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Last updated on Friday, August 28, 2015
(UNDATED) - The regular-season waterfowl dates, as proposed to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) by the Indiana DNR, are listed below.
The dates are not final until approved by the USFWS in mid- to late-September. Look for another announcement around that time that will either confirm or amend these dates. Historically, they have been accepted as proposed.
The DNR's recommended dates for ducks, coots and mergansers are:
The daily bag limit for ducks in all zones is six, including no more than four mallards (of which no more than two can be hens), three scaup, three wood ducks, two pintails, two redheads, two canvasbacks, one black duck and one mottled duck. The daily bag limit for coots is 15. The daily bag limit for mergansers, separate from ducks, is five, of which no more than two can be hooded mergansers. The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates the mallard breedÂing population at a record-high 11.6 million, 7 percent higher than last year and 51 percent higher than the long-term average. Estimates of most species were similar to last year's record-setting estimates. Total ducks, gadwalls, green- and blue-winged teal, shovelers and redheads remain at or near record levels in 2015.
For Canada geese, white-fronted geese, brant and light geese, the proposed dates are:
The bag limit for all dark geese (Canada, white-fronted and brant) has changed this year. The new limit is five, no more than three of which can be Canada geese. 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.
The proposed late season for Canada geese is Feb. 1-15. The counties open during the late season are: Adams, Allen, Boone, Clay, DeKalb, Elkhart, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Huntington, Johnson, Kosciusko, LaPorte, LaGrange, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Noble, Parke, St. Joseph, Shelby, Steuben, Starke, Sullivan, Vermillion, Vigo, Wells and Whitley.
The daily bag limit during this season is three Canada geese, with a possession limit of nine.
The proposed light goose conservation order is Feb. 1 to March 31, statewide, except for those counties that have a late season on Canada geese. For those counties with a late season on Canada geese, the proposed light goose conservation order season is Feb. 16 to March 31.
The light goose conservation order has no bag or possession limit. A free permit is required. Details will be available later in the winter. The DNR's recommended dates for youth waterfowl season are:
Bag and possession limits are the same as the regular seasons. The youth waterfowl season is open to youths age 15 and younger, accompanied by an adult. DNR's recommended dates for extended falconry season for ducks, coots and mergansers are:
For more information, contact Adam Phelps, DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife, at (812) 334-1137, or aphelps@dnr.IN.gov.
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