Delaware · Duck · 2026–27 Edition
Delaware Duck Season 2026–27: Zone Dates & Bag Limits
01 — Seasons by zone
| Season / Segment | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| September Teal Season | Special Teal Zone only (south of the C&D Canal to north of Rt. 9 in Lewes, east of Rts. 13, 113/113A, and 1) | Sep 5 – Sep 13 |
| Youth, Veteran's & Active Military Waterfowl Hunt | Statewide | Oct 24 – Oct 24 |
| Regular Season · Segment 1 | Statewide | Oct 31 – Nov 7 |
| Regular Season · Segment 2 | Statewide | Nov 25 – Nov 29 |
| Regular Season · Segment 3 | Statewide | Dec 16 – Jan 31 |
| Youth, Veteran's & Active Military Waterfowl Hunt | Statewide | Feb 7 – Feb 7 |
02 — Bag limits
| September Teal — Daily / Possession | 6 / 18, any combination of blue-winged and green-winged teal |
|---|---|
| Ducks (excluding mergansers and coots) — Daily, statewide | 6 |
| Ducks — Possession, statewide | 18 (3× the daily limit) |
| Mallards | 4, no more than 2 hens, within the overall 6-duck limit |
| Black Ducks | 2, within the overall 6-duck limit |
| Pintail, Wood Ducks | 3 each, within the overall 6-duck limit |
| Canvasback, Redheads | 2 each, within the overall 6-duck limit |
| Scaup | 1 daily — 2 daily from Jan. 12 through the Jan. 31 close, within the overall 6-duck limit |
| Mottled Duck, Fulvous Whistling-Duck | 1 each, within the overall 6-duck limit |
| Teal, Shovelers, Gadwall, Wigeon, Goldeneye, Ring-necked Ducks, Bufflehead, Ruddy Ducks | 6 each, within the overall 6-duck limit — effectively unrestricted beyond the overall daily cap |
| Sea Ducks (scoters, eiders, long-tailed ducks) | 4 total, no more than 3 of any one species (eiders capped at 1 hen) — within the overall 6-duck limit; same dates as the regular duck season, no separate sea duck zone |
| Harlequin Ducks | Closed season |
| American Coot — Daily / Possession | 15 / 45, same dates as duck season, separate from the duck limit |
| Mergansers — Daily / Possession | 5 / 15, aggregate of hooded, common, and red-breasted mergansers, same dates as duck season, separate from the duck limit |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (September 5, 2026) 06:05 — 19:25
Rule: Half an hour before sunrise to sunset for waterfowl and other migratory game birds (per DNREC) — except during an active Snow Goose Conservation Order, when hours extend to half an hour after sunset for that species only. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Delaware sun times for any other date.
04 — License, HIP & Duck Stamp
Duck hunters in Delaware need three things (in addition to any state-specific waterfowl stamp): a Delaware hunting license, HIP registration (Harvest Information Program) and a Federal Duck Stamp — required for hunters 16+ under federal law.
Delaware hunting license cost & waterfowl stamp →
Where to hunt public land in Delaware — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — FAQ
When does duck season open in Delaware?
The 2026–27 opener is September 5, 2026. Waterfowl seasons run under federal flyway frameworks with state-set zone splits — see the zone table above.
When does duck season end in Delaware?
The latest 2026–27 closing date is February 7, 2027. Late-zone and second-segment closes vary — see the zone table.
Do I need a Federal Duck Stamp?
Yes. Every waterfowl hunter 16 or older must carry a signed current-year Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Duck Stamp). It is available at U.S. Post Offices, many license retailers, most National Wildlife Refuges, and online from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
How many ducks can you shoot in Delaware per day?
2026–27 bag limits: September Teal — Daily / Possession — 6 / 18, any combination of blue-winged and green-winged teal. Ducks (excluding mergansers and coots) — Daily, statewide — 6. Ducks — Possession, statewide — 18 (3× the daily limit). Mallards — 4, no more than 2 hens, within the overall 6-duck limit. Black Ducks — 2, within the overall 6-duck limit. Pintail, Wood Ducks — 3 each, within the overall 6-duck limit. Canvasback, Redheads — 2 each, within the overall 6-duck limit. Scaup — 1 daily — 2 daily from Jan. 12 through the Jan. 31 close, within the overall 6-duck limit. Mottled Duck, Fulvous Whistling-Duck — 1 each, within the overall 6-duck limit. Teal, Shovelers, Gadwall, Wigeon, Goldeneye, Ring-necked Ducks, Bufflehead, Ruddy Ducks — 6 each, within the overall 6-duck limit — effectively unrestricted beyond the overall daily cap. Sea Ducks (scoters, eiders, long-tailed ducks) — 4 total, no more than 3 of any one species (eiders capped at 1 hen) — within the overall 6-duck limit; same dates as the regular duck season, no separate sea duck zone. Harlequin Ducks — Closed season. American Coot — Daily / Possession — 15 / 45, same dates as duck season, separate from the duck limit. Mergansers — Daily / Possession — 5 / 15, aggregate of hooded, common, and red-breasted mergansers, same dates as duck season, separate from the duck limit. Limits are set per zone and per permit — check the agency's own regulations before you hunt.
What time can you start shooting ducks in Delaware?
On opening day (September 5, 2026) legal light runs 06:05 to 19:25. The rule is: Half an hour before sunrise to sunset for waterfowl and other migratory game birds (per DNREC) — except during an active Snow Goose Conservation Order, when hours extend to half an hour after sunset for that species only. Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Delaware sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt ducks on my own land in Delaware without a license?
Delaware residents who own or live on a farm of 20 or more acres, plus immediate family living there, may hunt, fish, and trap it without a license. Deer tags and other harvest requirements still apply.
Verified · Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Division of Fish and Wildlife · Last verified 2026-08-16
Publisher's note. DNREC's own migratory bird hunting page links out to this eRegulations table as its published source for season dates and bag limits, rather than hosting the table itself — so this is DNREC's designated reference, not an independent secondary source. Delaware runs a single statewide duck season (no zone split), plus a September Teal season limited to a special teal zone (south of the C&D Canal to north of Route 9 in Lewes, east of Routes 13, 113/113A, and 1). Sea ducks no longer have their own separate zone or season — they share the regular duck season dates and count within the same 6-duck daily limit. Coot and mergansers share the same season dates as duck but carry their own separate bag limits. Sunday hunting is allowed for waterfowl in Delaware, unlike most Atlantic Flyway states in this project. Goose, brant, swan, and other migratory game bird seasons are set in the same regulation but are out of scope for this file. RE-VERIFIED 2026-09-01, fetched directly (eRegulations answers a plain fetch with a browser user agent). All three regular-season segments confirmed: 'Oct. 31-Nov. 7', 'Nov. 25-Nov. 29', 'Dec. 16-Jan. 31'. The zone description for the September teal season is transcribed in full because it cannot be shortened into a map reference: 'Limited to the designated teal zone south of the C and D Canal to north of Route 9 in Lewes, and east of Routes 13, 113/113A, and 1. Bag limit may include any combination of blue-winged and/or green-winged teal.' Hunt outside that strip and there is no open duck season in September.