Vermont 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 January 19, 2026, with 26 distinct season segments covering ducks, geese, coots, and other migratory game birds. Season dates and bag limits are set annually by the Fish and Wildlife Department within frameworks established by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interior Zone1 | Oct 11 – Dec 9 Interior Duck Season | 6 | 18 |
| Lake Champlain Zone1 | Oct 11 – Nov 2 Lake Champlain Duck Season - Split 1 | 6 | 18 |
| Nov 22 – Dec 28 Lake Champlain Duck Season - Split 2 | |||
| Connecticut River Zone1 | Oct 13 – Nov 11 CT River Duck Season - Split 1 | 6 | 18 |
| Nov 27 – Dec 26 CT River Duck Season - Split 2 |
| Species | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|
| Mallard No more than 2 hens | 4 | 12 |
| Lesser Scaup | 1 | 3 |
| Wood Duck | 3 | 9 |
| Greater Scaup | 1 | 3 |
| Pintail (Northern) | 3 | 9 |
| Black Duck | 2 | 6 |
| Canvasback | 2 | 6 |
| Redhead | 2 | 6 |
1Verified: dates and 6/18 bag correct. Scaup sub-limit 1/3 in DB is early-season limit; mid-season increases to 2/6 for Lake Champlain/Interior zones (not captured per-split).
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interior Zone1,2 | Sep 1 – Sep 25 September Canada Goose | 8 | 24 |
| Oct 11 – Nov 9 Regular Canada Goose | |||
| Connecticut River Zone3,4 | Sep 1 – Sep 25 September Canada Goose | 5 | 15 |
| Oct 13 – Nov 11 Regular Canada Goose - Split 1 | |||
| Nov 27 – Dec 26 Regular Canada Goose - Split 2 | |||
| Lake Champlain Zone1,5,6 | Sep 1 – Sep 25 September Canada Goose | 8 | 24 |
| Oct 11 – Nov 9 Regular Canada Goose - Split 1 | |||
| Dec 1 – Jan 19 Late Canada Goose |
1Verified: Sept goose corrected from 5/15 to 8/24 for Interior/Lake Champlain zones.
2Verified: Interior regular goose corrected from 3/9 to 1/3, close_date fixed from Dec 9 to Nov 9. GAP: Late season Dec 1-Jan 19 (5/15) missing for Interior zone.
3Verified: Sept goose CT River 5/15 correct.
4Verified: CT River regular goose corrected from 3/9 to 2/6. GAP: Late season Dec 27-Jan 15 (5/15 land only) not in DB.
5Verified: Lake Champlain regular goose corrected from 3/9 to 1/3, close_date fixed from Nov 2 to Nov 9.
6Verified: Repurposed from Split 2 as Late Canada Goose. Dates corrected to Dec 1-Jan 19, limits set to 5/15.
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Champlain Zone1 | Oct 11 – Nov 2 Snow Goose Season - Split 1 | 25 | – |
| Nov 22 – Dec 28 Snow Goose Season - Split 2 | |||
| Interior Zone1 | Oct 11 – Dec 9 Snow Goose Season | 25 | – |
| Connecticut River Zone1 | Oct 13 – Nov 11 Snow Goose Season - Split 1 | 25 | – |
| Nov 27 – Dec 26 Snow Goose Season - Split 2 |
1Verified: 25/null correct (standard Atlantic Flyway).
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut River Zone1 | Oct 13 – Nov 11 Coot Season - Split 1 | 15 | 45 |
| Nov 27 – Dec 26 Coot Season - Split 2 | |||
| Interior Zone1 | Oct 11 – Dec 9 Coot Season | 15 | 45 |
| Lake Champlain Zone1 | Oct 11 – Nov 2 Coot Season - Split 1 | 15 | 45 |
| Nov 22 – Dec 28 Coot Season - Split 2 |
1Verified: 15/45 correct (standard).
| Zone / Season | Dates | Daily Bag | Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut River Zone1 | Sep 27 – Sep 28 Youth Waterfowl Day | 6 | 18 |
| Interior Zone1 | Sep 27 – Sep 28 Youth Waterfowl Day | 6 | 18 |
| Lake Champlain Zone1 | Sep 27 – Sep 28 Youth Waterfowl Day | 6 | 18 |
1Verified: Sep 27-28 correct. Note: Lake Champlain/Interior age 17 or younger; CT River age 15 or younger.
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 has not yet been verified against official sources for this season. Always confirm with your state's official regulations before hunting.