Migratory Game Bird Seasons
Last Updated: Fall 2023
2023-2024 MIGRATORY GAME BIRDS SEASONS & LIMITS
SHOOTING HOURS: 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset for all species except woodcock and the September teal season which is sunrise to sunset.
Seasons
| 2023-2024 | North Zone | Central Zone | South Zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Youth Waterfowl | Sept. 23-24, 2023 | Sept. 30 - Oct. 1, 2023 | Oct. 7-8, 2023 |
| Ducks, Mergansers & Coots | Sep. 30 - Oct. 6 Oct. 14 - Dec. 5 | Oct. 7 - Oct. 13 Oct. 21 - Dec. 12 | Oct. 14 - Oct. 20 Oct. 28 - Dec. 19 |
| Dark Geese & Light Geese | Sep. 23 - Oct. 8 Oct. 14 - Dec. 5 Dec. 16 - Jan. 13, 2024 | Sep. 30 - Oct. 15 Oct. 21 - Dec. 12 Dec. 23 - Jan. 20, 2024 | Oct. 7 - Oct. 22 Oct. 28 - Dec. 19 Dec. 30 - Jan. 27, 2024 |
BAG LIMITS:
TEAL SEASON: Daily limit 6; blue-wing, green-wing & cinnamon teal only
DUCKS: Daily limit 6; no more than 4 mallards (2 female), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 1 pintail, 2 black ducks & 2 canvasbacks. Scaup bag limit: 1 for first 15 days of the season, 2 for remaining 45 days.
MERGANSERS: Daily limit 5; no more than 2 hooded mergansers.
DARK GEESE: The daily bag limit for Canada geese, white-fronted geese, brant and any other geese that are not light geese is 5 and may include no more than 2 Canada geese during the first segment of the statewide season and no more than 3 Canada geese beginning with second segment of the statewide season until the end of the season.
LIGHT GEESE: The daily bag limit for white and blue-phase snow geese and Ross’ geese is 20.
DOVES: Daily limit 15
WOODCOCK: Daily limit 3
SNIPE: Daily limit 8
RAILS: Daily limit 12
COOTS: Daily limit 15
POSSESSION LIMITS
3 times the daily limit. Exception: light geese has no possession limit.
| 2023-2024 | Statewide | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Special September Teal
(Blue-winged, Green-winged & Cinnamon only) | Sept 1 - 16 | Daily limit is 6 |
| Doves
(Mourning & Eurasian Collared) | Sept 1 - Nov 29 | Daily limit is 15 |
| Snipe | Sept 3 - Nov 30 | Daily limit is 8 |
| Rail
(Sora & Virginia) | Sept. 2 - Nov. 10 | Daily limit is 12 |
| Woodcock | Oct. 7 - Nov. 20 | Daily limit is 3 |
METRO CANADA GOOSE SEASONS
Only in designated areas around Des Moines, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City and Cedar Falls/Waterloo. Special regulations apply. See Special September Canada Goose Season maps at select license agents in hunt zones and online.
| 2023-2024 | Season | Limit |
Canada Geese | Sept. 9-17 | Daily limit is 5 |
LIGHT GEESE CONSERVATION ORDER White & blue phase snow geese & Ross’ geese Jan. 28-May 1, 2024
POSSESSION LIMITS:
Possession limits are three times the daily bag limit for all migratory birds, except light geese for which there is no possession limit.
