New Mexico · Duck · 2026–27 Edition
New Mexico Duck Season 2026–27: Zone Dates & Bag Limits
01 — Seasons by zone
| Season / Segment | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| September Teal Season | Central Flyway — North & South Zones | Sep 12 – Sep 20 |
| Youth Waterfowl Day | Central Flyway — North Zone | Oct 3 – Oct 4 |
| Regular Season | Central Flyway — North Zone (east of the Continental Divide, north of I-40/US-54 at Tucumcari) | Oct 10 – Jan 13 |
| Youth Waterfowl Day | Pacific Flyway — North & South Zones | Oct 10 – Oct 11 |
| Youth Waterfowl Day | Central Flyway — South Zone | Oct 24 – Oct 25 |
| Regular Season | Central Flyway — South Zone (east of the Continental Divide, south of I-40/US-54 at Tucumcari) | Oct 28 – Jan 31 |
| Regular Season | Pacific Flyway — North & South Zones (west of the Continental Divide) | Oct 19 – Jan 31 |
| Scaup Season | Pacific Flyway — North & South Zones | Oct 19 – Jan 12 |
02 — Bag limits
| Central Flyway (both zones) — Daily | 6 ducks singly or in aggregate |
|---|---|
| Central Flyway (both zones) — Possession | 18 (3× the daily limit) |
| Central Flyway — Mallards (incl. Mexican ducks) | 5 daily, no more than 2 female, within the overall 6-duck limit |
| Central Flyway — Scaup | 1 daily, within the overall 6-duck limit |
| Central Flyway — Wood Ducks, Pintail | 3 daily each, within the overall 6-duck limit |
| Central Flyway — Redhead, Canvasback, Hooded Merganser | 2 daily each, within the overall 6-duck limit |
| Central Flyway — American Coot — Daily / Possession | 15 / 45, separate from the duck limit |
| September Teal — Daily / Possession | 6 / 18, any combination of blue-winged, cinnamon, and green-winged teal |
| Pacific Flyway (both zones) — Daily | 7 ducks in aggregate |
| Pacific Flyway (both zones) — Possession | 21 (3× the daily limit) |
| Pacific Flyway — Mallards (female only) | No more than 2 female mallards, within the overall 7-duck limit |
| Pacific Flyway — Redheads | 2 daily, within the overall 7-duck limit |
| Pacific Flyway — Pintail | 3 daily, within the overall 7-duck limit |
| Pacific Flyway — Canvasback | 2 daily, within the overall 7-duck limit |
| Pacific Flyway — Scaup | 2 daily / 6 possession, included in the overall 7-duck aggregate, only during the shorter Oct. 19-Jan. 12 scaup window |
| Pacific Flyway — American Coot and Gallinules — Daily / Possession | 25 combined / 75, separate from the duck limit |
| Youth Waterfowl Day, Central Flyway | Ducks and coots only; same bag/possession as the regular season |
| Youth Waterfowl Day, Pacific Flyway | Ducks, coots, and gallinules only; same bag/possession as the regular season |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (September 12, 2026) 06:15 — 19:14
Rule: Half an hour before sunrise to sunset for migratory game birds statewide (per NMDGF), unless otherwise noted for specific Wildlife Management Areas. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local New Mexico sun times for any other date.
04 — License, HIP & Duck Stamp
Duck hunters in New Mexico need three things (in addition to any state-specific waterfowl stamp): a New Mexico hunting license, HIP registration (Harvest Information Program) and a Federal Duck Stamp — required for hunters 16+ under federal law.
New Mexico hunting license cost & waterfowl stamp →
Where to hunt public land in New Mexico — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — FAQ
When does duck season open in New Mexico?
The 2026–27 opener is September 12, 2026. Waterfowl seasons run under federal flyway frameworks with state-set zone splits — see the zone table above.
When does duck season end in New Mexico?
The latest 2026–27 closing date is January 31, 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 New Mexico per day?
2026–27 bag limits: Central Flyway (both zones) — Daily — 6 ducks singly or in aggregate. Central Flyway (both zones) — Possession — 18 (3× the daily limit). Central Flyway — Mallards (incl. Mexican ducks) — 5 daily, no more than 2 female, within the overall 6-duck limit. Central Flyway — Scaup — 1 daily, within the overall 6-duck limit. Central Flyway — Wood Ducks, Pintail — 3 daily each, within the overall 6-duck limit. Central Flyway — Redhead, Canvasback, Hooded Merganser — 2 daily each, within the overall 6-duck limit. Central Flyway — American Coot — Daily / Possession — 15 / 45, separate from the duck limit. September Teal — Daily / Possession — 6 / 18, any combination of blue-winged, cinnamon, and green-winged teal. Pacific Flyway (both zones) — Daily — 7 ducks in aggregate. Pacific Flyway (both zones) — Possession — 21 (3× the daily limit). Pacific Flyway — Mallards (female only) — No more than 2 female mallards, within the overall 7-duck limit. Pacific Flyway — Redheads — 2 daily, within the overall 7-duck limit. Pacific Flyway — Pintail — 3 daily, within the overall 7-duck limit. Pacific Flyway — Canvasback — 2 daily, within the overall 7-duck limit. Pacific Flyway — Scaup — 2 daily / 6 possession, included in the overall 7-duck aggregate, only during the shorter Oct. 19-Jan. 12 scaup window. Pacific Flyway — American Coot and Gallinules — Daily / Possession — 25 combined / 75, separate from the duck limit. Youth Waterfowl Day, Central Flyway — Ducks and coots only; same bag/possession as the regular season. Youth Waterfowl Day, Pacific Flyway — Ducks, coots, and gallinules only; same bag/possession as the regular season. 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 New Mexico?
On opening day (September 12, 2026) legal light runs 06:15 to 19:14. The rule is: Half an hour before sunrise to sunset for migratory game birds statewide (per NMDGF), unless otherwise noted for specific Wildlife Management Areas. Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local New Mexico sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt ducks on my own land in New Mexico without a license?
No — New Mexico requires a license for every game species regardless of land ownership. What's sometimes called a 'landowner' program is a separate elk-tag authorization system granted through the landowner, not a license waiver.
Verified · New Mexico Department of Game and Fish · Last verified 2026-08-16
Publisher's note. From NMDGF's own 2026-27 Migratory Game Bird Hunting Rules and Info supplement. New Mexico splits duck hunting by two federal flyways rather than one set of statewide zones: the Central Flyway (east of the Continental Divide) and the Pacific Flyway (west of it), each further split into a North and South Zone along I-40/US-54 at Tucumcari (Central) or I-40 (Pacific). Central Flyway's two zones run genuinely different dates; Pacific Flyway's North and South Zones share identical duck dates (only their goose seasons differ, which is out of scope here). September Teal only runs in the Central Flyway zones — the Pacific Flyway has no separate early teal season. Goose, sandhill crane, and other migratory game bird seasons are set in the same supplement but are out of scope for this file.