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Waterfowl Hunting

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2023-2024 Regulations

The following is only a summary, not the legal language. See the Fish and Game Commission’s website for the actual language adopted on April 19, 2023 by the Fish and Game Commission.

Waterfowl Zone Map

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 7 – Jan 17 7/day, which may include: 7 mallards (no more than 2 females), 1 pintail, 2 canvasback, 2 redheads, 2 scaup.
Possession limit: triple the daily bag.
Scaup Oct 7 – Dec 3 &
Dec 21 – Jan 17
Geese Regular Season
Canada Geese:
Oct 7 – Jan 14
White and white-fronted geese:
Oct 7 – Dec 3 &
Jan 4 – Jan 17

Late Season
White and white–fronted geese:
Feb 7 – 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 21 – Jan 31 7/day, which may include: 7 mallards (no more than 2 females), 1 pintail, 2 canvasback, 2 redheads, 2 scaup.
Possession limit triple the daily bag.
Scaup Nov 7 – Jan 31
Geese Oct 21 – Jan 31 30/day, which may include: 20 white geese, 10 dark geese.
Possession limit triple the daily bag.
Southern California Zone Ducks Oct 21 – Jan 31 7/day, which may include: 7 mallards (no more than 2 females), 1 pintail, 2 canvasback, 2 redheads, 2 scaup.
Possession limit triple the daily bag.
Scaup Nov 7 – Jan 31
Geese Oct 21 – Jan 31 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), 1 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 21 – Jan 31 7/day, which may include: 7 mallards (no more than 2 females), 1 pintail, 2 canvasback, 2 redheads, 2 scaup.
Possession limit triple the daily bag.
Scaup Nov 7 – Jan 31
Geese Early Season: (Large CAGO only) Sept 30 – Oct 2

Regular Season:
Oct 21 – Jan 28

Late Season:
CAGO Feb 17 –18
Whitefronts and White geese
Feb 17 – Feb 21		 30/day, which may include: 20 white geese, 10 dark geese.
Possession limit triple the daily bag.
Special Management Areas
AREA SPECIES SEASONS DAILY BAG & POSSESSION LIMITS
North Coast All Canada Geese Oct 7 – Dec 22 &
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 7 – Jan 14
White and White-fronted geese
Oct 7 – Jan 19		 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 18 – Dec 14 2/day. Possession limit triple the daily bag.
Balance of State Brant Black Brant Nov 19 – Dec 15 2/day. Possession limit triple the daily bag.
Imperial County White Geese Nov 4 – Jan 31 &
Feb 1 – 2, Feb 5 – 9,
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 23 – 24 Same as regular season
Southern San Joaquin Valley Zone Feb 3 – 4
Southern California Zone Feb 3 – 4
Colorado River Zone Feb 3 – 4
Balance of State Zone Feb 3 – 4
Veterans and Active Military Personnel Waterfowl Hunting Days
AREA SPECIES SEASONS DAILY BAG & POSSESSION LIMITS
Northeastern Zone Ducks only Jan 20 – 21 Same as regular season
Balance of State Zone   Ducks only Feb 10 – 11
Southern San Joaquin Valley Zone Same as regular season Feb 10 – 11
Southern California Zone Same as regular season Feb 10 – 11
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 7 – Jan 11 3/day, possession limit 9
Balance of State Zone Oct 21 – Jan 31 &
Feb 3 – 4, Feb 17 – 18, Feb 24
Southern San Joaquin Valley Zone Ducks only Oct 22 – Jan 31 &
Feb 3 – 4, Feb 17 – 18, Feb 24
Southern California Zone Same as regular season Oct 21 – Jan 31 &
Feb 3 – 4, Feb 17 – 18, Feb 24
Colorado River Zone Ducks only Oct 23 –Jan 31 & Feb 1 – 4

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 2022 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 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

Hunt Results Archive

Comparison Tables