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2015 - 2016 waterfowl season dates

Curran

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,971
172
Central Ohio
Here they be...


The Wildlife Council also approved the 2015-2016 following waterfowl season regulations and bag limits.

The South Zone, North Zone and Lake Erie Marsh Zones will remain the same for waterfowl hunting this year. New this year, the canvasback daily bag limit was increased to two.

Opening day for duck and goose hunting is Saturday, Oct. 17, in the Lake Erie Marsh Zone and Saturday, Oct. 24, in the North and South zones. See the 2015-2016 Waterfowl Hunting Seasons for more waterfowl hunting information, including zone maps.

Hunters 15 years of age and younger will have the opportunity to enjoy a statewide special youth waterfowl season Oct. 3-4. Bag limits established during the regular season apply.

Ohio is divided into three zones for duck, coot and merganser hunting. The seasons are split in each zone during the following dates:

• Duck hunting season in the Lake Erie Marsh Zone is Oct. 17-Nov. 1 and Nov. 14-Dec. 27.

• Duck hunting season in the North Zone is Oct. 24-Nov. 8 and Nov. 21-Jan. 3, 2016.

• Duck hunting season in the South Zone is Oct. 24-Nov. 8 and Dec. 19-Jan. 31, 2016.

The daily bag limit for ducks is six, which may not include more than four mallards (no more than one may be female), three wood ducks, one black duck, two redheads, three scaup, two canvasbacks, two pintails and one mottled duck. The daily bag limit for mergansers is five, of which no more than two may be hooded mergansers. The daily bag limit for coots is 15. Possession limits after the second day are three times the daily bag limit.

Ohio is also divided into three zones for goose and brant hunting. The seasons are split in each zone during the following dates:

• Goose hunting in the Lake Erie Marsh Zone is Oct. 17-Nov. 1, Nov. 14-Dec. 27 and Jan. 14- Jan. 31, 2016

• Goose hunting in the North Zone is Oct. 24-Nov. 8, Nov. 21-Jan. 3, 2015 and Jan. 14-Jan. 31, 2016.

• Goose hunting in the South Zone is Oct. 24-Nov. 8 and Dec. 1-Jan. 31, 2016.

The daily bag limit for Canada geese is three. Light geese (snows, Ross’s and blues) have a daily bag limit of 10, white-fronted geese have a daily bag limit of one and brant have a daily bag limit of one. The possession limit for brant and geese is three times the daily bag limit after the second day.

Harvest Information Program (HIP) certification is required of all migratory bird hunters prior to hunting. Migratory game bird hunters must call 877-HIPOHIO (447-6446) and answer a few survey questions to complete the HIP certification requirement. Once the survey has been completed, hunters will be provided a certification number to write on their Ohio hunting license.

Waterfowl hunters age 18 and older must also purchase an Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp, available at any hunting license agent or wildohio.gov. In addition, all waterfowl hunters age 16 and older must possess a signed federal duck stamp, which can be purchased at duckstamp.com, usps.com and most post offices.

Copies of this season's waterfowl hunting regulations, which include maps of the zones, are available at wildohio.gov or available at all license agent outlets by late September.
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,079
223
Ohio
I'm spoiled I guess. Living so close to the LEMZ and North Zone boundary really extends my season. I love the current season dates and the splits. It's looking like they're probably going to move the North/South boundary back up to route 30 next year... which I'm strongly in favor of as well.
 

Rutin

Senior Member
2,029
0
Ina Duck Blind
Doesn't look like I'll duck hunt much the first split bc of prime deer hunting but I will grind it out on the second split. Plus we're allowed TWO cans this year, Ohio River here I come!!!