Texas Duck Season 2026-27: Waterfowl Zone Dates

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

October 24, 2026 to January 31, 2027, split across 3 zones (High Plains Mallard Management Unit, North Zone, South Zone), with split season segments inside the window. The full table on this page was read from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)'s own published page, linked beside it; confirm there before you hunt.

Q: What about goose season in Texas?

The goose table on this page lists the seasons as Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) publishes them, by species group and zone. Texas splits goose hunting into Western and Eastern goose zones, with dark geese (Canada and white-fronted) and light geese listed separately.

Q: Is there a September teal season in Texas?

Yes: September 19, 2026 to September 27, 2026, as published by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Nine-day September teal-only season, statewide.

Q: Which duck zone am I in?

Texas's zones (High Plains Mallard Management Unit, North Zone, South Zone) are drawn by the agency along highways, rivers and county lines. Your zone is determined from the agency's own map: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) publishes the official zone map and boundary descriptions, linked from this page.

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

At Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), 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 24, 2026 to January 31, 2027

Duck season

published

3 zones

Zones

with split segments

Central

Flyway

federal framework

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)

Source

read 2026-09-01

The main event

Duck season in Texas, zone by zone

Ducks, 2026-27

publishedCentral Flyway

Duck season opens in 9 days, on October 24, 2026 (High Plains Mallard Management Unit).

Texas duck seasons 2026-27, as published by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)
Zone	Season segments
High Plains Mallard Management Unit	October 24, 2026 to October 25, 2026October 30, 2026 to January 31, 2027
North Zone	November 14, 2026 to November 29, 2026December 5, 2026 to January 31, 2027
South Zone	November 7, 2026 to November 29, 2026December 12, 2026 to January 31, 2027

Dates read from Duck and Goose, TPWD Outdoor Annual 2026-2027 Seasons and Regulations, accessed 2026-09-01.

Dusky ducks (mottled duck group) stay off limits for the first five days of the season in each zone. Youth-only and veterans/active-duty weekends exist per zone.

September teal: September 19, 2026 to September 27, 2026. Nine-day September teal-only 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 Texas

Geese, 2026-27

published

Goose season	Dates
Early Canada geese, Eastern Zone only	September 12, 2026 to September 27, 2026
Dark geese, Western Zone	November 7, 2026 to February 7, 2027
Dark geese, Eastern Zone	November 7, 2026 to January 31, 2027
Light geese, Western Zone	November 7, 2026 to February 7, 2027
Light geese, Eastern Zone	November 7, 2026 to February 19, 2027

Dates read from Duck and Goose, TPWD Outdoor Annual 2026-2027 Seasons and Regulations, accessed 2026-09-01.

Texas splits goose hunting into Western and Eastern goose zones, with dark geese (Canada and white-fronted) and light geese listed separately.

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 Texas’s dates get set: the Central 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.

Texas selects its dates inside the Central Flyway framework. The Great Plains corridor from the Dakotas and Montana down through Texas.

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

Texas 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 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)and USFWS, and the regulations page is linked below.

Current Texas regulations

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

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD): 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

Texas waterfowl season questions

When is duck season in Texas for 2026-27?

What about goose season in Texas?

Is there a September teal season in Texas?

What is a flyway, and which one is Texas 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. Texas selects its dates inside the Central Flyway framework. The Great Plains corridor from the Dakotas and Montana down through Texas.

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 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) 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 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) 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.

Texas Duck & Goose Season 2026-27