Waterfowl & Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations

Last Updated: Spring 2024

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sets the frameworks for waterfowl and other migratory game birds. Migratory bird hunting is governed by both state and federal regulations. Waterfowl hunting is permitted when seasons are open during the youth deer gun season, the deer gun season, and the deer muzzleloader season. The possession limit for waterfowl and migratory birds after the second day is three times the daily bag limit.

OPENING DAY OF A SEASON

No person on the opening day of the season shall possess any freshly killed migratory game birds in excess of the daily bag limit, or aggregate daily bag limit, whichever applies.

MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTING

To hunt migratory birds in Ohio, you must have the following:

• A valid Ohio hunting license.
• Harvest Information Program (HIP) certification.

In addition to the requirements above, to hunt waterfowl in Ohio, you must also have the following:

• An Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp endorsement is required of all persons 18 or older.
• A signed federal Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp (Duck Stamp) is required of all persons age 16 and older.

HIP SURVEY

All hunters, including landowners, who plan to hunt migratory game birds, including mourning doves, ducks, geese, woodcock, rails, coots, and snipe must have a Harvest Information Program (HIP) certification number on their hunting license. To complete the HIP certification requirement, call 1-877-HIP-OHIO (1-877-447- 6446) or go online and answer the survey questions. After the survey you will be given a certification number. Write the certification number on your annual hunting license in the space provided.

Multiyear license and lifetime license hold- ers are required to complete the HIP certification requirement annually. The certification number is required to be carried while hunting.

FEDERAL REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTING STAMP (DUCK STAMP)

Federal regulations relating to migratory game birds are located in Title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 20.

For additional information on federal regulations, go to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife website or Code of Federal Regulations website.

Hunters should know:

• Federal Duck Stamps are valid from July 1 through the following June 30.
• You must sign the front of your Duck Stamp in order for it to be valid. Remember: only you may use your Federal Duck Stamp.
• If you bought an E-Stamp, you must carry your 45-day receipt with you at all times while hunting. Once the receipt has expired, you must carry your current, signed Federal Duck Stamp. If you purchased your E-Stamp at a retail store, you must carry the E-Stamp/45-day receipt. Your purchase/credit card receipt from the store is not valid as a Duck Stamp.

Hunters 16 years of age and older are required to purchase this stamp to hunt waterfowl. These stamps are available at many U.S. post office branches, usps.com, or duckstamp.com.

The E-Stamp available through the Duck Stamp website is valid immediately for up to 45 days with the receipt of the e-stamp purchase.

OHIO WETLANDS HABITAT STAMP

The Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp will not be issued at the time of purchase. A license will be issued stating Ohio Wetlands Stamp. The stamp will be mailed later in the year. The stamp does not need to be carried while hunting.

MILITARY WATERFOWL HUNTING

Active duty military and veterans may hunt waterfowl on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 2023. Bag limits are the same as the regular season. Active duty military and veterans and youth may hunt waterfowl together during this special season.

The hunter must be a veteran or a member of the armed forces on active duty.

YOUTH WATERFOWL HUNTING

Hunters 17 years old or younger may hunt waterfowl statewide (on public and private lands) on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 2023. Ducks, geese, and coots may be taken under bag limits established for the regular season. Hunting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset.

NONTOXIC SHOT

No person may take ducks, geese (including brant), rail, snipe, moorhens, or coots while possessing shot (either in shotshells or as loose shot for muzzleloading) other than approved nontoxic shot. For a list of approved nontoxic shot, see fws.gov.

DOVE HUNTING

Hours for dove are sunrise to sunset. Doves may be hunted with lead shot. Dove field maps are available online.

Doves may be hunted on areas that have been manipulated (for example, mowed or bush-hogged) for wildlife management purposes, in addition to areas that have been planted or harvested in a normal agricultural manner. Neither waterfowl nor doves may be hunted on areas where grain or other feed has been distributed once it has been removed from or stored on the field where grown. Contact a Division of Wildlife district office or a state wildlife officer for clarification on baiting regulations before you hunt.

Harvest Information Program (HIP) certification is required to dove hunt. To complete the HIP certification requirement, call 1-877-HIP-OHIO (1-877-447-6446) or go online and answer the survey questions. After the survey you will be given a certification number. Write the certification number on your annual hunting license in the space provided.

Multiyear license and lifetime license holders are required to complete the HIP certification requirement annually. The certification number is required to be carried while hunting.

TAGGING REQUIREMENT

No person shall put or leave any migratory game birds at any place (other than at his personal abode), or in the custody of another person for picking, cleaning, processing, shipping, transportation, or storage (including temporary storage), or for the purpose of having taxidermy services performed, unless such birds have a tag attached, signed by the hunter, stating their address, the total number and species of birds, and the date such birds were killed. Migratory game birds being transported in any vehicle as the personal baggage of the possessor shall not be considered as being in storage or temporary storage.

ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS

It is legal to take migratory game birds including waterfowl and coots on or over the following lands or areas that are not otherwise baited areas:

• Standing crops or flooded standing crops (including aquatics);
• Standing, flooded, or manipulated natural vegetation; flooded harvested croplands; or lands or areas where seeds or grains have been scattered solely as the result of a normal agricultural planting, harvesting, post-harvest manipulation, or normal soil stabilization practice;
• From a blind or other place of concealment camouflaged with natural vegetation;
• From a blind or other place of conceal- ment camouflaged with vegetation from agricultural crops, as long as such camouflaging does not result in the exposing, depositing, distributing, or scattering of grain or other feed; or
• Standing or flooded standing agricultural crops where grain is inadvertently scat- tered solely as a result of a hunter entering or exiting a hunting area, placing decoys, or retrieving downed birds.

ILLEGAL HUNTING METHODS

NO PERSONS SHALL TAKE MIGRATORY GAME BIRDS:

1. With a crossbow, trap, snare, net, rifle, pistol, swivel gun, shotgun larger than 10 gauge, punt gun, battery gun, machine gun, fish hook, poison, drug, explosive, or stupefying substance;
   
2. From or by means, aid, or use of a sinkbox or any other type of low-floating device, having a depression affording the hunter a means of concealment beneath the surface of the water;
3. From or by means, aid, or use of any motor vehicle, motor-driven land conveyance, or aircraft of any kind;
4. From or by means of any motorboat or other craft having a motor attached, or any sailboat, unless the motor has been completely shut off and/or the sails furled, and its progress therefrom has ceased;
5. By the use or aid of live birds as decoys; although not limited to, it shall be a violation of this paragraph for any person to take migratory waterfowl on an area where tame or captive live ducks or geese are present unless such birds are and have been for a period of 10 consecutive days prior to such taking, confined within an enclosure which substantially reduces the audibility of their calls and totally conceals such birds from the sight of wild migratory waterfowl;
6. By the aid of baiting or on or over any baited area.
7. With any device that emits recorded or electrically amplified bird calls or sounds, or recorded or electrically amplified imitations of bird calls or sounds. It is illegal to possess such devices while hunting waterfowl in Ohio;
8. By means or aid of any motor driven land, water, or air conveyance, or any sailboat used for the purpose of or resulting in the concentrating, driving, rallying, or stirring up of any migratory bird;

LEGAL WATERFOWL & MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTING EQUIPMENT