Maine · Duck · 2026–27 Edition
Maine Duck Season 2026–27: Zone Dates & Bag Limits
01 — Seasons by zone
| Season / Segment | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | North Zone | Sep 28 – Dec 5 |
| Regular Season · Early Segment | South Zone | Oct 1 – Oct 10 |
| Regular Season · Late Segment | South Zone | Oct 29 – Dec 25 |
| Regular Season · Early Segment | Coastal Zone | Oct 3 – Oct 10 |
| Regular Season · Late Segment | Coastal Zone | Nov 5 – Jan 5 |
| Youth Waterfowl Hunt Day | North Zone | Sep 19 – Sep 19 |
| Youth Waterfowl Hunt Day | North Zone | Dec 12 – Dec 12 |
| Youth Waterfowl Hunt Day | South Zone | Sep 19 – Sep 19 |
| Youth Waterfowl Hunt Day | South Zone | Oct 17 – Oct 17 |
| Youth Waterfowl Hunt Day | Coastal Zone | Sep 26 – Sep 26 |
| Youth Waterfowl Hunt Day | Coastal Zone | Oct 17 – Oct 17 |
02 — Bag limits
| Ducks — Daily, all zones | 6 total, no more than 4 of any one species |
|---|---|
| Ducks — Possession, all zones | 18 total, no more than 12 of any one species |
| Mallards | 4 daily / 12 possession, within the overall duck limit |
| Hen Mallards, Black Duck, Redhead, Canvasback, and Eiders | 2 daily / 6 possession, within the overall duck limit |
| Scaup, Hen Eiders, Mottled Ducks, and Fulvous Whistling Ducks | 1 daily / 3 possession, within the overall duck limit |
| Northern Pintails and Wood Ducks | 3 daily / 9 possession, within the overall duck limit |
| Scoters (Black, White-winged, Surf) and Long-tailed Ducks — sea ducks including eiders | 3 per species daily (4 total sea ducks) / 9 per species possession (12 total sea ducks) |
| Harlequin Ducks and Barrow's Goldeneye | No open season |
| American Coots — Daily / Possession | 5 / 15, separate from the duck limit |
| Mergansers — Daily / Possession | 5 / 15, in addition to the regular duck limits |
| Youth Waterfowl Hunt Day | Same species sub-limits as the regular season apply; youth hunters may take up to 6 ducks total (no more than 3 scoters, 2 eiders, or 3 long-tailed ducks, or 4 sea ducks in the aggregate), plus up to 5 mergansers and 5 American coots in addition |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (September 19, 2026) 05:50 — 18:38
Rule: Half an hour before sunrise to sunset for migratory game birds, based on Bangor sunrise/sunset times (per MDIFW) — no evening extension, unlike Maine's general big-game shooting-hours rule. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Maine sun times for any other date.
04 — License, HIP & Duck Stamp
Duck hunters in Maine need three things (in addition to any state-specific waterfowl stamp): a Maine hunting license, HIP registration (Harvest Information Program) and a Federal Duck Stamp — required for hunters 16+ under federal law.
Maine hunting license cost & waterfowl stamp →
Where to hunt public land in Maine — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — FAQ
When does duck season open in Maine?
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 Maine?
The latest 2026–27 closing date is January 5, 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 Maine per day?
2026–27 bag limits: Ducks — Daily, all zones — 6 total, no more than 4 of any one species. Ducks — Possession, all zones — 18 total, no more than 12 of any one species. Mallards — 4 daily / 12 possession, within the overall duck limit. Hen Mallards, Black Duck, Redhead, Canvasback, and Eiders — 2 daily / 6 possession, within the overall duck limit. Scaup, Hen Eiders, Mottled Ducks, and Fulvous Whistling Ducks — 1 daily / 3 possession, within the overall duck limit. Northern Pintails and Wood Ducks — 3 daily / 9 possession, within the overall duck limit. Scoters (Black, White-winged, Surf) and Long-tailed Ducks — sea ducks including eiders — 3 per species daily (4 total sea ducks) / 9 per species possession (12 total sea ducks). Harlequin Ducks and Barrow's Goldeneye — No open season. American Coots — Daily / Possession — 5 / 15, separate from the duck limit. Mergansers — Daily / Possession — 5 / 15, in addition to the regular duck limits. Youth Waterfowl Hunt Day — Same species sub-limits as the regular season apply; youth hunters may take up to 6 ducks total (no more than 3 scoters, 2 eiders, or 3 long-tailed ducks, or 4 sea ducks in the aggregate), plus up to 5 mergansers and 5 American coots in addition. 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 Maine?
On opening day (September 19, 2026) legal light runs 05:50 to 18:38. The rule is: Half an hour before sunrise to sunset for migratory game birds, based on Bangor sunrise/sunset times (per MDIFW) — no evening extension, unlike Maine's general big-game shooting-hours rule. Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Maine sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt ducks on my own land in Maine without a license?
A Maine resident and their immediate family may hunt without a license on land they're legally entitled to possess and actually live on, if it's 10 or more contiguous acres. Moose still needs a license regardless of land ownership.
Verified · Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife · Last verified 2026-08-16
Publisher's note. From MDIFW's Chapter 16.11 rulemaking for Migratory Game Bird Hunting (public hearing March 2, 2026, comment deadline March 12, 2026 — season structure carried through unchanged into the adopted 2026-27 rule per MDIFW's own summary, since seasons and limits stay the same as the prior year 'except for aligning the hunting season with this year's calendar'). Maine splits duck hunting into three zones — North, South, and Coastal — with the South/North boundary itself shifting slightly for 2026-27 (moved north along Rt. 2 from Newport to Gilead) to open the western part of the state to hunting later into December; check MDIFW's current zone map before hunting near that line. South and Coastal Zones each run a split season with a short early segment and a longer late segment; North Zone runs one continuous season. Goose, brant, and other migratory game bird seasons are set in the same rule but are out of scope for this page. No hunting of migratory game birds by any method on Sundays, statewide, all season.