MDC sets migratory game bird and waterfowl hunting seasons

New hunting-zone boundaries approved in 2016 will be implemented beginning this year.

At its April 7 meeting, the Missouri Conservation Commission approved recommendations from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) for the upcoming 2017 migratory-game-bird hunting season and 2017-2018 waterfowl hunting season.

2017 Migratory game bird hunting

Mourning Doves, Eurasian Collared Doves, and White-Winged Doves

Season: Sept. 1 through Nov. 29

Limits: 15 daily and 45 in possession combined total for all three species

Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

Sora and Virginia Rails

Season: Sept. 1 through Nov. 9

Limits: 25 daily and 75 in possession combined for both species

Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

Wilson’s (Common) Snipe

Season: Sept. 1 through Dec. 16

Limits: 8 daily and 24 in possession

Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

American Woodcock

Season: Oct. 15 through Nov. 28

Limits: 3 daily and 9 in possession

Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

2017-2018 Waterfowl hunting

Duck-season dates for 2017-2018 provide additional late-season hunting opportunities.

Teal

Season: Sept. 9-24

Limits: 6 daily and 18 in possession

Hours: Sunrise to sunset

Ducks

Season:

North Zone: Nov. 4 through Jan. 2, 2018

Middle Zone: Nov. 4 through 10 and Nov. 16 through Jan. 7, 2018

South Zone: Nov. 23 through 26 and Dec. 4 through Jan. 28, 2018

Bag Limit: 6 ducks daily with species restrictions of:

• 4 mallards (no more than 2 females)

• 3 scaup

•  wood ducks

• 2 redheads

• 2 hooded mergansers

• 1 pintail (new limit)

• 2 canvasbacks

• 2 black ducks (new limit)

• 1 mottled duck

Possession Limit: Three times the daily bag or 18 total, varies by species

Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

Coots

Season: Same as duck season dates in the respective zones

Limits: 15 daily and 45 in possession

Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

Snow, Blue, and Ross’s Geese

Season: Nov. 11 through Feb. 6, 2018

Limits: 20 blue, snow, or Ross’s geese daily with no possession limit

Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

White-Fronted Geese

Season: Nov. 11 through Feb. 6, 2018

Limits: 2 daily and 6 in possession

Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

Canada Geese and Brant

Season: Oct. 7-15 and Nov. 11 – Feb. 6, 2018

Limits: 3 Canada geese and brant in aggregate daily, 9 in possession

Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

Light Goose Conservation Order

Season: Feb. 7, 2018, through April 30, 2018

Limits: No daily or possession limits

Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset

Requirements: Persons must possess a Conservation Order permit to participate in the Conservation Order. An exception to the above permit requirement includes any person 15 years of age or younger provided either she or he is in the immediate presence of a properly permitted adult hunter 18 years of age or older with hunter-education certification or who is exempt.

Methods: For the taking of blue, snow and Ross’s geese, hunters may use shotguns capable of holding more than three shells and recorded or electronically amplified bird calls or sounds or imitations of bird calls or sounds.

Youth hunting days

North Zone: Oct. 28 and 29

Middle Zone: Oct. 28 and 29

South Zone: Nov. 18 and 19

Limits: Same as during regular waterfowl season

Hours: Same as during regular waterfowl season

Requirements: Any person 15 years of age or younger may participate in youth waterfowl hunting days without permit provided they are in the immediate presence of an adult 18 years of age or older. If the youth hunter is not certified in hunter education, the adult must have the required permits and have in his or her possession proof of hunter-education unless exempt. The adult may not hunt ducks but may participate in other seasons that are open on youth hunting days.

FALCONRY SEASONS

Falconry Season for Doves

Season: Sept. 1 through Dec. 16

Limits: 3 daily and 9 in possession, singly, or in the aggregate (any ducks, coots, or mergansers taken by falconers must be included in these limits)

Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

Falconry Season for Ducks, Coots, and Mergansers

Season: Open during duck seasons (September teal season, youth hunting days, and duck seasons) and Feb. 10 through March 10

Limits: 3 daily and 9 in possession, singly, or in the aggregate during the regular duck-hunting seasons (including teal and youth seasons) and extended falconry seasons (any doves taken by falconers must be included in these limits)

Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

HUNTING ZONE DESCRIPTIONS

New hunting-zone boundaries approved in 2016 will be implemented beginning this year. A map of the new hunting zones will be included in the MDC “2017 Waterfowl Hunting Digest,” available beginning this summer where hunting permits are sold.

NORTH ZONE: That portion of Missouri north of a line running west from the Illinois border at Lock and Dam 25; west on Lincoln County Hwy. N to Mo. Hwy. 79; south on Mo. Hwy. 79 to Mo. Hwy. 47; west on Mo. Hwy. 47 to I-70; west on I-70 to U.S. Hwy. 63; north on U.S. Hwy. 63 to U.S. Hwy. 24, west on U.S. Hwy. 24 to Mo. Hwy. 10, west on Mo. Hwy. 10 to U.S. Hwy. 69,  north on U.S. Hwy. 69 to Mo. Hwy. 116, west on Mo. Hwy. 116 to U.S. Hwy. 59, south on U.S. Hwy. 59 to the Kansas border.

SOUTH ZONE: That portion of Missouri south of a line running west from the Illinois border on Mo. Hwy. 74 to Mo. Hwy. 25; south on Mo. Hwy. 25 to U.S. Hwy. 62; west on U.S. Hwy. 62 to Mo. Hwy. 53; north on Mo. Hwy. 53 to Mo. Hwy. 51; north on Mo. Hwy. 51 to U.S. Hwy. 60; west on U.S. Hwy. 60 to Mo. Hwy. 21; north on Mo. Hwy. 21 to Mo. Hwy. 72; west on Mo. Hwy. 72 to Mo. Hwy. 32; west on Mo. Hwy. 32 to U.S. Hwy. 65; north on U.S. Hwy. 65 to U.S. Hwy. 54; west on U.S. Hwy. 54 to the Kansas border.

MIDDLE ZONE: The remainder of Missouri.

Nontoxic shot requirements

Shells possessed or used while hunting waterfowl and coots statewide, and for other species as designated by posting on public areas, must be loaded with material approved as nontoxic by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

For more information on migratory-bird hunting and waterfowl hunting, visit MDC online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species and select specific species, or get copies of MDC’s “2017 Migratory Bird Hunting Digest” or “2017 Waterfowl Hunting Digest,” available beginning this summer where hunting permits are sold.