November 11, 2026 to February 6, 2027
White-fronted geese	November 11, 2026 to February 6, 2027

Dates read from MDC sets upcoming migratory game bird and waterfowl seasons (Missouri Department of Conservation, March 27, 2026), accessed 2026-09-02.

Light goose conservation order: February 7, 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. Light goose conservation order per MDC. Details live at Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).

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 Missouri’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.

Missouri 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

Missouri 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 Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC)and USFWS, and the regulations page is linked below.

Current Missouri regulations

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

Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC): 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

Missouri waterfowl season questions

When is duck season in Missouri for 2026-27?

What about goose season in Missouri?

Is there a September teal season in Missouri?

What is a flyway, and which one is Missouri 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. Missouri 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 Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) 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 Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) 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.

Missouri Duck & Goose Season 2026-27