2016 Waterfowl, Migratory Bird Hunting Seasons Announced

INDIANAPOLIS -- Hunting season dates for waterfowl and other migratory birds in Indiana have been finalized with approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The season dates for webless migratory game birds are:

• Mourning doves: Sept. 1 to Oct. 16, Nov. 1-13, and Dec. 10 to Jan. 8.
• Sora rails: Sept. 1 to Nov. 9.
• American woodcock: Oct. 15 to Nov. 28.
• Common snipe: Sept. 1 to Dec. 16.

The daily bag limits for webless migratory birds are 15 mourning doves, 25 sora rails, three woodcock and eight snipe. Possession limits are three times the daily bag limits.

The season dates for ducks, coots and mergansers are:

• Early teal (blue- and green-winged teal only, statewide): Sept. 3-18.
• Regular duck seasons:
  — North Zone: Oct. 22 to Dec. 11, and Dec. 24 to Jan. 1.
  — Central Zone: Oct. 29 to Nov. 6, and Nov. 19 to Jan. 8.
  — South Zone: Oct. 29 to Nov. 6, and Nov. 26 to Jan. 15.

The daily bag limit for ducks in all zones is six, including no more than four mallards (of which no more than two can be hens), three scaup, three wood ducks, two pintails, two redheads, two canvasbacks, one black duck and one mottled duck. The daily bag limit for coots is 15. The daily bag limit for mergansers, separate from ducks, is five, of which no more than two can be hooded mergansers. The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit.

For Canada geese, white-fronted geese, brant and light geese, season dates are:

• North Zone: Sept. 3-11, Oct. 22 to Nov. 20, and Dec. 10 to Feb. 12.
• Central Zone: Sept. 3-11, Oct. 29 to Nov. 6, and Nov. 19 to Feb. 12.
• South Zone: Sept. 3-18, Oct. 29 to Nov. 6, and Nov. 26 to Feb. 12.

The daily bag limit for dark geese (Canada, white-fronted and brant in aggregate) is five, no more than three of which can be Canada geese. The bag limit in September is five dark geese, all of which can be Canada geese. The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit. The daily bag limit for light geese (snow, blue and/or Ross’ geese) is 20, with no possession limit for light geese. The light goose conservation order is Feb. 13 to March 31, statewide.

The light goose conservation order has no bag or possession limit. A free permit is required. Details will be available later in the winter.

The season dates for youth waterfowl season are:

• • North Zone: Oct. 15-16.
• • Central Zone: Oct. 22-23.
• • South Zone: Oct. 22-23.

Bag and possession limits are the same as the regular seasons. The youth waterfowl season is open to youths age 15 and younger, accompanied by an adult.

Dates for extended falconry seasons are:

• Ducks, coots and mergansers:
  — North Zone: Sept. 27-30, and Feb. 14 to March 10.
  — Central Zone: Oct. 22-28, and Feb. 17 to March 10.
  — South Zone: Oct. 22-28, and Feb. 17 to March 10.
• American woodcock: Sept. 20 to Oct. 14, and Nov. 29 to Jan. 4.
• Mourning doves: Oct. 17-31 and Jan. 9-11.

The bag limit is three migratory birds singly or in aggregate. The possession limit is nine migratory birds singly or in aggregate.