Pennsylvania · Duck · 2026–27 Edition
Pennsylvania Duck Season 2026–27: Zone Dates & Bag Limits
01 — Seasons by zone
| Season / Segment | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Day (statewide) | Statewide | Sep 19 – Sep 19 |
| Junior, Veteran & Active Military Day | Northwest Zone | Sep 26 – Sep 26 |
| Duck, Sea Duck, Coot & Merganser · Segment 1 | North Zone | Oct 10 – Oct 24 |
| Duck, Sea Duck, Coot & Merganser · Segment 1 | South Zone | Oct 10 – Oct 17 |
| Duck, Sea Duck, Coot & Merganser · Segment 1 | Northwest Zone | Oct 10 – Nov 27 |
| Junior, Veteran & Active Military Day | Lake Erie Zone | Oct 24 – Oct 24 |
| Junior, Veteran & Active Military Day | North Zone | Oct 31 – Oct 31 |
| Duck, Sea Duck, Coot & Merganser | Lake Erie Zone | Nov 2 – Jan 9 |
| Junior, Veteran & Active Military Day | South Zone | Nov 7 – Nov 7 |
| Duck, Sea Duck, Coot & Merganser · Segment 2 | North Zone | Nov 17 – Jan 9 |
| Duck, Sea Duck, Coot & Merganser · Segment 2 | South Zone | Nov 18 – Jan 18 |
| Duck, Sea Duck, Coot & Merganser · Segment 2 | Northwest Zone | Dec 21 – Jan 9 |
| Veteran & Active Military Day | Lake Erie Zone | Jan 16 – Jan 16 |
| Veteran & Active Military Day | Northwest Zone | Jan 16 – Jan 16 |
| Veteran & Active Military Day | North Zone | Jan 16 – Jan 16 |
| Veteran & Active Military Day | South Zone | Jan 23 – Jan 23 |
02 — Bag limits
| Duck — Daily | 6, any species, including no more than 4 mallards (max 2 hens), 2 black ducks, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 3 pintails, 4 sea ducks (max 3 eiders, max 1 hen eider), 3 long-tailed ducks, 3 scoters, and scaup (see zone-specific step-up dates below) |
|---|---|
| Duck — Possession | Three times the daily limit |
| Scaup — North Zone | 1 daily Oct. 10–24 and Nov. 17–Dec. 17; 2 daily Dec. 18–Jan. 9 |
| Scaup — South Zone | 1 daily Oct. 10–17 and Nov. 18–Dec. 25; 2 daily Dec. 26–Jan. 18 |
| Scaup — Northwest Zone | 1 daily Oct. 10–Nov. 25; 2 daily Nov. 26–27 and Dec. 21–Jan. 9 |
| Scaup — Lake Erie Zone | 1 daily Nov. 2–24 and Dec. 18–Jan. 9; 2 daily Nov. 25–Dec. 17 |
| Merganser — Daily / Possession | 5 / 15 |
| Coot — Daily / Possession | 15 / 45 |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (September 19, 2026) 06:25 — 19:12
Rule: Half an hour before sunrise to sunset for ducks (per Pennsylvania Game Commission) — the statewide Junior Day is the exception, closing at sunset with no extension either way beyond the standard opening. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Pennsylvania sun times for any other date.
04 — License, HIP & Duck Stamp
Duck hunters in Pennsylvania need three things (in addition to any state-specific waterfowl stamp): a Pennsylvania hunting license, HIP registration (Harvest Information Program) and a Federal Duck Stamp — required for hunters 16+ under federal law.
Pennsylvania hunting license cost & waterfowl stamp →
Where to hunt public land in Pennsylvania — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — FAQ
When does duck season open in Pennsylvania?
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 Pennsylvania?
The latest 2026–27 closing date is January 23, 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 Pennsylvania per day?
2026–27 bag limits: Duck — Daily — 6, any species, including no more than 4 mallards (max 2 hens), 2 black ducks, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks, 3 pintails, 4 sea ducks (max 3 eiders, max 1 hen eider), 3 long-tailed ducks, 3 scoters, and scaup (see zone-specific step-up dates below). Duck — Possession — Three times the daily limit. Scaup — North Zone — 1 daily Oct. 10–24 and Nov. 17–Dec. 17; 2 daily Dec. 18–Jan. 9. Scaup — South Zone — 1 daily Oct. 10–17 and Nov. 18–Dec. 25; 2 daily Dec. 26–Jan. 18. Scaup — Northwest Zone — 1 daily Oct. 10–Nov. 25; 2 daily Nov. 26–27 and Dec. 21–Jan. 9. Scaup — Lake Erie Zone — 1 daily Nov. 2–24 and Dec. 18–Jan. 9; 2 daily Nov. 25–Dec. 17. Merganser — Daily / Possession — 5 / 15. Coot — Daily / Possession — 15 / 45. 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 Pennsylvania?
On opening day (September 19, 2026) legal light runs 06:25 to 19:12. The rule is: Half an hour before sunrise to sunset for ducks (per Pennsylvania Game Commission) — the statewide Junior Day is the exception, closing at sunset with no extension either way beyond the standard opening. Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Pennsylvania sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt ducks on my own land in Pennsylvania without a license?
Pennsylvania's exemption only covers someone whose primary livelihood is farming that specific land — owner, tenant, family member, or farmhand — who may then hunt and take furbearers on it without a license. Owning rural land you don't farm for a living doesn't qualify; discounted Landowner Hunting Licenses exist separately for owners of 50 or more acres.
Verified · Pennsylvania Game Commission · Last verified 2026-08-27
Publisher's note. Re-verified 2026-08-27 against the PGC's own 'Seasons and Bag Limits' page, fetched directly (no block). The PGC page carries TWO license years stacked on one URL: a '2025-26 Seasons and Bag Limits' block followed by a '2026-27 Seasons and Bag Limits' block. Everything in this file comes from the 2026-27 block; reading from the top of the page returns last year's numbers. The page states the license year runs July 1 to June 30. Every zone date, bag limit and special day in this file was matched against the 2026-27 DUCKS entry: North Zone 'Oct. 10-24, and Nov. 17-Jan. 9'; South Zone 'Oct. 10-17, and Nov. 18-Jan. 18'; Northwest Zone 'Oct. 10-Nov. 27, and Dec. 21-Jan. 9'; Lake Erie Zone 'Nov. 2-Jan. 9'. Total duck bag '6 daily, 18 in possession' with the species sub-limits, and 'Possession limits are three times the daily limits'; mergansers 5/15; coots 15/45. The four scaup step-up windows match zone for zone. Special days confirmed: statewide Junior Day Sept. 19 with 'Hunting hours to close at sunset'; Junior, Veteran and Active Duty Military Days - Lake Erie Oct. 24, Northwest Sept. 26, North Oct. 31, South Nov. 7; Veteran and Active Duty Military Days - Lake Erie, Northwest and North Jan. 16, South Jan. 23, which is this file's seasonCloses. The Sunday prohibition for migratory game birds is printed twice on the page and applies statewide.