Ohio · 2026-27 waterfowl

Ohio Duck & Goose Season 2026-27

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

October 17, 2026 to January 31, 2027, split across 3 zones (Waterfowl Zone A, Waterfowl Zone B, Waterfowl Zone C), with split season segments inside the window. The full table on this page was read from Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife's own published page, linked beside it; confirm there before you hunt.

Q: What about goose season in Ohio?

The goose table on this page lists the seasons as Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife publishes them, by species group and zone. Regular goose season covers geese and brant together by zone.

Q: Is there a September teal season in Ohio?

Yes: September 5, 2026 to September 13, 2026, as published by Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife. Early teal season, statewide.

Q: Which duck zone am I in?

Ohio's zones (Waterfowl Zone A, Waterfowl Zone B, Waterfowl Zone C) are drawn by the agency along highways, rivers and county lines. Your zone is determined from the agency's own map: Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife publishes the official zone map and boundary descriptions, linked from this page.

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

At Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife, 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.

Ducks: October 17, 2026 to January 31, 2027, across 3 zones. Every date below was read from Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife’s own published page, linked beside it, inside the Mississippi Flyway framework.

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 17, 2026 to January 31, 2027

Duck season

published

3 zones

Zones

with split segments

Mississippi

Flyway

federal framework

Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Source

read 2026-09-01

The main event

Duck season in Ohio, zone by zone

Ducks, 2026-27

publishedMississippi Flyway

Duck season opens in 2 days, on October 17, 2026 (Waterfowl Zone A).

Ohio duck seasons 2026-27, as published by Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife
Zone	Season segments
Waterfowl Zone A	October 17, 2026 to November 1, 2026November 14, 2026 to December 27, 2026
Waterfowl Zone B	October 17, 2026 to October 25, 2026November 21, 2026 to January 10, 2027
Waterfowl Zone C	October 17, 2026 to October 25, 2026December 12, 2026 to January 31, 2027

Dates read from Ohio Administrative Code Rule 1501:31-7-06, migratory game bird hunting seasons (effective June 30, 2026), accessed 2026-09-01.

Ohio uses three new waterfowl zones for 2026-2030; ducks, coots and mergansers share zone dates. Youth, military and veteran waterfowl days also exist.

September teal: September 5, 2026 to September 13, 2026. Early 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 Ohio

Geese, 2026-27

published

Goose season	Dates
Canada and cackling geese, early September season	September 5, 2026 to September 13, 2026
Geese and brant, Zone A	October 17, 2026 to November 1, 2026November 14, 2026 to February 1, 2027
Geese and brant, Zone B	October 17, 2026 to October 25, 2026November 21, 2026 to February 15, 2027
Geese and brant, Zone C	October 17, 2026 to October 25, 2026November 21, 2026 to February 15, 2027

Dates read from Ohio Administrative Code Rule 1501:31-7-06, migratory game bird hunting seasons (effective June 30, 2026), accessed 2026-09-01.

Regular goose season covers geese and brant together by zone.

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 Ohio’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.

Ohio 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

Ohio 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 Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlifeand USFWS, and the regulations page is linked below.

Current Ohio regulations

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

Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife: 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

Ohio waterfowl season questions

When is duck season in Ohio for 2026-27?

What about goose season in Ohio?

Is there a September teal season in Ohio?

What is a flyway, and which one is Ohio 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. Ohio 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 Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife 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 Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife 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.