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 34 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 Zone1,4,5 | Nov 14 – Dec 6 First Split | 6 | 18 |
| Dec 19 – Jan 24 Second Split |
| Species | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Mallard No more than 2 hens | 4 | 12 |
| Redhead | 2 | 6 |
| Mottled Duck CLOSED first 15 days of season. | 0 | 0 |
| Canvasback | 2 | 6 |
| Black Duck | 1 | 3 |
| Wood Duck | 3 | 9 |
| Pintail (Northern) No more than 1 female · Increased from 1 for 2025-26 | 3 | 9 |
| Greater Scaup First 15 days limit. Greater scaup. | 1 | 3 |
| Lesser Scaup First 15 days limit. Lesser scaup. | 1 | 3 |
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. No mottled ducks first 15 days, 1/day remainder.
2East Zone regular season split 1
3East Zone regular season split 2
4West Zone regular season split 1
5West Zone regular season split 2
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3 | Sep 19 – Sep 27 | 6 | 18 |
| Sep 19 – Sep 27 |
1Blue, Green, and Cinnamon Teal only
2Statewide early teal season; no zone distinction listed
3Statewide early teal season
| 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 |
1Snow, Blue, Ross's geese; possession limit: None. White-fronted geese: 3/day, possession 9. Canada geese: 1/day, possession 3.
2Light geese, white-fronted geese, and Canada geese all listed together in one row; split 1 East Zone
3Light geese, white-fronted geese, and Canada geese all listed together in one row; split 2 East Zone
4Light geese, white-fronted geese, and Canada geese all listed together in one row; split 1 West Zone
5Light geese, white-fronted geese, and Canada geese all listed together in one row; split 2 West Zone
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Zone1,2,3 | Dec 7 – Dec 18 Conservation Order Split 1 | – | – |
| Feb 8 – Mar 7 Conservation Order Split 2 | |||
| West Zone1,4,5 | Dec 7 – Dec 18 Conservation Order Split 1 | – | – |
| Feb 8 – Mar 7 Conservation Order Split 2 |
1Snow, Blue, Ross's geese only; electronic calls and unplugged shotguns allowed; no daily bag or possession limit
2Conservation Order for Light Geese; East Zone period 1
3Conservation Order for Light Geese; East Zone period 2
4Conservation Order for Light Geese; West Zone period 1
5Conservation Order for Light Geese; West Zone period 2
| 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 listed under 'Ducks, Coots, Mergansers' row; East Zone dates used
2Coots listed under 'Ducks, Coots, Mergansers' row; East Zone split 2 dates applied
3Coots listed under 'Ducks, Coots, Mergansers' row; West Zone split 1 dates applied
4Coots listed under 'Ducks, Coots, Mergansers' row; West Zone split 2 dates applied
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Zone1,2,3 | Nov 21 – Dec 6 First Split | 5 | 15 |
| Dec 19 – Jan 31 Second Split | |||
| West Zone1,4,5 | Nov 14 – Dec 6 First Split | 5 | 15 |
| Dec 19 – Jan 24 Second Split |
1Only 2 hooded mergansers allowed
2Mergansers listed alongside ducks/coots in same row; East Zone split 1 dates applied
3Mergansers listed alongside ducks/coots in same row; East Zone split 2 dates applied
4Mergansers listed alongside ducks/coots in same row; West Zone split 1 dates applied
5Mergansers listed alongside ducks/coots in same row; West Zone split 2 dates applied
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Zone1,2,3,4 | Nov 14 – Nov 14 Youth and Veterans Day 1 | 6 | 18 |
| Feb 6 – Feb 6 Youth and Veterans - Closing | |||
| West Zone1,3,5,6 | Nov 7 – Nov 7 Youth and Veterans Day 1 | 6 | 18 |
| Jan 30 – Jan 30 Youth and Veterans - Closing |
1Youth and Veterans hunt only
2East Zone youth/veterans day listed as November 14
3Youth and Veterans only
4East Zone youth and veterans day 2
5West Zone youth/veterans day listed as November 7
6West Zone youth and veterans day 2
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Zone1,2 | Feb 6 – Feb 6 Youth and Veterans Day 2 | 6 | 18 |
| West Zone1,3 | Jan 30 – Jan 30 Youth and Veterans Day 2 | 6 | 18 |
1Youth and Veterans hunt only
2East Zone second youth/veterans day listed as February 6
3West Zone second youth/veterans day listed as January 30
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Zone1,2,3 | Oct 31 – Nov 20 Extended Falconry Split 1 | 3 | 9 |
| Dec 7 – Dec 18 Extended Falconry Split 2 | |||
| West Zone1,4,5,6 | Oct 31 – Nov 13 Extended Falconry Split 1 | 3 | 9 |
| Dec 7 – Dec 18 Extended Falconry Split 2 | |||
| Jan 25 – Jan 31 Extended Falconry Split 3 |
1Falconry only; aggregate limit 3 birds/day, 9 possession across all permitted migratory game birds
2East Zone extended falconry period 1
3East Zone extended falconry period 2
4West Zone extended falconry period 1
5West Zone extended falconry period 2
6West Zone extended falconry period 3
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2 | Oct 3 – Oct 11 | 4 | 12 |
1Black Bellied Whistling Ducks only. Free BBWD Permit Required.
2Black Bellied Whistling Duck special season; 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 April 29, 2026. Always confirm with your state's official regulations before hunting.