Ohio is part of the Mississippi Flyway, one of four major migratory bird corridors in North America. The 2025–2026 waterfowl season runs from September 6 through February 9, 2026, with 42 distinct season segments covering ducks, geese, coots, and other migratory game birds. Season dates and bag limits are set annually by the Department of Natural Resources within frameworks established by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1 | Oct 18 – Oct 26 First Split | 6 | 18 |
| Nov 15 – Jan 4 Second Split | |||
| South Zone1 | Oct 18 – Oct 27 First Split | 6 | 18 |
| Dec 13 – Jan 31 Second Split | |||
| Lake Erie Marsh Zone1 | Oct 18 – Nov 2 First Split | 6 | 18 |
| Nov 15 – Dec 28 Second Split |
| Species | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Duck | 3 | 9 |
| Canvasback | 2 | 6 |
| Mallard No more than 2 hens | 4 | 12 |
| Black Duck | 2 | 6 |
| Redhead | 2 | 6 |
| Pintail (Northern) | 1 | 3 |
14 mallards (2 hens max), 3 wood ducks, 3 pintails, 2 black ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 1 mottled duck.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone | Sep 6 – Sep 14 | 6 | 18 |
| South Zone | Sep 6 – Sep 14 | 6 | 18 |
| Lake Erie Marsh Zone | Sep 6 – Sep 14 | 6 | 18 |
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1,2 | Oct 18 – Oct 26 First Split | 5 | 15 |
| Nov 15 – Feb 9 Second Split | |||
| South Zone1,2 | Oct 18 – Oct 27 First Split | 5 | 15 |
| Nov 16 – Feb 9 Second Split | |||
| Lake Erie Marsh Zone1,2 | Oct 18 – Nov 2 First Split | 5 | 15 |
| Nov 15 – Feb 2 Second Split |
1Canada/cackling geese combined.
2Canada geese, brant, white-fronted geese. Max 1 brant per day.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1 | Oct 18 – Dec 8 Light Geese - Split 1 | 10 | 30 |
| Dec 27 – Feb 9 Light Geese - Split 2 | |||
| South Zone1 | Oct 25 – Dec 22 Light Geese - Split 1 | 10 | 30 |
| Jan 3 – Feb 2 Light Geese - Split 2 | |||
| Lake Erie Marsh Zone1 | Oct 11 – Dec 1 Light Geese - Split 1 | 10 | 30 |
| Dec 20 – Feb 9 Light Geese - Split 2 |
1Snow, blue, Ross geese. Dates approximate - verify with OH DNR. [Bulk fix: possession_limit set to NULL — light geese have no federal possession limit in any flyway]; Bag limit corrected from 20 to 10 per OH eRegulations
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone | Oct 18 – Oct 26 First Split | 15 | 45 |
| Nov 15 – Jan 4 Second Split | |||
| South Zone | Oct 18 – Oct 27 First Split | 15 | 45 |
| Dec 13 – Jan 31 Second Split | |||
| Lake Erie Marsh Zone | Oct 18 – Nov 2 First Split | 15 | 45 |
| Nov 15 – Dec 28 Second Split |
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1 | Oct 18 – Oct 26 First Split | 5 | 15 |
| Nov 15 – Jan 4 Second Split | |||
| South Zone1 | Oct 18 – Oct 27 First Split | 5 | 15 |
| Dec 13 – Jan 31 Second Split | |||
| Lake Erie Marsh Zone1 | Oct 18 – Nov 2 First Split | 5 | 15 |
| Nov 15 – Dec 28 Second Split |
1Max 2 hooded mergansers.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1 | Oct 4 – Oct 5 | 6 | 18 |
| South Zone1 | Oct 4 – Oct 5 | 6 | 18 |
| Lake Erie Marsh Zone1 | Oct 4 – Oct 5 | 6 | 18 |
1Youth under 16 with adult. Also open to veterans/active military.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1 | Oct 4 – Oct 5 Veterans/Military Waterfowl Days | 6 | 18 |
| South Zone1 | Oct 4 – Oct 5 Veterans/Military Waterfowl Days | 6 | 18 |
| Lake Erie Marsh Zone1 | Oct 4 – Oct 5 Veterans/Military Waterfowl Days | 6 | 18 |
1Same dates as youth waterfowl. Confirmed from OH eRegulations.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Zone1 | Sep 6 – Sep 14 Early Canada Goose Season | 5 | 15 |
| South Zone1 | Sep 6 – Sep 14 Early Canada Goose Season | 5 | 15 |
| Lake Erie Marsh Zone1 | Sep 6 – Sep 14 Early Canada Goose Season | 5 | 15 |
1Canada geese only. Confirmed from OH eRegulations.
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 2025-2026 season. This data was verified on March 9, 2026. Always confirm with your state's official regulations before hunting.