Louisiana is part of the Mississippi Flyway, one of four major migratory bird corridors in North America. The 2026–2027 waterfowl season runs from September 19 through March 7, 2027, with 38 distinct season segments covering ducks, geese, coots, and other migratory game birds. Season dates and bag limits are set annually by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries within frameworks established by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Non-toxic shot required statewide
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Zone1,2,3 | Nov 21 – Dec 6 First Split | 6 | 18 |
| Dec 19 – Jan 31 Second Split | |||
| West Zone1,2,3 | Nov 14 – Dec 6 First Split | 6 | 18 |
| Dec 19 – Jan 24 Second Split |
| Species | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Redhead | 2 | 6 |
| Mallard No more than 2 hens | 4 | 12 |
| Black Duck | 1 | 3 |
| Wood Duck | 3 | 9 |
| Pintail (Northern) No more than 1 female · Increased from 1 for 2025-26 | 3 | 9 |
| Mottled Duck CLOSED first 15 days of season. | 0 | 0 |
| Canvasback | 2 | 6 |
| Lesser Scaup First 15 days limit. Lesser scaup. | 1 | 3 |
| Greater Scaup After first 15 days. Greater scaup. | 2 | 6 |
14 mallards (2 hens max), 3 wood ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 2 redheads, 1 black duck, 3 pintails (1 hen max). Scaup: 1/day first 15 days, 2/day remainder. Mottled ducks: 0 first 15 days, 1/day remainder. Coots: 15/day. Mergansers: 5/day (2 hooded max).
2Regular season first split for ducks, coots, and mergansers
3Regular season second split for ducks, coots, and mergansers
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2 | Sep 19 – Sep 27 | 6 | 18 |
1Blue, Green, and Cinnamon Teal only
2Statewide early teal season
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Zone1,2,3 | Nov 14 – Dec 6 First Split | 3 | 9 |
| Dec 19 – Feb 7 Second Split | |||
| West Zone1,4,5 | Nov 14 – Dec 6 First Split | 3 | 9 |
| Dec 19 – Feb 7 Second Split |
1White-fronted Geese (Specklebelly): 3/day, 9 possession. Canada Geese: 1/day, 3 possession.
2Dark geese (white-fronted and Canada) share season dates with light geese in the same table row
3Dark geese second split, East Zone
4Dark geese first split, West Zone
5Dark geese second split, West Zone
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Zone1,2,3 | Nov 14 – Dec 6 First Split | 20 | – |
| Dec 19 – Feb 7 Second Split | |||
| West Zone1,4,5 | Nov 14 – Dec 6 First Split | 20 | – |
| Dec 19 – Feb 7 Second Split |
1Light Geese (Snow, Blue, Ross's): 20/day, no possession limit; White-fronted Geese (Specklebelly): 3/day, 9 possession; Canada Geese: 1/day, 3 possession
2Goose season East Zone first split; possession limit 'None' for light geese per regulations
3Goose season East Zone second split; possession limit 'None' for light geese per regulations
4Goose season West Zone first split; possession limit 'None' for light geese per regulations
5Goose season West Zone second split; possession limit 'None' for light geese per regulations
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Zone1,2 | Dec 7 – Dec 18 CO First Segment | – | – |
| Feb 8 – Mar 7 CO Second Segment | |||
| West Zone1,3 | Dec 7 – Dec 18 CO First Segment | – | – |
| Feb 8 – Mar 7 CO Second Segment |
1Snow, Blue, and Ross's geese only. Electronic calls and unplugged shotguns allowed. No daily bag or possession limits.
2Light Goose Conservation Order; expanded shooting hours
3Light Goose Conservation Order, West Zone; expanded shooting hours
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Zone1,2 | Nov 21 – Dec 6 First Split | 15 | 45 |
| Dec 19 – Jan 31 Second Split | |||
| West Zone3,4 | Nov 14 – Dec 6 First Split | 15 | 45 |
| Dec 19 – Jan 24 Second Split |
1Coots season runs concurrently with duck season; East Zone first split
2Coots season runs concurrently with duck season; East Zone second split
3Coots season runs concurrently with duck season; West Zone first split
4Coots season runs concurrently with duck season; West Zone second split
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Zone1,2 | Nov 21 – Dec 6 First Split | 5 | 15 |
| Dec 19 – Jan 31 Second Split | |||
| West Zone1,3 | Nov 14 – Dec 6 First Split | 5 | 15 |
| Dec 19 – Jan 24 Second Split |
1Only 2 hooded mergansers allowed in the daily bag of 5
2Mergansers share season dates with ducks in the East Zone
3Mergansers share season dates with ducks in the West Zone
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Zone1,2,3 | Nov 14 – Nov 14 Youth and Veterans Day 1 | 6 | 18 |
| Feb 6 – Feb 6 Youth and Veterans - Closing | |||
| West Zone1,2,4 | Nov 7 – Nov 7 Youth and Veterans Day 1 | 6 | 18 |
| Jan 30 – Jan 30 Youth and Veterans - Closing |
1Youth and Veterans hunt day; same species bag limits as regular season apply
2Youth and Veterans only
3East Zone youth and veterans day 2
4West Zone youth and veterans day 2
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Zone1 | Feb 6 – Feb 6 Youth and Veterans Day 2 | 6 | 18 |
| West Zone1 | Jan 30 – Jan 30 Youth and Veterans Day 2 | 6 | 18 |
1Youth and Veterans hunt day; same species bag limits as regular season apply
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Zone1,2 | Nov 5 – Nov 20 Extended Falconry First Segment | 3 | 9 |
| Dec 7 – Dec 18 Extended Falconry Second Segment | |||
| West Zone1,3 | Nov 5 – Nov 13 Extended Falconry First Segment | 3 | 9 |
| Dec 7 – Dec 18 Extended Falconry Second Segment | |||
| Jan 25 – Jan 31 Extended Falconry Third Segment |
1Falconry bag/possession limit for all permitted migratory game birds must not exceed 3 and 9, respectively
2Extended Falconry season for ducks, East Zone
3Extended Falconry season for ducks, West Zone
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3 | Oct 3 – Oct 11 Black Bellied Whistling Ducks | 4 | 12 |
| Oct 3 – Oct 11 |
1Special Permit Required
2Black Bellied Whistling Ducks special permit season
3Black Bellied Whistling Ducks; special permit required
Season dates and bag limits are verified against official state wildlife agency publications and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Data shown is for the 2026-2027 season. This data was verified on June 12, 2026. Always confirm with your state's official regulations before hunting.
For waterfowl population trends, harvest analysis, and conservation research, see WaterfowlAI Insights.