2025-2026 Regulations
The following is only a summary, not the legal language. See the Fish and Game Commission’s website(opens in new tab) for the actual language adopted on April 16, 2025, by the Fish and Game Commission.
Seasons and Bag / Possession Limits by Zone
| AREA |
SPECIES |
SEASONS |
DAILY BAG & POSSESSION LIMITS |
| Statewide |
Coots & Moorhens |
Concurrent w/duck season |
25/day. 75 in possession. |
| Northeastern Zone |
Ducks |
Oct 4 – Jan 14 |
7/day, which may include: 7 mallards (no more than 2 females), 3 pintail, 2 canvasback, 2 redheads, 2 scaup.
Possession limit: triple the daily bag. |
| Scaup |
Oct 4 – Nov 30 &
Dec 18 – Jan 14 |
| Geese |
Regular Season
Canada Geese:
Oct 4 – Jan 11
White and white-fronted geese:
Oct 4 – Nov 30 &
Jan 2 – Jan 14
Late Season
White and white–fronted geese:
Feb 5 – Mar 10 |
30/day, which may include: 20 white geese, 10 dark geese (no more than 2 Large Canada geese).
Possession limit triple the daily bag. |
| Southern San Joaquin Valley Zone |
Ducks |
Oct 18 – Jan 28 |
7/day, which may include: 7 mallards (no more than 2 females), 3 pintail, 2 canvasback, 2 redheads, 2 scaup.
Possession limit triple the daily bag. |
| Scaup |
Nov 4 – Jan 28 |
| Geese |
Oct 18 – Jan 28 |
30/day, which may include: 20 white geese, 10 dark geese.
Possession limit triple the daily bag. |
| Southern California Zone |
Ducks |
Oct 18 – Jan 28 |
7/day, which may include: 7 mallards (no more than 2 females), 3 pintail, 2 canvasback, 2 redheads, 2 scaup.
Possession limit triple the daily bag. |
| Scaup |
Nov 4 – Jan 28 |
| Geese |
Oct 18 – Jan 28 |
23/day, which may include: 20 white geese, 3 dark geese.
Possession limit triple the daily bag. |
| Colorado River Zone |
Ducks |
Oct 23 – Jan 31 |
7/day, which may include: 7 mallards (no more than 2 females or Mexican ducks), 3 pintail, 2 canvasback, 2 redheads, 2 scaup.
Possession limit triple the daily bag. |
| Scaup |
Nov 7 – Jan 31 |
| Geese |
Oct 23 – Jan 31 |
24/day, up to 20 white geese, up to 4 dark geese.
Possession limit triple the daily bag. |
| Balance of State Zone |
Ducks |
Oct 18 – Jan 28 |
7/day, which may include: 7 mallards (no more than 2 females), 3 pintail, 2 canvasback, 2 redheads, 2 scaup.
Possession limit triple the daily bag. |
| Scaup |
Nov 4 – Jan 28 |
| Geese |
Early Season: (Large CAGO only) Sept 27 – 29
Regular Season:
Oct 18 – Jan 25
Late Season:
Canadian Geese Feb 14 – 15
Whitefronts and White geese
Feb 14 – 18 |
30/day, which may include: 20 white geese, 10 dark geese except in the Sacramento Valley Special Management Area where only 3 may be taken.
Possession limit triple the daily bag. |
Special Management Areas
| AREA |
SPECIES |
SEASONS |
DAILY BAG & POSSESSION LIMITS |
| North Coast |
All Canada Geese |
Oct 4 – Dec 20 &
Feb 12 – Mar 10 |
10/day, only 1 may be a
Large Canada goose.
Possession limit triple the daily bag. Large Canada geese are closed during the Late Season. |
| Humboldt Bay South Spit (West Side) |
All species |
Closed during brant season |
|
| Klamath Basin |
Dark and white geese |
Canada geese
Oct 4 – Jan 11
White and White-fronted geese
Oct 4 – Jan 16 |
30/day, which may include: 20 white geese, 10 dark geese (only 2 may be a Large Canada goose).
Possession limit triple the daily bag. |
| Sacramento Valley |
White-fronted geese |
Open concurrently with general goose season through Dec 21 |
3/day. Possession limit triple the daily bag. |
| Morro Bay |
All species |
Open in designated areas only |
Waterfowl season opens concurrently with brant season. |
| Martis Creek Lake |
All species |
Closed until Nov 16 |
|
| Northern Brant |
Black Brant |
Nov 29 – Dec 14 |
2/day. Possession limit triple the daily bag. |
| Balance of State Brant |
Black Brant |
Nov 30 – Dec 15 |
2/day. Possession limit triple the daily bag. |
| Imperial County |
White Geese |
Nov 1 – Jan 28,
Jan 31 – Feb 6, Feb 12 – 20 |
20/day. Possession limit triple the daily bag. |
Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days
| AREA |
SPECIES |
SEASONS |
DAILY BAG & POSSESSION LIMITS |
| Northeastern Zone |
Same as regular season |
Sept 20 – 21 |
Same as regular season |
| Southern San Joaquin Valley Zone |
Feb 7 – 8 |
| Southern California Zone |
Feb 7 – 8 |
| Colorado River Zone |
Feb 7 – 8 |
| Balance of State Zone |
Feb 7 – 8 |
Veterans and Active Military Personnel Waterfowl Hunting Days
| AREA |
SPECIES |
SEASONS |
DAILY BAG & POSSESSION LIMITS |
| Northeastern Zone |
Ducks only |
Jan 17 – 18 |
Same as regular season |
| Balance of State Zone |
Ducks only |
Jan 31 – Feb 1 |
| Southern San Joaquin Valley Zone |
Same as regular season |
Jan 31 – Feb 1 |
| Southern California Zone |
Same as regular season |
Jan 31 – Feb 1 |
Falconry Take of Ducks (including Mergansers), Geese, American Coots, and Common Moorhens
| AREA |
SPECIES |
SEASONS |
DAILY BAG & POSSESSION LIMITS |
| Northeastern Zone |
Same as regular season |
Oct 4 – Jan 14 |
3/day, possession limit 9 |
| Balance of State Zone |
Oct 28 – Jan 28,
Jan 31 – Feb 1, Feb 7 – 8 |
| Southern San Joaquin Valley Zone |
Ducks only |
Oct 18 – Jan 28,
Jan 31 – Feb 1, Feb 7 – 8 |
| Southern California Zone |
Same as regular season |
Oct 18 – Jan 28,
Jan 31 – Feb 1, Feb 7 – 8 |
| Colorado River Zone |
Ducks only |
Oct 23 –Jan 31,
Feb 1 – 4 |
Licensing
Requirements for Hunting Waterfowl
- Hunting License
- California Duck Validation, unless hunting under the authority of a Junior Hunting License
- Federal Duck Stamp, unless hunter is under the age of 16 (Federal Duck Stamps are not sold at CDFW offices, but may be purchased at many post offices and some license agents - more information about the Federal Duck Stamp)
- Harvest Information Program (HIP) Validation, if hunting for ducks, dove, gallinules, geese, band-tailed pigeon, black brant, coots, or snipe (no cost) - more information about HIP
Purchasing Licenses or Validations
Reservations and Passes for Hunting Waterfowl on State-operated Areas
Reservations are available for many State-operated wildlife areas and are issued by random drawings. You can apply for waterfowl reservation drawings starting on September 1 through the Online License Service, at any CDFW License Agent or CDFW License Sales Office. The fee is $1.34 per hunt choice. The deadline to apply is 17 days before each hunt.
How to Apply Online for Reservations
Log in to the Online License Service, using your date of birth, last name and GO ID (from your hunting license). Select “Purchase Licenses” and proceed to 2024 Hunting. Season-long Reservation Applications, Multiple Choice Reservation Applications, and Active Military and Veteran Reservation Applications are available under the Drawings section.
- Season-Long Reservation Application - can be submitted at license agents, CDFW license sales offices or online. The season-long application may be used to apply for every available Saturday, Sunday or Wednesday shoot date.
- Multiple-Choice Reservation Application - allows a hunter to select hunt areas and choose any combination of hunt dates from a calendar of hunts.
- Active Military and Veteran Reservation Application - allows an active military personnel or veteran to apply for available military only waterfowl hunts.
- Duplicate Hunt Choices - You may submit as many hunt choices as you like as long as you do not submit more than one hunt choice for the same area on the same day. Duplicate hunt choices will be disqualified. CDFW recommends keeping a record of requested areas and shoot dates to avoid duplication and rejection from the drawing.
IMPORTANT: Check stations do not sell any license items, permits or passes.Hunters must purchase any needed passes and validations from a CDFW license sales office, a license agent or online.
During waterfowl season, hunters are require an entry permit. To obtain an entry permit, all hunters in your party must have the following:
- California Hunting License
- Prepaid Hunting Pass* (not required for junior hunters)
- (Type A One-Day, Two Day or Season Pass for Type A Areas), OR
- (Type A or B Season Pass for Northeastern Zone Type B Areas)
- Harvest Information Program (HIP) Validation
- California Duck Validation (not required for junior hunters)
- Federal Duck Stamp (required for all hunters age 16 or older)
*Note: Passes purchased online, will be mailed to the customer. Allow 15 days for delivery of your pass. If you need a pass for use sooner than 15 days, please purchase a pass from a license agent or CDFW license sales office.
Reservation Drawing Results
Results will be posted at least seven days prior to each hunt day.
To view your submitted drawing applications and drawing results, go to the Online License Service(opens in new tab) and proceed to the customer lookup page. Enter your date of birth, last name and Go ID (from your hunting license) to retrieve your customer record.
Once you retrieve your customer record, select “View My Draw Applications / Preference Points.” Then select Calendar Based Draw Results to view your waterfowl drawing results. From the results screen you can view your submitted drawing applications and drawing results.
See Also
Public Hunting Areas
Hunt Results