INDIANA – The Department of Natural Resources has announced the 2024-25 Migratory Bird Hunting Season dates.
The dates are broken into three segments, with the first underway on September 1st.
Ducks, coots and mergansers
Special teal season
| Species | Dates | Daily Bag Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Teal | Sept. 14 – 29, 2024 | Six, any combination of blue-winged and green-winged teal. Possession limit: 18. Shooting hours: sunrise to sunset. HIP registration is required. *No teal hunting on Kankakee FWA. |
Regular duck seasons
| Zone | Dates |
|---|---|
| North Zone | Oct. 19 – Dec. 8, 2024 Dec. 28, 2024 – Jan. 5, 2025 |
| Central Zone | Nov. 2-10, 2024 Nov. 23, 2024 – Jan. 12, 2025 |
| South Zone | Nov. 9-10, 2024 Nov. 30, 2024 – Jan. 26, 2025 |
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, including not more than two females, may be taken daily.
- 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. 3 in the North Zone, Nov. 29 in the Central Zone, and Dec. 13 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 (separate from the duck limit) is five, including not more than two hooded mergansers. The daily bag limit for coots is 15.
The 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.
Canada geese, light geese, and brant
| Zone | Dates |
|---|---|
| North Zone | Sept. 1 – 15, 2024 Oct. 19 – 27, 2024 Nov. 23, 2024 – Feb. 9, 2025 |
| Central Zone | Sept. 1 – 15, 2024 Nov. 2 – 10, 2024 Nov. 23, 2024 – Feb. 9, 2025 |
| South Zone | Sept. 1 – 15, 2024 Nov. 9-10, 2024 Nov. 23, 2024 – Feb. 15, 2025 |
The bag limit for Canada geese and brant is five geese in the aggregate. The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit. Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. 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.
White-fronted geese
| Zone | Dates |
|---|---|
| North Zone | Oct. 19 – 27, 2024 Nov. 23, 2024 – Feb. 9, 2025 |
| Central Zone | Nov. 2 – 10, 2024 Nov. 23, 2024 – Feb. 9, 2025 |
| South Zone | Nov. 9 – 10, 2024 Nov. 23, 2024 – Feb. 15, 2025 |
The daily bag limit for white-fronted geese is 2. The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit. Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
Youth waterfowl weekends
| Zone | Dates |
|---|---|
| North Zone | Oct. 12 – 13, 2024 |
| Central Zone | Oct. 26 – 27, 2024 |
| South Zone | Nov. 2 – 3, 2024 |
Hunters must be 17 or younger on the hunt day 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. 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). A HIP registration number is required for youth hunters during the youth waterfowl weekends.
Veteran waterfowl hunting days
| Zone | Dates |
|---|---|
| North Zone | Oct. 12-13, 2024 |
| Central Zone | Oct. 26-27, 2024 |
| South Zone | Nov. 2-3, 2024 |
Beginning in 2019, special dates for veterans to hunt waterfowl were established. To hunt ducks and geese in Indiana, all individuals must have an Indiana hunting license, an Indiana waterfowl stamp privilege, and a free Harvest Information Program (HIP) validation number. A federal duck stamp is required for all persons aged 16 and older. Federal duck stamps are available at most post offices and fws.gov/duckstamps. State waterfowl stamp privileges are available online from hunting and fishing license vendors. Daily limits are the same as for the youth seasons.
Information provided by the Department of Natural Resources.
