Missouri Code of State Regulations
Title 3 - DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
Division 10 - Conservation Commission
Chapter 7 - Wildlife Code: Hunting: Seasons, Methods, Limits
Section 3 CSR 10-7.440 - Migratory Game Birds and Waterfowl: Seasons, Limits
Universal Citation: 3 MO Code of State Regs 10-7.440
Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 18, September 16, 2024
PURPOSE: The Department of Conservation is authorized to select waterfowl hunting season dates and bag limits within frameworks established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The seasons and limits selected are intended to provide optimum hunting opportunity consistent with the welfare of the species.
(1) Migratory game birds and waterfowl may be taken, possessed, transported, and stored only as provided in federal regulations and this Code.
(2) The head or one (1) fully feathered wing must remain attached to all waterfowl while being transported from the field to one's home or a commercial preservation facility.
(3) Seasons and limits are as follows:
(A) Mourning doves,
Eurasian collared-doves, and whitewinged doves may be taken from one-half (1/2)
hour before sunrise to sunset from September 1 through November 29. Limits:
fifteen (15) doves daily in the aggregate; forty-five (45) in
possession;
(B) Sora and Virginia
rails may be taken from one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise to sunset from
September 1 through November 9. Limits: twenty-five (25) rails daily in the
aggregate; seventy-five (75) in possession;
(C) Woodcock may be taken from one-half (1/2)
hour before sunrise to sunset from October 18 through December 1. Limits: three
(3) woodcock daily; nine (9) in possession;
(D) Wilson's snipe may be taken from one-half
(1/2) hour before sunrise to sunset from September 1 through December 16.
Limits: eight (8) snipe daily; twenty-four (24) in possession;
(E) Blue-winged, green-winged, and cinnamon
teal may be taken from sunrise to sunset from September 7 through September 22.
Limits: six (6) teal daily in the aggregate; eighteen (18) in
possession;
(F) Waterfowl Zones:
The North Zone shall be that portion of Missouri north of a line running west
from the Illinois border on I-70; west on I-70 to U.S. Hwy. 65; north on U.S.
Hwy. 65 to Mo. Hwy. 41; north on Mo. Hwy. 41 to U.S. Hwy. 24; west on U.S. Hwy.
24 to Mo. Hwy. 10; west on Mo. Hwy. 10 to U.S. Hwy. 69; north on U.S. Hwy. 69
to Mo. Hwy. 116; west on Mo. Hwy. 116 to U.S. Hwy. 59; south on U.S. Hwy. 59 to
the Kansas border. The South Zone shall be that portion of Missouri south of a
line running west from the Illinois border on Mo. Hwy. 74 to Mo. Hwy. 25; south
on Mo. Hwy. 25 to U.S. Hwy. 62; west on U.S. Hwy. 62 to Mo. Hwy. 53; north on
Mo. Hwy. 53 to Mo. Hwy. 51; north on Mo. Hwy. 51 to U.S. Hwy. 60; west on U.S.
Hwy. 60 to Mo. Hwy. 21; north on Mo. Hwy. 21 to Mo. Hwy. 72; west on Mo. Hwy.
72 to Mo. Hwy. 32; west on Mo. Hwy. 32 to U.S. Hwy. 65; north on U.S. Hwy. 65
to U.S. Hwy. 54; west on U.S. Hwy. 54 to the Kansas border. The Middle Zone
shall be the remainder of Missouri not included in other zones;
(G) During years when the federal framework
prescribes a sixty- (60-) day duck season, the North Zone season will open on
the Saturday nearest October 31, the Middle Zone season will open on the first
Saturday in November for nine (9) days, close for five (5) days, and then
re-open for fifty-one (51) days, the South Zone season will open on
Thanksgiving Day for four (4) days, close through December 6, and then reopen
December 7 through January 31 (as late as the federal framework allows). During
years when the federal framework prescribes a forty-five- (45-) day duck season
or thirty- (30-) day duck season, no season date formula will be used. A person
possessing the appropriate state and federal permits may take ducks in
accordance to the season lengths, bag limits, and species-specific opening and
closing dates established annually by the Conservation Commission;
(H) Ducks and coots may be taken from
one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise to sunset as follows:
1. Ducks and coots may be taken from November
2 through December 31 in the North Zone; from November 2 through November 10
and November 16 through January 5 in the Middle Zone; and from November 28
through December 1 and December 7 through January 31 in the South Zone;
and
2. Duck and coot limits are as
follows: The daily bag limit of ducks is six (6) and may include no more than
four (4) mallards (no more than two (2) of which may be female), three (3) wood
ducks, two (2) redheads, two (2) hooded mergansers, one (1) pintail, one (1)
mottled duck, two (2) canvasback, and two (2) black ducks. The possession limit
is eighteen (18), including no more than twelve (12) mallards (no more than six
(6) of which may be female), nine (9) wood ducks, six (6) redheads, six (6)
hooded mergansers, three (3) pintails, three (3) mottled ducks, six (6)
canvasbacks, and six (6) black ducks. The daily limit of scaup is two (2) and a
possession limit for scaup is six (6) in the North Zone from November 2 through
December 16, in the Middle Zone November 2 through November 10 and November 16
through December 21, and in the South Zone November 28 through December 1 and
December 7 through January 16. The daily limit of scaup is one (1) and a
possession limit for scaup is three (3) in the North Zone December 17 through
December 31, in the Middle Zone December 22 through January 5 and in the South
Zone January 17 through January 31. The daily limit of coots is fifteen (15)
and the possession limit for coots is forty-five (45);
(I) Geese may be taken from one-half (1/2)
hour before sunrise to sunset as follows:
1.
Blue, snow, and Ross's geese may be taken from November 11 through February 6
statewide;
2. White-fronted geese
may be taken from November 11 through February 6 statewide;
3. Canada geese and brant may be taken from
October 5 through October 13 and from November 11 through February 6 statewide;
and
4. Goose limits are as follows:
The daily bag limit is three (3) Canada geese and brant in aggregate, twenty
(20) blue, snow, or Ross's geese, and two (2) white-fronted geese, statewide.
The possession limit is nine (9) Canada geese and brant in aggregate and six
(6) white-fronted geese. There is no possession limit for blue, snow, and
Ross's geese;
(J) Ducks,
geese, brant, and coots may be taken by youth hunters fifteen (15) years of age
or younger from October 26 through October 27 in the North Zone; from October
26 through October 27 in the Middle Zone; and from November 23 through November
24 in the South Zone. The daily and possession limits for ducks, geese, and
coots are the same as during the regular duck, goose, and coot hunting seasons.
Any person fifteen (15) years or younger may participate in the youth waterfowl
hunting days without permit provided they are in the immediate presence of an
adult eighteen (18) years of age or older. If the youth hunter does not possess
a hunter education certificate card, the adult must be properly licensed (i.e.,
must meet any permit requirements that allow small game hunting) and have in
their possession a valid hunter education certificate card unless they were
born before January 1, 1967. The adult may not hunt ducks but may participate
in other seasons that are open on the special youth days;
(K) Shells possessed or used while hunting
waterfowl and coots statewide, and for other wildlife as designated by posting
on public areas, must be loaded with material approved as nontoxic by the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service;
(L) Persons who possess a valid Conservation
Order permit may chase, pursue, and take blue, snow, and Ross's geese from
one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise to one-half (1/2) hour after sunset from
February 7 through April 30. Any other regulation notwithstanding, methods for
the taking of blue, snow, and Ross's geese include using shotguns capable of
holding more than three (3) shells, and with the use or aid of recorded or
electrically amplified bird calls or sounds, or recorded or electrically
amplified imitations of bird calls or sounds. An exception to the above permit
requirement includes any person fifteen (15) years of age or younger, provided
either 1) the person is in the immediate presence of a properly licensed adult
(must possess a Conservation Order permit) who is eighteen (18) years of age or
older and has in their possession a valid hunter education certificate card, or
was born before January 1, 1967, or 2) the person possesses a valid hunter
education certificate card. A daily bag limit will not be in effect February 7
through April 30 (See 3 CSR 10-5.436 and 3 CSR 10-5.567 for Conservation Order
Permit requirements); and
(M)
Migratory game birds, to include only doves, ducks, mergansers, and coots, may
be taken by hunters with birds of prey as follows (See 3 CSR 10-9.442 for
additional provisions about falconry including season lengths and limits for
wildlife other than migratory game birds. See 3 CSR 10-9.440 for falconry
permit requirements):
1. Doves may be taken
from September 1 through December 16 from one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise to
sunset. Daily limit: three (3) doves; possession limit: nine (9) doves, except
that any waterfowl taken by falconers must be included within these limits;
and
2. Ducks, mergansers, and coots
may be taken from sunrise to sunset from September 7 through September 22
statewide, and from one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise to sunset as follows: in
the North Zone, October 26 through October 27, November 2 through December 31,
and February 11 through March 10; in the Middle Zone, October 26 through
October 27, November 2 through November 10, November 16 through January 5, and
February 11 through March 10; and, in the South Zone, November 23 through
November 24, November 28 through December 1, December 7 through January 31, and
February 11 through March 10. Daily limit: three (3) birds singly or in the
aggregate, including doves; possession limit: nine (9) birds singly or in the
aggregate, including doves.
*Original authority: 252.240, RSMo 1972, amended 1984.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Missouri may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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