Waterfowl hunting

Seasons

Ducks, coots, mergansers

Zone	Hunting dates
North	Sept. 26 - Nov. 24
Central	Sept. 26 - Oct. 4; Oct. 10 - Nov. 29
South	Sept. 26 - Oct. 4; Oct. 17 - Dec. 6

Geese

Zone	Hunting dates
Early goose (statewide)	Sept. 5-20
North	Sept. 26-Dec. 25
Central	Sept. 26-Oct. 4; Oct. 10-Dec. 30
South	Sept. 26-Oct. 4; Oct. 17-Jan. 6, 2021

Zones

Minnesota's waterfowl hunting zones

Definitions

• Migratory game birds: Defined as ducks, geese, mergansers, coots, moorhens (gallinules), woodcock, rails, snipe, sandhill cranes, and mourning doves.
• Migratory waterfow: Defined as ducks, geese, and mergansers.
• Undressed bird: Defined as ducks, or geese or other migratory game birds with one fully-feathered wing attached.

Non-toxic shot required

It is unlawful to take geese, ducks, mergansers, coots, moorhens, or sandhill cranes with lead shot or while having any lead shot in possession. Only shot approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may be used.

Opening day possession limit

On the opening day of the season, no person may possess more freshly killed migratory game birds than is allowed by the daily limit.

Retrieval

A person may not kill or wound any migratory game bird without making a reasonable effort to retrieve the bird and include it in the daily limit.

Decoys

• No person may place decoys on public lands or in public waters more than two hours before legal shooting hours for waterfowl.
• No person may leave decoys on public waters between sunset and two hours before legal shooting hours or leave decoys unattended during other times for more than three consecutive hours, except decoys may be left in waters adjacent to private land under control of the hunter where there is not sufficient natural vegetation growing in the water to partially conceal a hunter. A person may not leave decoys in public waters between sunset and one hour before shooting hours if the decoys constitute a navigational hazard.

Field possession limit

No person shall possess, have in custody or transport more than the daily limit or aggregate daily limit, whichever applies, of migratory game birds, tagged or not tagged at or between the place where taken and either:

1. His or her automobile or principal means of land transportation;
2. His or her personal abode or temporary transient place of lodging;
3. Migratory bird preservation facility;
4. Post office; or
5. A common carrier facility.

Wanton waste

You must make a reasonable effort to retrieve all migratory game birds that you kill or wound and keep these birds in your actual custody while in the field. You must immediately kill any wounded birds that you retrieve and count those birds toward your daily limit. Birds must remain in your possession while in the field. You may not give your birds to another person in the field regardless of whether or not they are properly tagged.