Florida · Duck · 2026–27 Edition
Florida Duck Season 2026–27: Dates & Bag Limits
01 — Seasons by zone
| Season / Segment | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Early Teal & Wood Duck only | Statewide | Sep 19 – Sep 23 |
| Regular Duck · Segment 1 | Statewide | Nov 21 – Nov 29 |
| Regular Duck · Segment 2 | Statewide | Dec 12 – Jan 31 |
| Youth Waterfowl Day | Statewide | Nov 14 – Nov 14 |
| Youth Waterfowl Day | Statewide | Feb 13 – Feb 13 |
| Veterans & Active Military Day | Statewide | Feb 6 – Feb 7 |
02 — Bag limits
| Early Teal & Wood Duck — Daily | 6 total (single species or aggregate), of which only 2 may be wood ducks |
|---|---|
| Regular Duck — Daily | 6 total (single species or aggregate); max: 4 mallards (2 hens), 1 mottled duck, 4 sea ducks, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 3 pintails, 1 fulvous whistling-duck |
| Scaup — Daily | 1 from Nov 21-29 & Dec 12-Jan 11; 2 from Jan 12-31 and on Youth/Veteran days |
| Coot — Daily | 15, separate from the duck aggregate |
| Merganser (common, red-breasted, hooded) — Daily | 5, separate from the duck aggregate |
| Possession (all) | 3× daily bag (Coot 45, Merganser 15) |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (September 19, 2026) 06:47 — 19:29
Rule: One-half hour before sunrise until sunset (per FWC). Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Florida sun times for any other date.
04 — License, HIP & Duck Stamp
Duck hunters in Florida need three things (in addition to any state-specific waterfowl stamp): a Florida hunting license, HIP registration (Harvest Information Program) and a Federal Duck Stamp — required for hunters 16+ under federal law.
Florida hunting license cost & waterfowl stamp →
Where to hunt public land in Florida — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — FAQ
When does duck season open in Florida?
The 2026–27 opener is September 19, 2026. Waterfowl seasons run under federal flyway frameworks with state-set zone splits — see the zone table above.
When does duck season end in Florida?
The latest 2026–27 closing date is February 13, 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 Florida per day?
2026–27 bag limits: Early Teal & Wood Duck — Daily — 6 total (single species or aggregate), of which only 2 may be wood ducks. Regular Duck — Daily — 6 total (single species or aggregate); max: 4 mallards (2 hens), 1 mottled duck, 4 sea ducks, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 3 pintails, 1 fulvous whistling-duck. Scaup — Daily — 1 from Nov 21-29 & Dec 12-Jan 11; 2 from Jan 12-31 and on Youth/Veteran days. Coot — Daily — 15, separate from the duck aggregate. Merganser (common, red-breasted, hooded) — Daily — 5, separate from the duck aggregate. Possession (all) — 3× daily bag (Coot 45, Merganser 15). 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 Florida?
On opening day (September 19, 2026) legal light runs 06:47 to 19:29. The rule is: One-half hour before sunrise until sunset (per FWC). Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Florida sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt ducks on my own land in Florida without a license?
Florida's exemption is narrower than 'any land you own' — it only covers hunting (or freshwater fishing) on your own homestead property, or that of your spouse or minor child. Whether deer, turkey, or waterfowl permits are still required on a homestead-exempt hunt isn't spelled out in the statute — check with FWC directly before relying on it.
Verified · Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission · Last verified 2026-08-27
Publisher's note. Re-verified 2026-08-27 against FWC's own '2026-2027 Florida Migratory Bird Hunting Season Dates and Bag Limits' table, fetched directly. FWC prints one table for every migratory species, then the fine print below it, and both were read. The header carries a warning that applies to this file as much as to the table: 'Seasons and dates may not apply to wildlife management areas' - WMA seasons are set separately and are not modeled here. The duck row reads: 'Duck (W) | Sept. 19-23 (teal and wood duck only) / Nov. 21-29 / Dec. 12 - Jan. 31', with possession at 'three times the daily bag limit'. Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days are listed as 'Nov. 14 and Feb. 13', Veterans and Active Military Waterfowl Days as 'Feb. 6-7' - all carried here as their own rows. The species sub-limits in this file are the fine print under the table, transcribed rather than summarised: 6-duck aggregate, of which no more than 4 mallards (only 2 female), 1 mottled duck, 4 sea ducks (no more than 3 scoters, long-tailed ducks or eiders, no more than 1 female eider), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 black ducks, 2 canvasbacks, 3 pintails, 1 fulvous whistling-duck. The scaup step-up is quoted exactly: '1 scaup from Nov. 21-29 and Dec. 12 - Jan. 11', then '2 scaup from Jan. 12-31 and during Youth and Veteran/Military waterfowl hunt days' - note the step-up applies on the special days regardless of where they fall. Mottled duck/mallard hybrids count as one or the other, never as a separate limit. The (W) marking is what drives this file's permit note, in FWC's words: 'Must have $5 Florida waterfowl permit and $28.50 Federal duck stamp in addition to hunting license and migratory bird permit when hunting waterfowl.' Also on the page and worth knowing: taking white-fronted geese, harlequin ducks, brant and purple gallinule is prohibited outright.