2026–27 Michigan Waterfowl Season & Managed Area Cheat Sheet
2026–27 Michigan Waterfowl Season & Managed Area Cheat Sheet
The Marsh Brief · themarshbrief.com · Verified against official Michigan DNR and USFWS pages on Nov. 11, 2026
Always verify current regulations with the Michigan DNR (michigan.gov/waterfowl) and, at Shiawassee NWR, the USFWS before every hunt. Rules and draw schedules can change during the season. This sheet is a summary, not legal advice.
Season dates (2026–27)
| Zone / area | Ducks, coots, mergansers | Dark & light geese |
|---|---|---|
| Statewide | Early teal Sept. 1–9 (teal only; hours start at sunrise). Youth weekend and Veterans/Active-Duty days Sept. 19–20 | — |
| North (all of the U.P.) | Sept. 26 – Nov. 22; Nov. 28–29 | Sept. 1 – Dec. 16 |
| Middle | Oct. 3 – Nov. 29; Dec. 12–13 | Sept. 1–30; Oct. 3 – Dec. 18 |
| South | Oct. 17 – Dec. 13; Dec. 26–27 | Sept. 1–30; Oct. 17 – Dec. 13; Dec. 26 – Jan. 3; Feb. 6–15 |
| Allegan County GMU | (South Zone) | Sept. 1–30; Oct. 17 – Nov. 4; Dec. 19 – Feb. 14 |
| Muskegon Wastewater GMU | (South Zone) | Oct. 20 – Dec. 19 |
Gallinule, Virginia and sora rail, Wilson's snipe: Sept. 1 – Nov. 9 statewide.
Middle/South line: Lake Michigan at Stony Creek (Oceana Co.) → Stony Lake/Garfield Rds. → M-20 → U.S. 10 BR in Midland → U.S. 10 → M-25 west of Bay City → M-25 through Tuscola into Huron Co. → Willow Creek → due east across Lake Huron. Livingston, Washtenaw, Oakland, Wayne and Monroe counties are South Zone.
Shooting hours: ½ hour before sunrise to sunset (early teal: sunrise to sunset). Use the DNR's Zone A table plus your area's offset.
Daily bag limits
Ducks: 6 total, including no more than: 4 mallards (2 hens) · 3 wood ducks · 3 pintails · 2 redheads · 2 canvasbacks · 2 black ducks · scaup 1–2 (below).
Scaup: South 1 (Oct. 17 – Nov. 1), 2 (Nov. 2 – Dec. 13, Dec. 26–27). Middle 1 (Oct. 3–18), 2 (Oct. 19 – Nov. 29, Dec. 12–13). North 2 (Sept. 26 – Nov. 9), 1 (Nov. 10–22, Nov. 28–29).
Mergansers: 5 (max 2 hooded). Dark geese: 5 (max 1 brant). Light geese: 20. Coots: 15. Gallinule: 1. Rails: 25. Snipe: 8. Possession: 3× daily.
Managed waterfowl areas (Wetland Wonders), 2026
| Area | Draws | Phone | Extra rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pointe Mouillee (Rockwood) | a.m. 5:30 Sun & Thu (Thu = all day); p.m. 11:00 Sun & Tue | 734-379-9692 | 25 shells; Roberts Rd. closed S. of Reaume Rd. all 2026 season |
| Harsens Island (St. Clair Flats) | Daily a.m. 5:30, p.m. 11:30 | 810-748-9504 | 25 shells; no motion-wing decoys; ferry |
| Shiawassee River SGA (St. Charles) | Daily a.m. 5:30 (regs) / 5:00 (area page) — call; p.m. 11:00 | 989-865-6211 | 25 shells; no motion-wing decoys |
| Fish Point (Unionville) | Daily a.m. 5:30, p.m. 11:00 | 989-674-2511 | 25 shells |
| Nayanquing Point (Linwood) | Daily a.m. 5:30, p.m. 11:00 | 989-697-5101 | 25 shells |
| Muskegon Co. RRC (Twin Lake) | a.m. 5:30 Tue & Sat; p.m. 11:00 Thu & Sat; Oct. 20 – Dec. 19, closed Thanksgiving | 231-788-5055 | Dry-field only |
| Fennville Farm (Allegan SGA) | a.m. 5:30 Wed/Sat/Sun, Oct. 17–18 and Dec. 19 – Feb. 14; permits to 4:30 p.m. | 269-561-2258 | Self-registration outside draw dates |
| Shiawassee NWR (federal) | No draw in 2026. Sat, Sun, Tue: legal hours to noon. Thu: noon to close | 989-777-5930 | 25 shells; non-toxic; designated parking; no overnight parking |
Draw basics: register your whole party (max 4; up to 3 absentees) before the draw; hunt only your zone; return your permit and show your birds at check-out. Non-toxic shot only — you can't possess lead.
Reserved opening-weekend hunts: 2026 applications ran Aug. 1–28 ($5, one per year), results Sept. 14. 2027 dates not yet published.
Licenses (resident 16+)
Base license ($11; $5 age 65+) + Michigan waterfowl license ($12, includes HIP) + federal duck stamp ($25 + $5 agent/online fee). E-stamp valid to June 30, 2027 — be able to show it on your phone. Youth under 16: no federal stamp or Michigan waterfowl license, but a free migratory bird youth endorsement is required.
Key rules
Shotgun 10-ga or smaller, plugged to 3 shells, one gun per hunter · non-toxic shot only · no electronic calls · motor off and forward motion stopped before shooting from a boat · unloaded while under power · no decoys left out 9 p.m.–3 a.m. on Great Lakes/connecting waters · public-water blinds: name and address in 3-inch letters, not before Aug. 15 or after Jan. 16 · 150-yard safety zone around occupied buildings · one fully feathered wing on transported birds · report bands at ReportBand.gov.
Night-before checklist
| ✔ | Item |
|---|---|
| ☐ | Right zone for where you're hunting, and today's shooting hours |
| ☐ | Base license, waterfowl license (HIP), federal duck stamp — and the ID you bought them with |
| ☐ | Managed area? Read the manager's update and confirm the draw time by phone |
| ☐ | Recreation area? Check for closures and posted safety zones; Recreation Passport on the vehicle |
| ☐ | Shells non-toxic and counted (25 max at managed areas and Shiawassee NWR); gun plugged to 3 |
| ☐ | Blind tagged; no motion-wing decoys at Harsens Island or Shiawassee River SGA |
| ☐ | Boat: a USCG-approved PFD for everyone aboard, lights, float plan left with someone |
| ☐ | Cooler/ice for birds (DNR: keep below 45°F); gloves for cleaning |
2027 look-ahead
Proposed 2027 duck openers (not final; set in spring 2027): North Sept. 25 · Middle Oct. 2 · South Oct. 16. The 2027 regulations, managed-area schedules and reserved-hunt window are not published yet — The Marsh Brief will email subscribers when they are.
Sources: Michigan DNR 2026 Waterfowl Hunting Regulations Summary — michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/laws/regulations/waterfowl · DNR Wetland Wonders area pages and Pointe Mouillee manager's update (Nov. 2–8, 2026) — michigan.gov/dnr/things-to-do/hunting/where/wetland-wonders · DNR Wildlife Conservation Order Ch. XIII · USFWS Shiawassee NWR hunting page — fws.gov/refuge/shiawassee/visit-us/activities/hunting. Full source list: themarshbrief.com.
The Marsh Brief is independent and not affiliated with the Michigan DNR or USFWS. Verify before you go.