F&G Commission sets migratory game bird seasons for 2025-26

During its conference call on April 15, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission set the 2025-2026 migratory game bird seasons, including waterfowl, mourning dove, American crow, and sandhill crane. Because it was a special meeting of the Commission, no public comment or question opportunities were held during the meeting.

For 2025-2026, the Fish and Game Commission approved the maximum allowed number of hunting days and bag limits allowed by that federal framework for most species. 

It’s important to note, Idaho’s waterfowl seasons are set within frameworks established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after they consult with all state fish and wildlife agencies. Federal frameworks do not allow duck seasons to extend beyond Jan. 31, the Canada goose season beyond Feb. 15, or the light and white-fronted goose season beyond March 10.

In 2020, Fish and Game conducted mail- and web-based surveys to obtain input from duck hunters on how to structure duck seasons and zones, within the confines of the federal framework, which includes flexibility in the start and end dates. This information was intended to guide Idaho duck seasons for the 2020-2025 seasons, rather than re-defining seasons each year. There were over 6,300 respondents to the 2020 duck survey.

In 2024, Fish and Game then conducted a web-based goose hunter opinion survey to obtain input from goose hunters on how to structure goose seasons and zones. This information is intended to guide Idaho goose seasons for the 2025-2029 seasons. There were over 6,300 respondents to the 2024 goose survey.

Here’s what to expect.

Waterfowl

• Youth/Veteran/Military Waterfowl Season will occur Sep. 27-28, 2025
• The daily bag limit is 7 ducks and mergansers, but not more than 2 female mallards, 2 scaup, 2 redheads, 3 pintail, and 2 canvasbacks.
• The daily bag limit for snipe is 8, and the proposed daily bag limit for coots is 25.
• The daily bag limit for Canada geese is 5, 10 for white-fronted geese, and 20 for snow (including blue) and Ross’s geese.
• The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit. 

Swans

• 50 controlled hunt tags available.
• The daily and season limit on swans is 1.
• Application period runs May 1 - June 5.

Doves

• The daily bag limit for doves is 15 mourning and white-winged doves in the aggregate. The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit. 

American Crows

• There is no daily bag limit for American crows.

Sandhill Cranes

• The daily bag limit and season limit for sandhill cranes is 2.