Natural Resources Board approves 2023 migratory bird hunting season framework
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) voted unanimously during the April 19 board meeting to approve the 2023 migratory bird season framework and regulations.
Thanks to input from hunters and new scientific research, changes are coming to the 2023 migratory bird hunting season. Highlights from the approved season structure include:
Updating the definition of the Open Water Duck Zone boundary. The updated definition incorporates adjacent rooted vegetation, floating cattail mats and Green Bay’s Long Tail and Little Tail points as part of the mainland shore.
Simplifying the regulations for the open water restrictions on approved inland open water hunting lakes by decreasing the distance from shore to 500 feet.
The Mississippi River Canada Goose Zone will run concurrently with the South Canada Goose Zone, opening on Sept. 16 rather than opening with the duck season.
“The 2023 season frameworks are based on the most current scientific data, as well as input from the public, conservation and hunting groups and results from a waterfowl hunter survey,” said Taylor Finger, DNR game bird ecologist. “We used everything in our toolbox to collect public input –– in-person meetings, virtual meetings and expanded online outreach –– to ensure engagement with anyone interested in migratory bird management. In total, we received 500 comments regarding the 2023-2025 migratory bird season proposals.”
The 2023 migratory bird hunting seasons are below with the 2024 and 2025 seasons coming later this year in a permanent rule.
Early season dates
Early teal, Sept. 1-9, daily bag limit of six.
Early goose, Sept. 1-15, daily bag limit of five Canada geese and 20 light geese.
Mourning dove, Sept. 1 through Nov. 29, daily bag limit of 15.
Woodcock, Sept. 23 through Nov. 6, daily bag limit of three.
Duck seasons
Opening day shooting hours will begin one-half hour before sunrise for all regular waterfowl hunting seasons.
The youth hunt weekend is Sept. 16-17. The North Zone season is Sept. 23 through Nov. 21. The South Zone season dates are Sept. 30 through Oct. 8, then Oct. 14 through Dec. 3. The Open Water Zone season is Oct. 14 through Dec. 12.
The total daily bag limit is six ducks of any species, including no more than the following: four mallards, of which only two may be hens; two black ducks; two canvasbacks; three wood ducks; one pintail; two redheads; five mergansers, of which only two may be hooded mergansers.
Canada goose seasons
The regular Canada goose hunting season in the North Zone is Sept. 16 through Dec. 16 with a daily bag limit of three.
In the South Zone and the Mississippi Zone, the first season is Sept. 16 through Oct. 8, the second season is Oct. 14 through Dec. 3 and the third season is Dec. 16 through Jan. 2, 2024. The daily bag limit is three through Dec. 3 and then it’s five during the third season.