2009-10 Waterfowl Seasons
Most waterfowl seasons are set based on five hunting zones that have been approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.Shooting Hours: Migratory waterfowl may be taken from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset in all hunting zones.
Non-toxic Shot: Required
TENTATIVE 2009-10 Duck, Snow Goose, & Brant Hunting Season Dates
Note: You must register with HIP to hunt any of these species.
The following dates are tentative until final federal regulations are set in late summer. Be sure to check the final dates before you go afield.
| SPECIES | WESTERN | NORTHEAST | LAKE CHAMPLAIN |
SOUTHEAST | LONG ISLAND |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Youth Days # | Oct 10 & 11 | Sept 19 & 20 | Sept 26 & 27 | Sept 19 & 20 | Nov 7 & 8 |
| Ducks, Coots, Mergansers |
Oct 24 - Dec 6 Dec 26 - Jan 10 |
Oct 3 - Oct 11 Oct 23 - Dec 12 |
To be determined | Oct 10 - Oct 18 Nov 7 - Dec 27 |
Nov 25 - Nov 29 Dec 8 - Jan 31 |
| Sea Ducks | same as above | same as above | same as above | same as above | Oct 17 - Jan 31* |
| Scaup (2/day) | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| Snow Geese | Oct 24 - Dec 16 Dec 26 - Jan 10 Feb 2 - Mar 10 |
Oct 1 - Dec 31 Feb 24 - Mar 10 |
To be determined | Oct 10 - Jan 14 Mar 1 - Mar 10 |
Nov 24 - Mar 10 |
| Brant | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| Canada Geese September Season |
see map for September Canada Goose Season | ||||
| Canada Geese Regular Season |
To Be Determined | ||||
* In the special sea duck area only.
# Youth Days are additional days for Junior Hunters only. Young hunters, 12 to 15 years of age, possessing a junior hunting license may hunt ducks, coots, mergansers, Canada geese, and brant on 2 special days in each zone. Daily bag limits for ducks are the maximum allowed during the regular duck season, and 2 per day for Canada geese. Young hunters must be accompanied by a licensed (including current HIP registration and duck stamp) adult hunter, but the adult may not shoot any birds unless the respective regular season is open. Note: A 2008-09 hunting license is needed to hunt on any Youth Day in September 2009.
TENTATIVE 2009-10 Waterfowl Bag Limits
The daily bag limit is the maximum number of birds of each species that any person may take or possess in the field during any one day. The possession limit is twice the daily bag limit for all waterfowl species except snow geese. The possession limit is the maximum number of birds that any person may possess in total in the field, at home, in transit or in storage.
The following bag limits are tentative until federal regulations are finalized in late summer. Be sure to check the final bag limits before you go afield.
| Species | Daily Limit | Possession Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Ducks* | 6 | 12 |
| Sea Ducks** | 7 | 14 |
| Coot | 15 | 30 |
| Canada geese # | To be determined | |
| Snow geese | 15 | no limit |
| Brant | To be determined | To be determined |
* The daily limit for ducks includes mergansers, and may include no harlequin ducks, no canvasbacks, and no more than 4 mallards (no more than 2 of which may be hens), 1 black duck, 3 wood ducks, 1 pintail, 2 redheads, 1 scaup (except during 20-day periods specified for each zone in the season date table above, when 2 scaup may be taken daily), 4 scoters or 2 hooded mergansers.
** The daily limit of 7 sea ducks (scoters, eiders and long-tailed ducks - formerly called oldsquaw) is in addition to the regular duck bag in coastal waters of the Long Island Zone only. No more than 4 scoters may be included in the daily bag of sea ducks. In all other areas, sea ducks are part of the regular duck bag limit.
# Cackling geese and white-fronted geese may be taken as part of the Canada goose daily and possession limits.