Waterfowl & Migratory Game Bird Seasons

Waterfowl Hunting Seasons

Attention hunters: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has recently been detected in New York State in many species of waterfowl. Although the risk to humans is low, we encourage hunters to take extra precautions while processing harvested waterfowl. For more information on best practices to minimize your risk of exposure, please read the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza - What hunters need to know brochure (PDF).

News for 2023-2024:

• The Canada goose season length in the Northeast, West Central, East Central, Hudson Valley, and Lake Champlain zones has been increased to 45 days with a 3 bird bag limit.
• The mallard bag limit has increased from 2 per day (no more than 1 hen) to 4 per day (no more than 2 hens). For more information please read the Eastern Mallard Harvest Strategy Frequently Asked Questions (PDF).
• As part of the re-evaluation of duck season dates, DEC conducted a new duck hunter survey in early 2023 to better understand what factors drive satisfaction with duck season dates. The responses from the survey will be paired with input from the waterfowl hunter task forces and migration data to choose duck season dates for 2024 and beyond. For more information what duck hunters said they valued, please read the preliminary 2023 Duck Hunter Survey Summary.

Shooting Hours: one-half hour before sunrise to sunset; see exceptions for Canada geese during September and snow geese during January 16 - April 15.

Non-toxic Shot: Required

Season Zones: Most waterfowl seasons in New York state are set based on five waterfowl hunting zones that have been approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

NOTE: (1) You must register with HIP to hunt any of these species.

^a Hunting seasons for the Lake Champlain Zone are decided on by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Management Board following public meetings in Whitehall, New York and Burlington, Vermont.
^b 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 for all species are the same as those allowed during the regular season for all species (excludes September Canada goose bag limits). Young hunters must be accompanied by a licensed (including current HIP registration and duck stamp) adult hunter. The licensed adult hunter serving as a mentor to a junior hunter participating in the special youth migratory game bird hunt days may not carry a firearm, longbow, or crossbow afield. The prohibition does not apply to other hunters in the party that are not mentoring the youth.
^c Any person who meets the definition of active military or veteran (as defined in section 101 of title 38, United States Code) can participate. A list of identification requirements can be found in the migratory game bird regulations and license requirements. Federal regulations require Lake Champlain zones to have the same dates in both Vermont and New York; Vermont does not offer special military days, thus no dates can be selected.
^d Crippled sea ducks may be taken under power in the special sea duck area, only.
^e Snow goose seasons include both the regular hunting season and the Conservation Order that runs from January 16 - April 15 in all zones (except Long Island).

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 three times 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 daily limit of 6 ducks includes all mergansers and sea ducks (scoters, eiders, and long-tailed ducks) and may include no harlequin ducks and no more than 4 mallards (2 of which may be a hen), 3 wood ducks, 2 black duck, 1 pintail, 1 scaup (except 2 may be taken during the 20 days described in the seasons table), 2 redheads, 2 canvasback, or 4 total sea ducks (of which no more than 3 scoters, 3 eiders, or 3 long-tailed ducks). Of the 3 eiders, no more than 1 may be a hen. For all other duck species found in New York, the daily limit is 6.

# Cackling geese and white-fronted geese may be taken as part of the Canada goose daily and possession limits. Snow geese and Ross' geese may be taken as part of the snow goose limits.

Canada Goose Season

Shooting Hours: ½ hour before sunrise to sunset during regular season. During September, shooting hours are extended to ½ hour after sunset, except when other waterfowl seasons are open (e.g. Youth Waterfowl Season).

Bag Limits: The daily bag limit is the maximum number of birds that any person may take or possess in the field during any one day. The possession limit is three times 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. See table below for specific bag limits for each Goose Hunting Area.

Non-toxic shot: Required

Other: You must register with HIP to hunt geese. During the September season and when all other waterfowl seasons are closed (including youth waterfowl season), hunters may use electronic calling devices and shotguns capable of holding more than three shells at a time. However, a semi-automatic shotgun capable of holding more than six (6) shells in the chamber and magazine combined may not be used at any time. "Other waterfowl seasons" include youth, snow goose, duck, coot, and brant seasons.

2023-2024 Canada Goose Season Map

*Cackling geese and white-fronted geese may be taken as part of the Canada goose daily and possession limits.

Webless Migratory Game Bird Seasons

¹ Upstate New York includes all of New York State north of the Bronx-Westchester County boundary
² Long Island includes all of WMUs 1A and 1C (Nassau and Suffolk counties)
³ Hunting season closed in New York City for all species listed in table; New York City includes all of WMU 2A (Bronx, Kings, Queens, New York, and Richmond counties)