Tennessee is part of the Mississippi Flyway, one of four major migratory bird corridors in North America. The 2026–2027 waterfowl season runs from September 1 through March 31, 2027, with 15 distinct season segments covering ducks, geese, coots, and other migratory game birds. Season dates and bag limits are set annually by the Wildlife Resources Agency within frameworks established by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3,4 | Nov 28 – Nov 29 First Split | 6 | 18 |
| Dec 5 – Jan 31 Second Split |
| Species | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Canvasback | 2 | 6 |
| Pintail (Northern) Increased from 1 for 2025-2026 per USFWS | 3 | 9 |
| Greater Scaup Scaup: 1 Nov 29-Dec 17, increases to 2 after Dec 18 | 1 | 3 |
| Mottled Duck | 1 | 3 |
| Lesser Scaup Scaup: 1 Nov 29-Dec 17, increases to 2 after Dec 18 | 1 | 3 |
| Black Duck | 2 | 6 |
| Mallard either · Max 2 hens per day | 4 | 12 |
| Wood Duck | 3 | 9 |
| Redhead | 2 | 6 |
14 mallards (no more than 2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 3 pintails, 1 mottled duck; scaup: 1/day Nov. 28–30 & Dec. 5–17 then 2/day Dec. 18–Jan. 31; Mergansers: 5 (only 2 hooded); Coot: 15
2Regular duck/coot/merganser season first split
34 mallards (no more than 2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 3 pintails, 1 mottled duck; scaup: 1/day Dec. 5–17 then 2/day Dec. 18–Jan. 31; Mergansers: 5 (only 2 hooded); Coot: 15
4Regular duck/coot/merganser season second split
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2 | Sep 12 – Sep 16 Wood Duck & Teal Early Season | 6 | – |
1No more than 2 wood ducks in the 6-bird daily bag limit
2Early wood duck & teal season only; possession limit structure per footnote (1x opening day, 2x second day, 3x thereafter)
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3,4,5,6 | Sep 1 – Sep 20 Early Canada Goose | 5 | 15 |
| Oct 10 – Oct 22 October Split | |||
| Nov 28 – Nov 29 Late Season First Split | |||
| Dec 5 – Feb 14 Late Season Second Split |
1Canada Goose only; possession limit 3x daily bag (1x opening day, 2x second day)
2Early September Canada goose season
3October Canada goose season split
4Canada Goose: 5/day; White-Fronted Goose: 3/day; Brant: 1/day
5Canada Goose, White-Fronted Goose, and Brant all open this split
6Canada Goose, White-Fronted Goose, and Brant all open this split through Feb. 14, 2027
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3,4,5,6 | Sep 1 – Sep 20 Early Season | 20 | – |
| Oct 10 – Oct 22 October Split | |||
| Nov 28 – Nov 29 Late Season First Split | |||
| Dec 5 – Feb 14 Late Season Second Split |
1Standard federal regulations apply; unplugged shotguns and electronic calls NOT allowed. No possession limit except opening day (1x) and second day (2x daily bag).
2Blue, Snow & Ross's Geese regular season first segment
3Blue, Snow & Ross's Geese regular season second segment
4Standard federal regulations apply; unplugged shotguns and electronic calls NOT allowed.
5Blue, Snow & Ross's Geese regular season
6Blue, Snow & Ross's Geese regular season closes Feb. 14, 2027
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2 | Feb 15 – Mar 31 Light Goose Conservation Season | – | – |
1Unplugged shotguns and electronic calls allowed. No possession limit. Free Light Goose Conservation Season Permit required from GoOutdoorsTennessee.com. No Federal or state waterfowl stamps required. Post-season survey required.
2Blue, Snow & Ross's Geese only; no bag limit
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2 | Sep 1 – Nov 9 | 15 | 45 |
1Tennessee Migratory Bird Permit required
2Gallinule and Moorhen season; possession limit 3x daily bag per footnote
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2 | Feb 6 – Feb 13 Youth Sportsman Waterfowl Hunting Season | 6 | – |
1Hunt days: Feb. 6 and 13, 2027 only (two individual days). Ages 6–16 only. Non-hunting adult 21+ must accompany. Same bag limits as regular season. Adults not accompanied by youth may still harvest geese.
2Two separate youth hunt days (Feb. 6 and Feb. 13); close_date set to Feb. 13 to encompass both days
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2 | Feb 7 – Feb 14 Veterans and Active Military Personnel Waterfowl Season | 6 | – |
1Hunt days: Feb. 7 and 14, 2027 only (two individual days). Veterans (38 U.S.C. §101) and active military including National Guard/Reserves on active duty (non-training). Non-veteran/non-active duty may be present but not hunt. Same bag limits as regular season.
2Two separate veterans hunt days (Feb. 7 and Feb. 14); close_date set to Feb. 14 to encompass both days
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.