Virginia is part of the Atlantic Flyway, one of four major migratory bird corridors in North America. The 2025–2026 waterfowl season runs from September 1 through April 5, 2026, with 23 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 Resources within frameworks established by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2 | Oct 10 – Oct 13 Early Split | 6 | 18 |
| Nov 19 – Nov 30 Second Split | |||
| Dec 19 – Jan 31 Third Split |
| Species | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Scaup | 1 | 3 |
| Mallard No more than 2 hens | 4 | 12 |
| Lesser Scaup | 1 | 3 |
| Wood Duck | 3 | 9 |
| Pintail (Northern) | 1 | 3 |
| Redhead | 2 | 6 |
| Canvasback | 2 | 6 |
| Black Duck | 2 | 6 |
1Black duck closed during this split
2Species sub-limits within 6-duck bag: 4 mallards (max 2 hens), 2 black ducks, 1 pintail, 2 canvasback, 2 redhead, 3 wood ducks, 1 mottled duck, 2 scaup.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1 | Sep 20 – Sep 28 September Teal | 6 | 18 |
1East of I-95: Sep 20-28; West of I-95: Sep 23-28
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1,2,3 | Sep 1 – Sep 25 September Canada Goose | 10 | 30 |
| Nov 19 – Nov 30 RP Zone | |||
| Dec 19 – Feb 22 RP Zone | |||
| Dec 24 – Dec 31 AP Zone | |||
| Jan 10 – Jan 31 AP Zone |
1Resident Population zone - most of state
2Resident Population zone
3Atlantic Population zone - Eastern Shore
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1 | Dec 24 – Dec 31 Brant | 1 | 3 |
| Jan 10 – Jan 31 Brant |
1Brant (1 per day). Season concurrent with AP Canada goose zone dates.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | Oct 18 – Jan 31 Snow Goose | 25 | – |
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1 | Feb 1 – Apr 5 Light Goose Conservation Order | – | – |
1No bag limit; e-calls and unplugged shotguns allowed
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | Oct 10 – Oct 13 Early Split | 15 | 45 |
| Nov 19 – Nov 30 Second Split | |||
| Dec 19 – Jan 31 Third Split |
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide1 | Oct 10 – Oct 13 Early Split | 5 | 15 |
| Nov 19 – Nov 30 Second Split | |||
| Dec 19 – Jan 31 Third Split |
15 mergansers total, max 2 hooded mergansers. Merganser bag is in addition to duck bag.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | Oct 25 – Oct 25 Youth/Vet Day | 6 | – |
| Feb 7 – Feb 7 Youth/Vet Day |
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | Oct 25 – Oct 25 Veterans Day | 6 | – |
| Feb 7 – Feb 7 Veterans Day |
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.