One-half hour before sunrise to sunset
See the zone boundary map for areas in the north zone.
Youth hunters must be age 15 or younger and accompanied by an adult 18 years old or older who is not allowed to hunt ducks but who can participate in other open seasons.
Limits
Ducks: Daily limit of 6 with species restrictions below, possession limit of 18
Mallards: 4 (no more than 2 females)
Scaup: 2 scaup for first 45 days and 1 scaup for last 15 days
Wood ducks: 3
Hooded mergansers: 2
Redheads: 2
Canvasback: 2
Black duck: 2
Mottled duck: 1
Pintails: 1
Limit of 6 per species: American wigeon, blue-winged teal, gadwall, green-winged teal, Northern shoveler, ring-necked duck
Coots: Daily limit of 15, possession limit of 45.
Geese
Light geese: Daily limit 20, no possession limit
Canada/brant geese (combined): Daily limit 3, possession limit 9
White-fronted geese: Daily limit 2, possession limit 6
Valid Permits
Youth do not need a permit to hunt.
Youth must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. If the youth is not hunter-education certified, the adult must (1) be hunter-education certified unless they were born before Jan. 1, 1967 and (2) possess a permit to hunt small game or be exempt..
Note: Adult hunters assisting youths during the regular waterfowl seasons must have a permit to hunt small game, a Missouri Migratory Bird Hunting Permit and a Federal Duck Stamp.
Allowed & Prohibited Methods
Waterfowl: Hunting: Allowed Methods
Methods
Shotguns, 10 gauge or smaller. Must not hold more than 3 shells in the magazine and chamber combined. Use nontoxic shot only.
Hunting dogs
Motor boats or sailboats may be used, but only if the motor has been shut off and/or the sails furled, and the boat’s progress therefrom has stopped.
Shotguns, 10 gauge or smaller. Must not hold more than 3 shells in the magazine and chamber combined. Use nontoxic shot only.
Hunting dogs
Motor boats or sailboats may be used, but only if the motor has been shut off and/or the sails furled, and the boat’s progress therefrom has stopped.
Waterfowl: Hunting: Prohibited Methods
Methods
Lead shot or other shot that has not been listed as nontoxic by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Rifles and pistols
Firearms that propel a single projectile at one discharge
Punt guns, battery guns, swivel guns, fully automatic firearms, traps, snares, nets, fish hooks, poisons, drugs, explosives, and stupefying substances
Motor vehicles or aircraft. Paraplegics and people missing one or both legs may hunt from a stationary vehicle
Sink boxes or any other type of low-floating device that conceals the hunter beneath the surface of the water
Electronic calls or electronically activated calls
Any sighting device that casts a beam of light on the game
Night vision or thermal imagery equipment
Live decoys
Bait
Lead shot or other shot that has not been listed as nontoxic by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Rifles and pistols
Firearms that propel a single projectile at one discharge
Punt guns, battery guns, swivel guns, fully automatic firearms, traps, snares, nets, fish hooks, poisons, drugs, explosives, and stupefying substances
Motor vehicles or aircraft. Paraplegics and people missing one or both legs may hunt from a stationary vehicle
Sink boxes or any other type of low-floating device that conceals the hunter beneath the surface of the water
Electronic calls or electronically activated calls
Any sighting device that casts a beam of light on the game
Night vision or thermal imagery equipment
Live decoys
Bait
