Wyoming Administrative Code
Agency 040 - Game and Fish Commission
Sub-Agency 0001 - Game and Fish Commission Regulations
Chapter 14 - MIGRATORY GAME BIRD HUNTING SEASONS AND LIGHT GOOSE CONSERVATION ORDER
Section 14-2 - Hunting Regulations
Current through September 21, 2024
(a) Federal Regulations. 50 CFR 20.21(i) revised as of August 8, 2019, which do not include any later amendments or editions of the incorporated matter, governing the baiting of migratory game birds, are adopted as regulations of the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission. Violations of these federal statutes and regulations shall be violations of the Commission regulations. A copy of Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations can be viewed at the Cheyenne Headquarters, Department Regional Offices or on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website (www.fws.gov).
(b) Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (federal duck stamp). A federal duck stamp is required for persons sixteen (16) years of age and older to hunt ducks, geese and mergansers. A federal duck stamp is not required to hunt coots, sandhill cranes, crows, mourning doves, rail or snipe. Federal duck stamps shall be signed in ink across the face of the stamp and shall be in possession of the hunter while in the field. Hunters possessing an electronic federal duck stamp are exempted from this signature provision during the time their electronic federal duck stamp is valid.
(c) HIP Permit. Each licensed hunter who hunts migratory game birds shall complete a current Wyoming validation for the National Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP) and shall obtain a Wyoming HIP permit. This requirement also applies to holders of pioneer and lifetime hunting licenses. Each licensed hunter engaged in the act of hunting doves, ducks, geese, mergansers, coots, rails, cranes or snipe shall be in possession of a Wyoming HIP permit and shall immediately produce said permit upon request from any authorized Department representative. HIP permits shall be signed in ink across the face of the permit and shall be in possession of the hunter while in the field. HIP permits expire on June 30 each year. HIP permits are not transferrable to other states. A separate HIP permit is required from each state in which you hunt. Wyoming HIP permits shall be available only on the Department website. Youths under 14 are not required to obtain a HIP permit if they do not hold a valid game bird license.
(d) No person shall take migratory game birds:
(e) Nontoxic Shot. No person shall hunt ducks, geese, mergansers or coots while possessing shot other than nontoxic shot. Nontoxic shot is also required when using a shotgun to hunt any game bird on the Commission's Table Mountain and Springer/Bump-Sullivan wildlife habitat management areas.
(f) Evidence of Species. One fully-feathered wing or the feathered head shall remain naturally attached to the carcass as a means of identification of migratory game birds, except mourning doves, in the field and while the birds are being transported.
(g) Mourning Dove, Rail and Snipe Hunting Seasons.
MOURNING DOVE, RAIL AND SNIPE - STATEWIDE |
|||||
Species |
Season Dates |
Closed Areas Section 3 Subsections |
Bag Limit |
||
Opens |
Closes |
Daily |
Possession |
||
Mourning Dove |
Sep. 1 |
Nov. 29 |
b, d, e a - after Nov. 15 c - after Nov. 14 |
15 |
45 |
Sora and Virginia Rail |
Sep. 1 |
Nov. 9 |
b, d, e |
25 |
75 |
Snipe |
Sep. 1 |
Dec. 16 |
b, d, e a - after Nov. 15 c - after Nov. 14 |
8 |
24 |
(h) Sandhill Crane Hunting Seasons
LIMITED QUOTA PERMIT - SANDHILL CRANE SEASONS |
|||||
Hunt Areas |
Season Dates |
Permit Quota |
Closed Areas Section 3 Subsections |
Season Bag Limit |
|
Opens |
Closes |
||||
1 |
Sep. 1 |
Sep. 15 |
41 |
1 |
|
2 |
Sep. 1 |
Sep. 15 |
41 |
1 |
|
3 |
Sep. 1 |
Sep. 8 |
165 |
d |
1 |
4 |
Sep. 28 |
Oct. 20 |
165 |
1 |
|
5 |
Sep. 1 |
Sep. 15 |
41 |
1 |
|
6 |
Sep. 14 |
Oct. 6 |
165 |
1 |
|
8 |
Sep. 1 |
Sep. 30 |
62 |
1 |
|
GENERAL PERMIT - SANDHILL CRANE SEASONS |
|||||
Hunt Areas |
Season Dates |
Closed Areas Section 3 Subsections |
Bag Limit |
||
Opens |
Closes |
Daily |
Possession |
||
7 |
Sep. 7 |
Nov. 3 |
b |
3 |
9 |
Area 1. All of the Bear River and Ham's Fork River drainages in Lincoln County.
Area 2. All of the Salt River drainage in Lincoln County south of the McCoy Creek Road.
Area 3. All lands within the Bureau of Reclamation's Eden Project in Sweetwater County.
Area 4. All lands within the Bureau of Reclamation's Riverton and Boysen Unit boundaries; those lands within Boysen State Park south of Cottonwood Creek, west of Boysen Reservoir, and south of U.S. Highway 20-26; and all non-indian owned fee title lands within the exterior boundaries of the Wind River Reservation, excluding those lands within Hot Springs County.
Area 5. All of Uinta County.
Area 6. All of Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park and Washakie counties.
Area 7. All of Campbell, Converse, Crook, Goshen, Laramie, Niobrara, Platte and Weston counties.
Area 8. All of Johnson, Natrona and Sheridan counties.
(i) Waterfowl Hunting Seasons
PACIFIC FLYWAY |
|||||
Species |
Season Dates |
Closed Areas Section 3 Subsections |
Bag Limit |
||
Opens |
Closes |
Daily |
Possession |
||
Ducks and Mergansers |
Sep. 21 |
Jan. 3 |
d, e f - through Oct. 8 |
7* |
21* |
Coots |
Sep. 21 |
Jan. 3 |
d, e f - through Oct. 8 |
15 |
45 |
Early Canada Goose |
Sep. 1 |
Sep. 8 |
d, e f - through Oct. 8 |
5 |
15 |
Dark Geese |
Sep. 21 |
Dec. 26 |
d, e f - through Oct. 8 |
5 |
15 |
Light Geese |
Sep. 21 |
Dec. 26 |
d, e f - through Oct. 8 |
10 |
30 |
* The daily bag limit of seven (7) ducks and mergansers may include any combination of species with the following restrictions:
* no more than two (2) hen mallards;
* no more than one (1) pintail;
* no more than two (2) canvasbacks;
* no more than two (2) redheads; and,
* no more than two (2) scaup. No scaup shall be taken after December 15.
CENTRAL FLYWAY |
|||||
Species and Hunt Areas |
Season Dates |
Closed Areas Section 3 Subsections |
Bag Limit |
||
Opens |
Closes |
Daily |
Possession |
||
Light Geese |
Sep. 28 |
Dec. 29 |
b a - after Nov. 15 c - after Nov. 14 |
20 |
60 |
Feb. 5 |
Feb. 16 |
a, b, c |
20 |
60 |
|
CENTRAL FLYWAY - ZONE C1 |
|||||
Ducks and Mergansers |
Sep. 28 |
Oct. 13 |
6** |
18** |
|
Nov. 2 |
Jan. 21 |
c - after Nov. 14 |
6** |
18** |
|
Coots |
Sep. 28 |
Oct. 13 |
15 |
45 |
|
Nov. 2 |
Jan. 21 |
c - after Nov. 14 |
15 |
45 |
|
Dark Geese |
Sep. 28 |
Oct. 6 |
5 |
15 |
|
Nov. 2 |
Nov. 24 |
c - after Nov. 14 |
5 |
15 |
|
Dec. 6 |
Feb. 16 |
c |
5 |
15 |
|
CENTRAL FLYWAY - ZONE C1A |
|||||
Species and Hunt Areas |
Season Dates |
Closed Areas Section 3 Subsections |
Bag Limit |
||
Opens |
Closes |
Daily |
Possession |
||
Ducks and Mergansers |
Sep. 28 |
Oct. 13 |
b |
6** |
18** |
Nov. 2 |
Jan. 21 |
b a - after Nov. 15 |
6** |
18** |
|
Coots |
Sep. 28 |
Oct. 13 |
b |
15 |
45 |
Nov. 2 |
Jan. 21 |
b a - after Nov. 15 |
15 |
45 |
|
Dark Geese* |
Sep. 28 |
Oct. 9 |
b |
2 |
6 |
Nov. 16 |
Feb. 16 |
a, b |
5 |
15 |
|
CENTRAL FLYWAY - ZONE C2 |
|||||
Ducks and Mergansers |
Sep. 21 |
Dec. 1 |
6** |
18** |
|
Dec. 14 |
Jan. 7 |
6** |
18** |
||
Coots |
Sep. 21 |
Dec. 1 |
15 |
45 |
|
Dec. 14 |
Jan. 7 |
15 |
45 |
||
Dark Geese |
Sep. 21 |
Dec. 1 |
5 |
15 |
|
Dec. 14 |
Jan. 15 |
5 |
15 |
*For Bump-Sullivan Managed Goose Hunt information, see Section 6.
**The daily bag limit of six (6) ducks and mergansers may include any combination of species with the following restrictions:
* no more than five (5) mallards of which not more than two (2) shall be hens;
* no more than one (1) pintail;
* no more than three (3) wood ducks;
* no more than two (2) canvasbacks;
* no more than two (2) redheads; and,
* no more than one (1) scaup.
* two (2) blue-winged teal may be taken in addition to the regular limit of six (6) ducks during the following dates:
- Zone C1 and C1A: September 28- October 13
- Zone C2: September 21- October 6
(j) Special Hunting Days for Youths, Veterans and Active Military Personnel (including members of the National Guard and Reserves on active duty). In the Pacific Flyway and in Zone C2 of the Central Flyway, the special hunting days for youths, veterans and active military personnel shall be September 14-15, 2024. In Zone C1 and C1A of the Central Flyway, the special hunting days for youths, veterans and active military personnel shall be September 21-22, 2024. Only qualifying persons may take ducks, mergansers, coots and geese on these special hunting days, subject to the following conditions: