Florida Duck Season
2026–2027

Season dates by zone, bag limits, youth days, and license requirements — verified against the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Verified against FWCUpdated Source: myfwc.com ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Earliest opener
Nov 21

Statewide

Latest close
Jan 31

Statewide

Daily bag
6 ducks

Species limits apply

Possession
18 ducks

3× daily bag

Statewide opens in

58 days

Start your Florida log — free. MarshHQ counts every species against these limits as you log, and shows legal shooting light for the spot you’re hunting.

Email only. No card. The log stays free.

Season dates by zone

Duck season. Always confirm shooting hours with FWC.

Statewide

60 days

  • Nov 21 – Nov 29, 2026
  • Dec 12, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027
Full boundary ↓

Florida runs one statewide waterfowl season framework (no North/South duck or goose zones). Two localized shooting-day restrictions apply (not full zones): Lake Miccosukee waters in Leon County, and the state waters of the Gulf of America off Hernando County, are open only on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays during the regular duck season.

Other waterfowl seasonsCoot, Early teal, Early Canada goose, Canada goose (regular), Light goose (snow, blue, Ross’s)

Coot

Statewide

  • Nov 21 – Nov 29, 2026
  • Dec 12, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027

Early teal

Statewide

  • Sep 19 – Sep 23, 2026

Early Canada goose

Statewide

  • Sep 5 – Sep 27, 2026

Canada goose (regular)

Statewide

  • Nov 21 – Nov 29, 2026
  • Dec 1, 2026 – Jan 30, 2027

Light goose (snow, blue, Ross’s)

Statewide

  • Nov 21 – Nov 29, 2026
  • Dec 12, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027

Youth & special days

Youth waterfowl

Statewide:
Nov 14, 2026 · Feb 13, 2027

Bag limits

Daily limit is 6 ducks total. Within those, no more than:

American Black Duck2
American Coot15
Canada GooseEarly Canada goose5
Canada GooseCanada goose (regular)5
Canvasback2
Mallard4 (max 2 hens)
Mottled Duck1
Northern Pintail3
Redhead2
Wood Duck3

Light geese: 15 daily, 45 in possession.

Mergansers: 5 daily, 15 in possession.

Scaup: 1, then 2 daily, 6 in possession.

What you need to hunt ducks in Florida

  1. Florida Migratory Bird Permit — Required in addition to a hunting license to hunt migratory birds.

  2. Florida Waterfowl Permit — Required in addition to a hunting license and the Migratory Bird Permit specifically to hunt ducks, geese, and mergansers.

  3. Federal Duck Stamp — Required for hunters age 16 and older.

  4. Nontoxic shot — Lead shot is prohibited for waterfowl nationwide.

  • Hunters under 16 are exempt from both Florida permits and the Federal Duck Stamp.
  • Florida resident seniors age 65 and older (with proof of age/residency) are exempt from both Florida permits; this exemption is for residents only.

Buy your permits ↗ (opens in a new tab)

License and permit names and exemptions are set by the state and can change without notice, and fees aren’t listed here for the same reason. MarshHQ is not responsible for errors or out-of-date information — confirm current requirements directly with FWC (opens in a new tab) before you hunt.

Disclaimer: Bag limits and season dates are for reference only and may not reflect the most current regulations. Always verify with USFWS and your state wildlife agency before hunting. Dates and limits above reflect the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s published 2026–2027 waterfowl regulations as checked on 2026-07-23. Confirm with the official source before you hunt: myfwc.com (opens in a new tab)

Not affiliated with any state wildlife agency.