Hunting / Waterfowl Hunting

Waterfowl Season Dates & Bag Limits
General
Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days
Youth Waterfowl Opening Day Hunts
Summary of Federal and State Migratory Game Bird Regulations
Mandatory Reporting Zones (MRZ) *NEW INFORMATION*
References
Additional regulations you should know
Waterfowl Hunting Zones
Lake Erie Canada Goose Zone

General

Click here to buy the current Federal Duck Stamp online.

The USFWS sets the framework for hunting ducks, geese, and other migratory game birds so refer to Division of Wildlife Publication 298, Early Migratory Game Bird Hunting Seasons and Publication 295, Waterfowl Hunting Seasons (2009-2010 dates available in September), for details of dates and bag limits. These publications will be available at wildlife district offices, licenses outlets, and online prior to the season.

Waterfowl hunting is governed by BOTH state and federal regulations.   Summaries of the laws pertaining to migratory game bird (which includes all waterfowl) hunting follow.

Waterfowl hunting, when the season is open, is also permitted during the youth deer gun season, the deer gun season, and the statewide muzzleloader deer season.

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Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days

Because of federal regulations hunters 15 years of age or younger may waterfowl hunt statewide (public and private lands) on the Saturday and Sunday in early October (See Publication 295, Waterfowl Hunting Seasons available mid-September). See the Youth Hunting Section for details.

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Youth Waterfowl Opening Day Hunts

Young hunters (17 or younger) are given priority on opening day afternoon hunts at selected areas around the state. See the Youth Hunting Section for details.

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Summary of Federal and State Migratory Game Bird Regulations

Shooting Hours
No person shall take migratory game birds except during the hours open to shooting as prescribed.   Daily hunting hours are sunrise to sunset for the early season migratory game bird seasons.   Daily hunting hours 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset for the regular waterfowl season.

Closed Season
No person shall take migratory game birds during the closed season.

Daily Bag Limit
No person shall take in any one day more than one daily bag limit.

Field Possession Limit
No person shall possess more than one daily bag limit while in the field or while returning from the field to one’s car, hunting camp, home, etc.

Dual Violation
Violation of state migratory bird regulations is also a violation of federal regulations.

Hunting From Boats on Rivers
Written permission of the landowner is required by persons hunting from boats on rivers and streams when the boat is anchored, tied to the shore, or tied to any structure in the river.   It is unlawful to place decoys in the river or to go ashore to retrieve game without the written permission of the landowner.   The only exception to this law is when the river or stream passes through public property where hunting is allowed.

Pymatuning Reservoir
Waterfowl hunting on the Ohio portion of the Pymatuning Reservoir is subject to Ohio seasons and regulations.

Federal Duck Stamp
No person 16 years of age or older shall take ducks or geese without first obtaining a federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp. The stamp must be validated by signature across the face in ink. A federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp is NOT required to hunt crows, doves, rails, common moorhens, common snipe, and woodcock.

Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp
This stamp is required in addition to a federal duck stamp to hunt waterfowl. An Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp is NOT required to hunt crows, doves, rails, common moorhens, common snipe, and woodcock. See the License and Permit Section for detailed information.

Restrictions on Taking

No person shall take migratory game birds:

1. With a shotgun capable of holding more than three shells, unless it is plugged with a one-piece filler which limits the capacity of the gun to three shells. The filler must be such that it cannot be removed without disassembling the gun.
   
   
2. On or over a baited area. A baited area is considered to be baited for 10 days after complete removal of any bait. Baiting includes placing, exposing, depositing, distributing, or scattering of salt, grain, or other feed that could serve as a lure or attraction for migratory birds to, on or over other areas where hunters are attempting to take them. Agricultural areas must be prepared in accordance with official recommendations to be legally hunted. It is a separate offense to place or direct placement of bait on or adjacent to an area that causes, induces, or allows another to hunt by the aid of bait or over a baited area. Hunters are responsible for ensuring that an area has not been baited and should verify its legality prior to hunting.
   
   
3. By the use or aid of live decoys. All live, tame, or captive ducks and geese shall be removed for a period of 10 consecutive days prior to hunting, and confined within an enclosure which substantially reduces the audibility of their calls and totally conceals such tame birds from the sight of migratory waterfowl.
   
   
4. By the use of recorded or electrically amplified bird calls or sounds.
   
   
5. With a trap, snare, net, crossbow, rifle, pistol, swivel gun, shotgun larger than 10 gauge, punt gun, battery gun, machine gun, fishhook, poison, drug, explosive, or stupefying substance. A longbow is legal.
   
   
6. From a watercraft having a motor attached or from a sailboat, unless the motor has been shut off and/or the sails furled, and its progress therefrom has ceased.
   
   
7. By driving, rallying, or chasing birds with any motorized conveyance or any sailboat to put them in the range of the hunters.
   
   
8. From or with the aid or use of a car or other motor driven land conveyance, or any aircraft, except that paraplegics and single or double amputees of the legs may take from any stationary motor vehicle or stationary motor driven land conveyance. “Paraplegic” means an individual afflicted with paralysis of the lower half of the body with involvement of both legs, usually due to disease of or injury to the spinal cord.
   
   
9. From a sink box (a low floating device, having a depression affording the hunter a means of concealment beneath the surface of the water).
   
   
10. From utility wires or buildings.
    
    
11. It is unlawful to hunt migratory game birds (waterfowl, rails, and shorebirds) and mourning doves by the aid of baiting or on or over any baited area. The regulations that apply to the baiting of migratory game birds differ from the regulations that apply to the hunting of mourning doves. Migratory game birds may only be taken on areas where grain and other foods exist solely as a result of normal agricultural planting or harvesting. Mourning doves may be taken on areas that have been manipulated for wildlife management purposes. Neither migratory game birds nor mourning doves may be hunted on areas where grain or other feed has been distributed once it has been removed from or stored on the field where grown.   It is unlawful to hunt waterfowl over vegetation or crops that have been mowed or cut. Contact a Division of Wildlife district office or a state wildlife officer for clarification on baiting regulations before you hunt.

Reducing to Possession
Migratory birds wounded by hunting shall be immediately killed and reduced to possession and become a part of the daily bag limit. No person shall kill or cripple any migratory bird without making a reasonable effort to retrieve the bird and include it in his or her daily bag limit.

Transporting
One fully feathered wing or the head must remain attached to all migratory game birds, except doves, while being transported between the place where taken and the personal abode of the possessor or a commercial preservation facility.

Shipment
No person shall ship migratory game birds unless the package is marked on the outside with:   (1) the name and address of the person sending the birds, (2) the name and address of the person to whom the birds are being sent, and (3) the number of birds, by species, contained in the package.

Importation
For information regarding the importation of migratory game birds killed in another country, hunters should consult Title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, 20.61 through 20.66.   One fully feathered wing must remain attached to all migratory game birds being transported between a port of entry and one’s home or to a migratory bird preservation facility.   No person shall import migratory game birds killed in any foreign country, except Canada, unless such birds are dressed (except as required above), drawn, and the head and feet are removed.   No person shall import migratory game birds belonging to another person.

Tagging
No person shall give, put, or leave any migratory game birds at any place or in the custody of another person unless the birds are tagged by the hunter with the following information:   (1) the hunter’s signature; (2) the hunter’s address; (3) the total number of birds involved, by species; and (4) the dates such birds were killed. No person or business shall receive or have in custody any migratory game birds belonging to another person unless such birds are properly tagged.

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Mandatory Reporting Zones (MRZ)

Mandatory Reporting Zones for geese have been eliminated. These zones were originally created to protect local giant Canada geese from over harvest and were crucial to the reestablishment of Canada geese in Ohio. As Ohio’s goose populations grew, the need to protect local birds diminished and was replaced by a desire to protect interior birds critical to the aboriginal people in Canada, particularly the Cree First Nation.

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References

The regulations provided herein are only general information and are not the complete laws pertaining to migratory game birds.

State Regulations
The Ohio Administrative Code containing full details is available for review at the office of the Clerk of Common Pleas Court in each county.

Federal Regulations
Federal regualations relating to migratory game birds are located in Title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 20.

Additional Information
For additional information on federal regulations, contact Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 45, Twin Cities, Minnesota 55111.

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Additional Regulations

• Special regulations apply at many state wildlife areas, state parks, and national wildlife refuges. Additional information can be obtained by calling our district offices or by checking our Web site.

• Decoys placed on state wildlife areas, or in waters of the state, must be removed at the end of each day's hunt (check with state park lakes that allow waterfowl hunting).

• It is unlawful to construct or place a permanent blind on a state wildlife area or any other state or federal property unless approved by the chief of the Division of Wildlife. Any portable blinds placed or constructed on a state wildlife area must be removed immediately upon completion of the day’s hunt.

• Only nontoxic shot may be used to take waterfowl, rails, snipe, and gallinules. It is unlawful to possess or use any shot other than nontoxic shot while hunting these birds.   Mourning doves and woodcock may be taken with lead shot.

• It is unlawful to hunt migratory game birds (waterfowl, rails, shorebirds, and mourning doves) by the aid of baiting or on or over any baited area. The regulations that apply to the hunting of waterfowl differ from the regulations that apply to the hunting of mourning doves. Waterfowl may only be hunted on areas where grain and other foods exist solely as a result of normal agricultural PLANTING or HARVESTING. Mourning doves may be hunted on areas that have been manipulated (i.e., “bush hogged”) for wildlife management purposes in addition to areas that have been planted or harvested in a normal agricultural manner. Neither waterfowl nor mourning doves may be hunted on areas where grain or other feed has been distributed once it has been removed from or stored on the field where grown. Contact a Division of Wildlife district office or a state wildlife officer for clarification on baiting regulations before you hunt.

• Waterfowl decoys with motorized wings are lawful to use as long as they do not emit recorded birdcalls or sounds.

• It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt waterfowl at any time other than the legal starting time until twelve noon on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays during the duck season on portions of the Shenango, Salt Fork, and Killbuck wildlife areas when posted with division signs so stating “Waterfowl Hunting Permitted Beyond this Sign on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. During the Waterfowl Season Hours: Legal Shooting Time Until Twelve Noon."

• The regulations provided herein are only general information and are not the complete laws pertaining to migratory game birds.

• Special Opportunities and Regulations exist at Shenango State Wildlife Area, Killbuck Marsh, and Walborn and Deer Creek Reservoirs

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Report all Waterfowl and bird Bands!
Call 1-800-327-BAND

Bird banding programs provide wildlife biologists with valuable information on a variety of migratory birds.   Bands recovered and reported by hunters unlock important information about survival, migration, harvest rates, and distribution of waterfowl.   To report any bird band—not just bands from waterfowl or other game birds—call 1-800-327-BAND (2263) or on the Internet at www.reportband.gov. You may keep the band.

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Waterfowl Hunting Zones

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Lake Erie Canada Goose Zone

The Lake Erie Canada Gooze Zone includes all land and water north of I-80 in Trumbull, Portange, Summit, Cuyahoga, Lorain, Erie, Sandusky, and Ottawa counties, and portions of Wood and Lucas counties east of I-280 and I-75 from I-80 (near Toledo) north to the Michigan line. The Zone also includes Lake, Geauga, and Ashtabula counties that were previously in the North Zone.

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