California Duck Season 2023 looks to be thrilling! Hunters prepare for exhilarating duck hunting in California’s gorgeous wetlands and marshes. Hunters and outdoor lovers look forward to pursuing a variety of duck species in beautiful natural settings from October 23 to January 31. With large bag limits, you may hunt mallards, pintails, canvasbacks, redheads, scaup, and more this season. Join us as we explore California Duck Season 2023’s features, techniques, and stories and see why waterfowl enthusiasts throughout the state love it.
California Duck Season 2023
Northern Zone
| Species | Start Date | End Date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ducks | 1-Oct | 11-Jan | Daily bag limit: 7, which may contain 7 mallards, of which only 2 can be female; 1 pintail; 2 canvasback; 2 redheads; 2 scaup |
| Scaup | 1-Oct | 27-Nov | |
| Scaup | 15-Dec | 11-Jan | |
| Canada geese | 1-Oct | 8-Jan | Daily bag limit: 30, which may include up to 20 white geese, up to 10 dark geese, of which only 2 may be large Canada geese |
| White geese & white-fronts (specklebellies) | 1-Oct | 27-Nov | Except in the Klamath Basin Special Management Area |
| White geese & white-fronts (specklebellies) | 31-Dec | 13-Jan | Except in the Klamath Basin Special Management Area |
| Youth Hunt days | 17-Sep | 18-Sep | |
| Veteran Hunt days | 14-Jan | 15-Jan | No geese allowed |
| Late white goose & white-front season | 6-Feb | 10-Mar | Except in the Klamath Basin Special Management Area |
Southern Zone
| Species | Start Date | End Date | Daily Bag Limit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ducks & Geese | Oct. 22 | Jan. 31 | 7 (including 7 mallards, max 2 females); 1 pintail; 2 canvasback; 2 redheads; 2 scaup | |
| Scaup | Nov. 7 | Jan. 31 | - | |
| Youth Hunt | Feb. 4 | Feb. 5 | - | |
| Extended Falconry Season | Feb. 25 | Feb. 25 | - | |
| Veteran Hunt | Feb. 11 | Feb. 12 | - | No geese allowed |
| Ducks | - | - | Daily bag limit: 7, including 7 mallards (max 2 females); 1 pintail; 2 canvasback; 2 redheads; 2 scaup | |
| Geese | - | - | Daily bag limit: 23, with a maximum of 20 white geese and 3 dark geese | |
| Imperial County Special Management Area | Nov. 5 | Jan. 31 | Limit of 20 white geese per day | Feb. 1-3, 6-10, and 13-21 |
Special Management Zones
| Special Management Areas | Species | Start Date | End Date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brant SMAs | Northern Brant | 8-Nov | 14-Dec | 2 per day |
| Brant SMAs | Balance of State Brant | 9-Nov | 15-Dec | 2 per day |
| North Coast SMA | Canada geese | 9-Nov | 31-Jan | No more than 10 per day, of which 1 may be a large Canada goose |
| North Coast SMA | Canada geese | 18-Feb | 10-Mar | No more than 10 per day, of which 1 may be a large Canada goose |
| Sacramento Valley SMA | White-fronts | 22-Oct | 21-Dec | No more than 3 white-fronts may be taken |
Klamath Basin Special Management
| Species | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|
| White geese & white-fronts (specklebellies) | Oct. 1 | Jan. 13 |
| Canada geese | Oct. 1 | Jan. 8 |
Southern San Joaquin Valley
| Species | Start Date | End Date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ducks | Oct. 22 | Jan. 31 | |
| Geese | Oct. 22 | Jan. 31 | |
| Scaup | Nov. 7 | Jan. 31 | |
| Youth Hunt days | Feb. 4 | Feb. 5 | |
| Extended falconry season | Feb. 25 | ||
| Veteran Hunt days | Feb. 11 | Feb. 12 | |
| Limits | Daily Bag Limit | Possession Limit | |
| Ducks | 7 (including 7 mallards, max 2 females); 1 pintail; 2 canvasback; 2 redheads; 2 scaup | Triple the daily bag limit | |
| Geese | 30 (up to 20 white geese, up to 10 dark geese) | Triple the daily bag limit |
Colorado River Zone
| Species | Start Date | End Date | Daily Bag Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ducks & Geese | Oct. 23 | Jan. 31 | 7 (including 7 mallards, max 2 female mallards or Mexican-like ducks); 1 pintail; 2 canvasback; 2 redheads; 2 scaup |
| Scaup | Nov. 7 | Jan. 31 | - |
| Youth Hunt | Feb. 4 | Feb. 5 | - |
| Extended Falconry Season | Feb. 1 | Feb. 4 | - |
| Ducks | - | - | Daily bag limit: 7, including 7 mallards (max 2 female mallards or Mexican-like ducks); 1 pintail; 2 canvasback; 2 redheads; 2 scaup |
| Geese | - | - | Daily bag limit: 24, with a maximum of 20 white geese and up to 4 dark geese |
Rest of The State Zones
| Species | Start Date | End Date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ducks | Oct. 22 | Jan. 31 | |
| Scaup | Nov. 7 | Jan. 31 | |
| Geese | Oct. 22 | Jan. 29 | |
| Early large Canada goose season | Oct. 1 | Oct. 3 | (except in the North Coast SMA) |
| Late white-fronts and white goose season | Feb. 18 | Feb. 22 | (except in Sacramento Valley SMA) |
| Late Canada goose season | Feb. 18 | Feb. 19 | |
| Special Youth Hunt days | Feb. 4 | Feb. 5 | |
| Extended falconry season | Feb. 25 | ||
| Veteran Hunt days | Feb. 11 | Feb. 12 | (no geese allowed) |
| Limits | Daily Bag Limit | Possession Limit | |
| Ducks | 7 (including 7 mallards, max 2 females) | Triple the daily bag limit | |
| Geese | 30 (up to 20 white geese, up to 10 dark geese) | Triple the daily bag limit | |
| Early large Canada goose season | 10 large Canada geese | Triple the daily bag limit |
California Duck Hunting Regulations
- In California, especially when hunting ducks, nonlead ammunition must be used when taking any animal.
- Without the owner’s authorization or another person in control of the land, hunting or discharging a weapon within 150 yards of a home (safety zone) is illegal.
- When shooting waterfowl, especially ducks, you must use a shotgun that can only contain three shells.
- Using live decoys to hunt waterfowl is not permitted. When capturing waterfowl, electronic calling devices are not permitted.
- It is forbidden to leave trash, including empty shotgun shells, within 150 feet of state waterways or where it may enter them.
- When hunting ducks, you must have a current hunting license.
- It’s against the law to hunt using bait.
- It is against the law to fail to provide all permits, tags, and tools capable of taking wildlife upon demand to any peace officer.
- Consumption Health Warnings: Waterfowl selenium levels in certain Californian locales have prompted cautions. Guidelines limit duck meat and liver intake to avoid health risks.
- Grasslands Area: Due to high selenium levels in this region, no one should eat more than 4 oz. of duck meat in any two-week period. It is not recommended to ingest duck livers from this region.
- Suisun Bay: Consumption of greater and lesser scaup or scoter meat should not exceed 4 oz. per week in two weeks to prevent selenium-related health hazards. It is not recommended to ingest duck livers from this region.
- San Pablo Bay: Similar to Suisun Bay, up to 4 ounces of larger scaup or scoter flesh may be taken from San Pablo Bay in any two-week period. Avoid eating duck livers from this region.
- San Francisco Bay: Due to high selenium levels, eating greater scaup flesh in the central and south bay regions should not exceed 4 oz weekly for two weeks. Ducks from this region should not have their livers ingested.
- Employer of Live Decoys is Prohibited: It is unlawful to employ live birds as decoys during a hunting expedition.
- Ducks and other migratory game birds may be shot from a half-hour before dawn to sunset, except Morro Bay in San Luis Obispo County, where shooting time begins at 7:00 a.m. and lasts until sunset.
- Only certain techniques, including duck hunting, are authorized for migratory game birds. These techniques include the use of falcons, bows, and arrows with flu-flu fletching, muzzle-loading shotguns, and shotguns 10 gauge or smaller with special limitations on magazine capacity and shot size.
- Dogs may catch and return migratory game birds, such as ducks.
- Nontoxic Shot Requirement: Only certain nontoxic shot types certified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may be used while shooting waterfowl, including ducks. The list covers a variety of substances, such as steel, copper-plated steel, tungsten-based shot, and bismuth-tin.
- Please be aware that these condensed rules may include only some pertinent information or the most current modifications since they are based only on the information given. Reviewing the official rules and keeping up with any updates or new requirements is crucial.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any youth waterfowl hunting opportunities during the 2023 season?
Yes, there are youth waterfowl hunting opportunities during the 2023 season in various zones in California. The scheduled youth hunt days are February 4-5 in the Colorado River Zone. The youth hunt days in the Northeastern California Zone are set for September 17–18. On February 4–5, there are designated youth hunt days for the other state zones. The special youth hunt days are also held on February 4 in the Southern San Joaquin Valley Zone and February 4-5 in the Southern California Zone. These youth hunt days allow young hunters to participate in waterfowl hunting while following specified guidelines and taking advantage of chances suited to their requirements. It’s crucial to check the hunting laws in each zone to ensure you’re following them and making the most of these days for young hunting.
When does the California Duck Season 2023 start and end?
Depending on the various zones, the California Duck Season 2023 takes place across a variety of dates. The duck season in the Northeastern California Zone runs from October 1 through January 11, with different dates for scaup and Canada geese. Youth hunt days and a late white geese season are held in September. The duck season in the Balance of State Zone runs from October 22 through January 31. The scaup and geese seasons also run during the same times. In February, particular dates for hunting white-fronted and Canada geese are set aside, as well as special hunt days for children and veterans.
What are the bag limits for ducks during the 2023 season?
California’s 2023 duck season has a range of bag limitations depending on the zone. Hunters are permitted a daily bag limit of 7 ducks in the Balance of State Zone and Northeastern California Zone, which includes 2 female mallards, 1 pintail, 2 canvasbacks, 2 redheads, and 2 scaups. The bag limit is the same for 7 ducks per day in both the Southern San Joaquin Valley Zone and the Southern California Zone, including mallards (with a restriction of 2 females), pintail, canvasback, redheads, and scaup. It’s crucial to remember that these bag limitations might vary and that additional restrictions or laws apply just to certain places or species.
Are there any specific hunting zones for duck hunting in California?
Yes, there are specific hunting zones for duck hunting in California. Northeastern California Zone, Balance of State Zone, Southern San Joaquin Valley Zone, Southern California Zone, and Colorado River Zone are among the several zones. There are distinct rules and scheduled hunting seasons for each zone. The Balance of State Zone features Special Management Areas such as the Northern Brant, Balance of State Brant, North Coast SMA, and Sacramento Valley SMA. At the same time, the Northeastern California Zone has the Klamath Basin Special Management Area.
Can I use lead ammunition for duck hunting in California?
No, it is not permitted in California to shoot waterfowl using lead ammunition. Nonlead ammunition must be used when using a weapon to kill any animals, including ducks. For additional details, kindly refer to the rules.
Do I need a hunting license to hunt ducks in California?
Yes, hunting ducks in California requires a current hunting license.
Are there any special restrictions or requirements for duck hunting in California?
Yes, there can be particular rules and requirements for duck hunting in California, such as shooting hours, catch techniques, and limitations for particular species. Before going duck hunting, it’s important to examine the hunting laws and be aware of any unique limitations.
Can I hunt ducks on public lands in California?
Yes, waterfowl hunting is permitted on public lands in California. To hunt on public grounds, it is important to examine each location’s local laws and secure the appropriate permissions or passes.
Can I use electronic calls or decoys for duck hunting in California?
In California, it is typically against the law to take waterfowl while using electronic calling devices. There can also be rules governing the use of live decoys.
