Missouri is part of the Mississippi Flyway, one of four major migratory bird corridors in North America. The 2026–2027 waterfowl season runs from September 12 through April 30, 2027, with 36 distinct season segments covering ducks, geese, coots, and other migratory game birds. Season dates and bag limits are set annually by the Department of Conservation within frameworks established by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Missouri Migratory Bird Hunting Permit (free) required
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2 | Oct 31 – Dec 29 Regular Season | 6 | 18 |
| Middle Zone1,2 | Nov 7 – Dec 13 First Split | 6 | 18 |
| Dec 19 – Jan 10 Second Split | |||
| South Zone1,2 | Nov 26 – Nov 29 First Split | 6 | 18 |
| Dec 7 – Jan 31 Second Split |
| Species | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Pintail (Northern) Increased from 1 for 2025-2026 per USFWS | 3 | 9 |
| Greater Scaup Aggregate 2 scaup first 45 days, 1 last 15 days | 2 | 6 |
| Mottled Duck | 1 | 3 |
| Redhead | 2 | 6 |
| Black Duck | 2 | 6 |
| Lesser Scaup Aggregate 2 scaup first 45 days, 1 last 15 days | 2 | 6 |
| Mallard either · Max 2 hens per day | 4 | 12 |
| Canvasback | 2 | 6 |
| Wood Duck | 3 | 9 |
1Nontoxic shot required. Plugged shotgun (3-shell). No electronic calls. Three zones (North, Middle, South) with separate dates and scaup limits. On 37 designated conservation areas (Eagle Bluffs, Duck Creek, Otter Slough, etc.) lead shot prohibited for ALL shotgun hunting. 14 managed wetland areas require advance reservation (MO residents only for reservation system; party max 4). Small Game Hunting Permit + MO Migratory Bird Hunting Permit + Federal Duck Stamp (16+) + HIP required.
2PROJECTED — copied from 2025-2026. Not yet verified against official 2026-2027 regulations.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2 | Sep 12 – Sep 20 Early Teal | 6 | 18 |
| Middle Zone1,2 | Sep 12 – Sep 20 Early Teal | 6 | 18 |
| South Zone1,2 | Sep 12 – Sep 20 Early Teal | 6 | 18 |
1Only blue-winged, green-winged, and cinnamon teal legal — northern shoveler, pintail, and wood duck are NOT legal during early teal. Nontoxic shot + plugged shotgun required. No electronic calls. All standard permits required.
2PROJECTED — copied from 2025-2026. Not yet verified against official 2026-2027 regulations.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2 | Oct 3 – Oct 10 Early Canada Goose | 3 | 9 |
| Nov 11 – Feb 6 Regular Season | |||
| Middle Zone1,2 | Oct 3 – Oct 10 Early Canada Goose | 3 | 9 |
| Nov 11 – Feb 6 Regular Season | |||
| South Zone1,2 | Oct 3 – Oct 10 Early Canada Goose | 3 | 9 |
| Nov 11 – Feb 6 Regular Season |
1Canada goose and brant combined 3-bird daily limit. Nontoxic shot + plugged shotgun required. No electronic calls. Motor must be off and boat at rest before shooting. All standard permits required.
2PROJECTED — copied from 2025-2026. Not yet verified against official 2026-2027 regulations.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1 | Nov 11 – Feb 6 White-fronted Geese | 2 | 6 |
| Middle Zone1 | Nov 11 – Feb 6 White-fronted Geese | 2 | 6 |
| South Zone1 | Nov 11 – Feb 6 White-fronted Geese | 2 | 6 |
1Counted separately from Canada/Brant. Nontoxic shot required.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2 | Nov 11 – Feb 6 Regular Season | 20 | – |
| Middle Zone1,2 | Nov 11 – Feb 6 Regular Season | 20 | – |
| South Zone1,2 | Nov 11 – Feb 6 Regular Season | 20 | – |
1Regular season concurrent with duck season. Nontoxic shot + plugged shotgun required. No electronic calls during regular season. All standard permits required.
2PROJECTED — copied from 2025-2026. Not yet verified against official 2026-2027 regulations.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2 | Feb 7 – Apr 30 Light Goose Conservation Order | 20 | – |
| Middle Zone1,2 | Feb 7 – Apr 30 Light Goose Conservation Order | 20 | – |
| South Zone1,2 | Feb 7 – Apr 30 Light Goose Conservation Order | 20 | – |
1No bag or possession limit. Electronic calls ALLOWED. Unplugged shotguns ALLOWED (10-gauge or smaller). Nontoxic shot still required. Only Conservation Order Permit needed — regular Small Game and Migratory Bird permits NOT required during this order. Standard baiting rules still apply.
2PROJECTED — copied from 2025-2026. Not yet verified against official 2026-2027 regulations.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2 | Oct 31 – Dec 29 Regular Season | 15 | 45 |
| Middle Zone1,2 | Nov 7 – Dec 13 First Split | 15 | 45 |
| Dec 19 – Jan 10 Second Split | |||
| South Zone1,2 | Nov 26 – Nov 29 First Split | 15 | 45 |
| Dec 7 – Jan 31 Second Split |
1Same regulations as ducks — nontoxic shot, plugged shotgun, no electronic calls. Same zone season framework. All standard permits required.
2PROJECTED — copied from 2025-2026. Not yet verified against official 2026-2027 regulations.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2 | Oct 31 – Dec 29 Regular Season | 5 | 15 |
| Middle Zone1,2 | Nov 7 – Dec 13 First Split | 5 | 15 |
| Dec 19 – Jan 10 Second Split | |||
| South Zone1,2 | Nov 26 – Nov 29 First Split | 5 | 15 |
| Dec 7 – Jan 31 Second Split |
1Same regulations as ducks — nontoxic shot, plugged shotgun, no electronic calls. Hooded mergansers have 1-bird daily sublimit within 6-duck bag. All standard permits required.
2PROJECTED — copied from 2025-2026. Not yet verified against official 2026-2027 regulations.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2 | Oct 24 – Oct 25 Youth Days - North | 6 | – |
| Middle Zone1,2 | Oct 31 – Nov 1 Youth Days - Middle | 6 | – |
| South Zone1,2 | Nov 21 – Nov 22 Youth Days - South | 6 | – |
1Youth 15 and younger may hunt WITHOUT any permits during designated Youth Waterfowl Days (one weekend per zone). Must be accompanied by nonhunting adult 18+. Supervising adult cannot hunt ducks during youth days.
2PROJECTED — copied from 2025-2026. Not yet verified against official 2026-2027 regulations.
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 20, 2026. Always confirm with your state's official regulations before hunting.