Vermont Duck Season 2026-27: Waterfowl Zone Dates

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

October 10, 2026 to December 27, 2026, split across 3 zones (Lake Champlain Zone, Interior Vermont Zone, Connecticut River Zone), with split season segments inside the window. The full table on this page was read from Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department's own published page, linked beside it; confirm there before you hunt.

Q: What about goose season in Vermont?

The goose table on this page lists the seasons as Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department publishes them, by species group and zone. Connecticut River Zone Dec 25 to Jan 4 Canada goose segment applies to land, not Connecticut River waters.

Q: Which duck zone am I in?

Vermont's zones (Lake Champlain Zone, Interior Vermont Zone, Connecticut River Zone) are drawn by the agency along highways, rivers and county lines. Your zone is determined from the agency's own map: Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department publishes the official zone map and boundary descriptions, linked from this page.

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

At Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, 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 December 27, 2026

Duck season

published

3 zones

Zones

with split segments

Atlantic

Flyway

federal framework

Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department

Source

read 2026-09-01

The main event

Duck season in Vermont, zone by zone

Ducks, 2026-27

publishedAtlantic Flyway

Duck season is OPEN now in the Lake Champlain Zone, through November 1, 2026, with 3 zone segments open.

Vermont duck seasons 2026-27, as published by Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department
Zone	Season segments
Lake Champlain Zone	October 10, 2026 to November 1, 2026November 21, 2026 to December 27, 2026
Interior Vermont Zone	October 10, 2026 to December 8, 2026
Connecticut River Zone	October 13, 2026 to November 11, 2026November 25, 2026 to December 24, 2026

Dates read from 2026-2027 Syllabus of State and Federal Hunting Regulations for Migratory Birds in Vermont, accessed 2026-09-01.

Season covers ducks, coots and mergansers. Connecticut River Zone seasons are set under New Hampshire's Inland Zone rules. Youth waterfowl weekend exists in late September.

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 Vermont

Geese, 2026-27

published

Goose season	Dates
Canada geese, Lake Champlain Zone	September 1, 2026 to September 25, 2026October 10, 2026 to November 23, 2026December 1, 2026 to January 4, 2027
Canada geese, Interior Vermont Zone	September 1, 2026 to September 25, 2026October 10, 2026 to November 23, 2026December 1, 2026 to January 4, 2027
Canada geese, Connecticut River Zone	September 1, 2026 to September 25, 2026October 13, 2026 to November 11, 2026November 25, 2026 to December 24, 2026December 25, 2026 to January 4, 2027
Snow geese, Lake Champlain and Interior Vermont Zones	October 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026February 26, 2027 to March 10, 2027
Snow geese, Connecticut River Zone	October 13, 2026 to November 11, 2026November 25, 2026 to December 24, 2026
Brant, Lake Champlain and Interior Vermont Zones	October 10, 2026 to November 8, 2026
Brant, Connecticut River Zone	October 13, 2026 to November 11, 2026

Dates read from 2026-2027 Syllabus of State and Federal Hunting Regulations for Migratory Birds in Vermont, accessed 2026-09-01.

Connecticut River Zone Dec 25 to Jan 4 Canada goose segment applies to land, not Connecticut River waters.

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 Vermont’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.

Vermont 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

Vermont 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 Vermont Fish and Wildlife Departmentand USFWS, and the regulations page is linked below.

Current Vermont regulations

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

Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department: 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

Vermont waterfowl season questions

When is duck season in Vermont for 2026-27?

What about goose season in Vermont?

What is a flyway, and which one is Vermont 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. Vermont 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 Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department 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 Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department 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.

Vermont Duck & Goose Season 2026-27