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

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 14, July 15, 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.