State of Indiana

05/23/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/23/2023 11:04

2023-2024 Migratory bird hunting seasons announced

Indiana's migratory bird hunting seasons for 2023-2024 have been submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The hunting seasons include those for mourning dove, waterfowl (i.e., ducks, coots, mergansers, and geese), woodcock, snipe, and sora rails.

The bag limit for dark geese may include any combination of five per day. Dark geese are Canada geese, white-fronted geese, and brant geese, with no limitations by species. The daily bag limit for light geese (snow and Ross's geese) remains 20.

There are no changes in duck bag limits from 2022-23. This includes the scaup daily bag limit, which is one during the first 15 days of the season, and two for the remainder of the season.

Note that in the central zone this year, the second segment of the duck season and the third segment of the goose season opens on the Friday after Thanksgiving. The duck season closes on Saturday, Jan. 13. Past Indiana waterfowl hunter surveys indicated that Indiana duck hunters strongly preferred for the hunting season to open on the Friday after Thanksgiving rather than the Saturday.

Find more information about the migratory game bird hunting seasons and regulations at on.IN.gov/gamebird-seasons.

To view more DNR news releases, please see dnr.IN.gov.