Waterfowl Seasons
2020-2021 WATERFOWL HUNTING
Teal
Season: September 10, 2022 to September 25, 2022
Limits: 6 daily and 18 in possession
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Ducks
Season:
- North Zone: October 29, 2022 to December 27, 2022
- Middle Zone: November 5, 2022 to November 13, 2022 and November 19, 2022 to January 8, 2023
- South Zone: November 24, 2022 to November 27, 2022 and December 7, 2022 to January 31, 2023
Bag Limit: 6 ducks daily with species restrictions of:
- 4 mallards (no more than 2 females)
- New: 2 scaup for first 45 days and 1 scaup for last 15 days
- 3 wood ducks
- 2 redheads
- 2 hooded mergansers
- 1 pintail
- 2 canvasbacks
- 2 black ducks
- 1 mottled duck
Possession Limit: Three times the daily bag or 18 total, varies by species
Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset
Coots
Season: Same as duck season dates in the respective zones
Limits: 15 daily and 45 in possession
Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset
Snow Geese (White and Blue Phases) and Ross's Geese
Season: November 11, 2022 to February 6, 2023
Limits: 20 blue, snow, or Ross's geese daily with no possession limit
Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset
White-Fronted Geese
Season: November 11, 2022 to February 6, 2023
Limits: 2 daily and 6 in possession
Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset
Canada Geese and Brant
Season: October 1, 2022 to October 9, 2022 and November 11, 2022 to February 6, 2023
Limits: 3 Canada geese and Brant in aggregate daily, 9 in possession
Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset
Light Goose Conservation Order
Season: February 7, 2022 to April 30, 2022
Limits: No daily or possession limits
Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset
Requirements: Persons must possess a Conservation Order permit to participate in the Conservation Order. An exception to the permit requirement includes any person 15 years of age or younger provided either she or he is in the immediate presence of a properly permitted adult hunter 18 years of age or older with hunter-education certification or who is exempt.
Methods: For the taking of blue, snow and Ross's geese, hunters may use shotguns capable of holding more than three shells and recorded or electronically amplified bird calls or sounds or imitations of bird calls or sounds.
YOUTH HUNTING DAYS
North Zone: October 22, 2022 to October 23, 2022
Middle Zone: October 22, 2022 to October 23, 2022
South Zone: November 19, 2022 to November 20, 2022
Limits: Same as during regular waterfowl season
Hours: Same as during regular waterfowl season
Requirements: Any person 15 years of age or younger may participate in youth waterfowl hunting days without permit provided they are in the immediate presence of an adult 18 years of age or older. If the youth hunter is not certified in hunter education, the adult must have the required permits and have in his or her possession proof of hunter-education unless exempt. The adult may not hunt ducks but may participate in other seasons that are open on youth hunting days.
HUNTING ZONES
Waterfowl hunting zones in Missouri are divided into North, Middle, and South. For a map and more information, visit MDC online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/waterfowl/waterfowl-reports-prospects/duck-zones-and-season-dates or refer to MDC’s 2020-2021 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest, available beginning in July where hunting permits are sold.
NONTOXIC SHOT REQUIREMENTS
Shells possessed or used while hunting waterfowl and coots statewide, and for other species as designated by posting on public areas, must be loaded with material approved as nontoxic by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Get more information on nontoxic-shot requirements, allowed types, and conservation areas requiring use at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/regulations/nontoxic-shot-regulations.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information on migratory-bird and waterfowl hunting, visit MDC online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species and select the specific species, or get MDC’s 2020-2021 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest, available beginning in July where hunting permits are sold.