Virginia Duck Season 2026-27: Waterfowl Zone Dates

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

October 9, 2026 to January 31, 2027, with split season segments inside the window. The full table on this page was read from Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR)'s own published page, linked beside it; confirm there before you hunt.

Q: What about goose season in Virginia?

The goose table on this page lists the seasons as Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) publishes them, by species group and zone. Whether a 2027 light goose conservation season is offered will be determined in September 2026.

Q: Is there a September teal season in Virginia?

Yes: September 19, 2026 to September 27, 2026, as published by Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR). East of I-95 runs Sep 19 to 27, 2026; west of I-95 runs Sep 22 to 27, 2026.

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

At Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), 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 9, 2026 to January 31, 2027

Duck season

published

Statewide

Zones

with split segments

Atlantic

Flyway

federal framework

Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR)

Source

read 2026-09-01

The main event

Duck season in Virginia, zone by zone

Ducks, 2026-27

publishedAtlantic Flyway

Duck season opens in 34 days, on November 18, 2026.

Virginia duck seasons 2026-27, as published by Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR)
Zone	Season segments
Statewide	October 9, 2026 to October 12, 2026November 18, 2026 to November 29, 2026December 19, 2026 to January 31, 2027

Dates read from Migratory Game Birds, 2026-2027 Virginia Hunting, Trapping, and Migratory Game Bird Seasons Guide (Virginia DWR), accessed 2026-09-01.

Three-way split; black duck is closed during the October segment.

September teal: September 19, 2026 to September 27, 2026. East of I-95 runs Sep 19 to 27, 2026; west of I-95 runs Sep 22 to 27, 2026.

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 Virginia

Geese, 2026-27

published

Goose season	Dates
Canada geese, September season, statewide	September 1, 2026 to September 25, 2026
Canada geese, AP (Atlantic Population) Zone	November 24, 2026 to November 29, 2026December 24, 2026 to January 31, 2027
Canada geese, RP (Resident Population) Zone	November 18, 2026 to November 29, 2026December 19, 2026 to February 21, 2027
Snow geese (light geese)	November 25, 2026 to March 10, 2027
Brant	December 19, 2026 to December 31, 2026January 15, 2027 to January 31, 2027

Dates read from Migratory Game Birds, 2026-2027 Virginia Hunting, Trapping, and Migratory Game Bird Seasons Guide (Virginia DWR), accessed 2026-09-01.

Whether a 2027 light goose conservation season is offered will be determined in September 2026.

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 Virginia’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.

Virginia 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

Virginia 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 Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR)and USFWS, and the regulations page is linked below.

Current Virginia regulations

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

Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR): 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

Virginia waterfowl season questions

When is duck season in Virginia for 2026-27?

What about goose season in Virginia?

Is there a September teal season in Virginia?

What is a flyway, and which one is Virginia 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. Virginia selects its dates inside the Atlantic Flyway framework. The eastern seaboard corridor, Maine to Florida, inland to West Virginia.

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 Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) 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 Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) 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.

Virginia Duck & Goose Season 2026-27