UNDATED – The 2021-22 migratory bird hunting seasons have been announced.
This year, hunters may take five Canada geese in their daily bag limit of dark geese for the entire season. The previous daily bag limit was three Canada geese (except in September).
More information can be found here.
Geese
| Zone | Dates |
|---|---|
| North Zone | Sept. 11 – 19, 2021 Oct. 23 – 31, 2021 Nov. 20, 2021 – Feb. 13, 2022 |
| Central Zone | Sept. 11 – 19, 2021 Oct. 30 – Nov. 7, 2021 Nov. 20, 2021 – Feb. 13, 2022 |
| South Zone | Sept. 11 – 19, 2021 Nov. 6 – Nov. 21, 2021 Nov. 27, 2021 – Feb. 13, 2022 |
The bag limit for all dark geese (Canada, white-fronted, and brant) is five geese in the aggregate. The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit. The daily bag limit for light geese (snow, blue, and/or Ross’ geese) is 20, with no possession limit for light geese. Read the light geese conservation order.
Regular duck seasons
| Zone | Dates |
|---|---|
| North Zone | Oct. 23 – Dec. 12, 2021 Dec. 26, 2021 – Jan. 3, 2022 |
| Central Zone | Oct. 30 – Nov. 7, 2021 Nov. 20, 2021 – Jan. 9, 2022 |
| South Zone | Nov. 6 – 7, 2021 Nov. 27, 2021 – Jan. 23, 2022 |
The daily bag limit for ducks is six. This includes any combination of buffleheads, gadwalls, goldeneyes, long-tailed ducks, ring-necked ducks, ruddy ducks, scoters, shovelers, teal, and wigeon. Included in the daily limit of six are additional restrictions on the following:
- Black ducks: Only two black ducks may be taken daily.
- Canvasback: Only two canvasbacks may be taken daily.
- Mallards: Only four mallards may be taken daily, including not more than two females.
- Mottled duck: Only one mottled duck may be taken daily.
- Pintails: Only one pintail may be taken daily.
- Redheads: Only two redheads may be taken daily.
- Scaup: Only one scaup may be taken daily before Nov. 7 in the North Zone, Nov. 26 in the Central Zone, and Dec. 10 in the South Zone. Only two scaup may be taken daily on or after those dates.
- Wood ducks: Only three wood ducks may be taken daily.
The daily bag for mergansers (which is separate from the duck limit) is five, including not more than two hooded mergansers. The daily bag limit for coots is 15.
Possession limit for ducks, coots, and mergansers is three times the daily bag limit. Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. Shooting hours at some DNR properties may vary. Contact the property for details.
Ducks, coots and mergansers
Special teal season
| Species | Hunting Dates |
|---|---|
| Teal | Sept. 11 – Sept. 26, 2021 |
Daily bag limit: six, any combination of blue-winged and green-winged teal. Possession limit: 18. Shooting hours: sunrise to sunset. HIP registration required. *No teal hunting on Kankakee FWA.
Youth waterfowl weekends
| Zone | Dates |
|---|---|
| North Zone | Oct. 16 – 17, 2021 |
| Central Zone | Oct. 23 – 24, 2021 |
| South Zone | Oct. 30 – 31, 2021 |
Hunters must be 17 years of age or younger on the day of the hunt to participate. A federal duck stamp is required for all persons 16 and older. They must also be accompanied by an adult at least 18 years of age. An adult may accompany more than one youth. The licensed accompanying adult may not hunt waterfowl. Bag and species limits are the same as those allowed in the regular season for ducks and geese (only one scaup per day may be taken during the youth season). An HIP registration number is required for youth hunters during the youth waterfowl weekends.
Veteran Waterfowl hunting days
| North Zone | Oct. 16 – 17, 2021 |
| Central Zone | Oct. 23 – 24, 2021 |
| South Zone | Oct. 30 – 31, 2021 |
Waterfowl and other migratory bird hunting dates are set by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in cooperation with Indiana DNR.
A valid hunting license is required to hunt migratory gamebirds and waterfowl. In addition, HIP registration, Indiana Gamebird, or Indiana Migratory Waterfowl stamp privileges and a Federal Migratory Bird hunting stamp may also be required as noted below.
Resident and non-resident youth age 17 or younger are exempt from needing a state migratory waterfowl stamp or gamebird habitat stamp to hunt gamebirds or waterfowl in Indiana.
