Montana Seeks Hunter Input on 2026 Waterfowl Seasons

Montana waterfowl hunters have an opportunity to weigh in on subsequent yr’s duck and goose seasons as Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks  opens the general public remark interval for its proposed 2026 migratory chicken laws.

Feedback can be accepted by way of March 29, with the Montana Fish and Wildlife Fee scheduled to evaluation the proposals throughout its April 16 assembly in Helena.

For many hunters, the proposed laws will look acquainted. Apart from regular calendar changes, FWP is recommending that the majority waterfowl guidelines stay the identical as they had been through the 2025-26 season.

Beneath the proposal, day by day and possession limits for geese, coots and geese would stay unchanged. Which means hunters can anticipate a construction similar to what they skilled final fall except adjustments are made through the ultimate evaluation course of.

The state can also be planning to proceed its particular youth waterfowl hunt on Sept. 26-27, 2026. That early weekend provides youthful hunters a possibility to get into the marsh earlier than the common season begins and has turn into an necessary recruiting device for introducing new hunters to waterfowling.

One other season anticipated to stay in place is the Central Flyway spring mild goose conservation season. If accepted, the hunt would run from March 1 by way of Might 15, 2027 and would once more permit hunters to reap snow and Ross’s geese with no day by day bag restrict as a part of ongoing efforts to manage overabundant populations.

Whereas duck and goose laws are anticipated to remain largely the identical, a lot of the dialogue on this yr’s proposal facilities on sandhill cranes. FWP officers are reviewing looking districts and allow numbers for crane seasons, which may see changes relying on fee suggestions and public enter.

Main adjustments to waterfowl zones will not be a part of this yr’s evaluation. Montana beforehand accepted its present zone boundaries and season constructions for the 2026 by way of 2030 seasons, that means this yr’s course of focuses totally on setting particular dates inside these established frameworks.

These frameworks are guided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which units nationwide limits on season lengths, opening dates and day by day bag limits for migratory birds. States should work inside these federal pointers when establishing their very own laws.

Federal regulators are already analyzing inhabitants surveys and harvest information that may form the 2026-27 looking season. Current modeling suggests pintail limits may proceed at three birds per day, whereas scaup laws stay extra conservative on account of inhabitants issues.

As soon as federal frameworks are finalized later this yr, states like Montana will lock of their actual season dates inside these limits.

FWP officers say hunter suggestions performs an necessary function in that course of, particularly in a state the place migration timing and chicken numbers can differ considerably from one area to a different.

Hunters who wish to touch upon the proposed laws can submit suggestions by way of the FWP public remark portal or attend the April 16 Fish and Wildlife Fee assembly.

Extra details about the proposals is on the market on the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks website.

Keith Lusher

Keith Lusher is an award-winning outside journalist who resides in Covington, Louisiana. He owns and operates NorthshoreFishingReport.com and writes a weekly outside column for the Slidell Impartial Newspaper. He additionally writes for the St.Tammany Parish Tourism Fee’s VisitTheNorthshore.com. He’s the previous host of The Northshore Fishing Report Radio Present and is on the board of the Louisiana Outside Writers Affiliation. Keith contributes to quite a few publications each on-line and in print and prides himself on selling South Louisiana’s distinctive fishery. To contact Keith electronic mail: keithlusherjr@gmail.com