Michigan · Duck · 2026 Edition
Michigan Duck Season 2026: Zone Dates & Bag Limits
01 — Seasons by zone
| Season / Segment | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Early Teal (Blue-winged & Green-winged only) | Statewide | Sep 1 – Sep 9 |
| Youth Waterfowl Hunting Weekend | Statewide | Sep 19 – Sep 20 |
| Veterans & Active-Duty Military Waterfowl Days | Statewide | Sep 19 – Sep 20 |
| Coot, Duck & Merganser · Segment 1 | North Zone | Sep 26 – Nov 22 |
| Coot, Duck & Merganser · Segment 2 | North Zone | Nov 28 – Nov 29 |
| Coot, Duck & Merganser · Segment 1 | Middle Zone | Oct 3 – Nov 29 |
| Coot, Duck & Merganser · Segment 1 | South Zone | Oct 17 – Dec 13 |
| Coot, Duck & Merganser · Segment 2 | Middle Zone | Dec 12 – Dec 13 |
| Coot, Duck & Merganser · Segment 2 | South Zone | Dec 26 – Dec 27 |
02 — Bag limits
| Duck — Daily | 6, including no more than 4 mallards (max 2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 black ducks, 3 northern pintail, and scaup (see the zone-and-date scaup table below — it steps between 1 and 2 per day depending on where you are in the season, not a simple one-time switch) |
|---|---|
| Duck — Possession | Three times the daily bag, or 18 total |
| Scaup — North Zone | 2 daily Sept. 26–Nov. 9; 1 daily Nov. 10–22 and Nov. 28–29 |
| Scaup — Middle Zone | 1 daily Oct. 3–18; 2 daily Oct. 19–Nov. 29 and Dec. 12–13 |
| Scaup — South Zone | 1 daily Oct. 17–Nov. 1; 2 daily Nov. 2–Dec. 13 and Dec. 26–27 |
| Merganser — Daily / Possession | 5 / 15, only 2 may be hooded mergansers |
| Coot — Daily / Possession | 15 / 45 |
| Youth & Veterans/Military Waterfowl Days | Same bag limits as the regular season. Youth hunters must be 16 or younger and properly licensed; Veterans/Military Days are limited to veterans and active-duty U.S. military personnel. |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (September 1, 2026) 06:35 — 20:17
Rule: Half an hour before sunrise to sunset for the regular duck season (per Michigan DNR). The early teal season (Sept. 1-9) is the exception: sunrise to sunset, with no half-hour-early start.. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Michigan sun times for any other date.
04 — License, HIP & Duck Stamp
Duck hunters in Michigan need three things (in addition to any state-specific waterfowl stamp): a Michigan hunting license, HIP registration (Harvest Information Program) and a Federal Duck Stamp — required for hunters 16+ under federal law.
Michigan hunting license cost & waterfowl stamp →
Where to hunt public land in Michigan — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — FAQ
When does duck season open in Michigan?
The 2026 opener is September 1, 2026. Waterfowl seasons run under federal flyway frameworks with state-set zone splits — see the zone table above.
When does duck season end in Michigan?
The latest 2026 closing date is December 27, 2026. 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 Michigan per day?
2026 bag limits: Duck — Daily — 6, including no more than 4 mallards (max 2 hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 2 black ducks, 3 northern pintail, and scaup (see the zone-and-date scaup table below — it steps between 1 and 2 per day depending on where you are in the season, not a simple one-time switch). Duck — Possession — Three times the daily bag, or 18 total. Scaup — North Zone — 2 daily Sept. 26–Nov. 9; 1 daily Nov. 10–22 and Nov. 28–29. Scaup — Middle Zone — 1 daily Oct. 3–18; 2 daily Oct. 19–Nov. 29 and Dec. 12–13. Scaup — South Zone — 1 daily Oct. 17–Nov. 1; 2 daily Nov. 2–Dec. 13 and Dec. 26–27. Merganser — Daily / Possession — 5 / 15, only 2 may be hooded mergansers. Coot — Daily / Possession — 15 / 45. Youth & Veterans/Military Waterfowl Days — Same bag limits as the regular season. Youth hunters must be 16 or younger and properly licensed; Veterans/Military Days are limited to veterans and active-duty U.S. military personnel. 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 Michigan?
On opening day (September 1, 2026) legal light runs 06:35 to 20:17. The rule is: Half an hour before sunrise to sunset for the regular duck season (per Michigan DNR). The early teal season (Sept. 1-9) is the exception: sunrise to sunset, with no half-hour-early start. Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Michigan sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt ducks on my own land in Michigan without a license?
A Michigan resident, their spouse, and their children may hunt small game without a license on farmland they're actually domiciled on. Deer and turkey aren't covered, and owning land you don't live on doesn't qualify.
Verified · Michigan Department of Natural Resources · Last verified 2026-08-16
Publisher's note. Dates from the '2026 Waterfowl hunting regulations summary' — Michigan's own mobile-friendly HTML version, since the desktop PDF blocks automated downloads. Michigan runs three zones (North/Middle/South), each with a main segment plus a short second segment. The early teal season (Sept. 1-9) uses different shooting hours than the regular season — sunrise to sunset, with no half-hour-early start — and only blue-winged and green-winged teal are legal then, not cinnamon teal as in some other states.