JACKSON — Mississippi duck hunters will lose seven days of teal season in the 2025-2026 migratory bird season frameworks. Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Waterfowl Program Coordinator Houston Havens stated the population of teal is the reason for the change.

Migratory season frameworks are set by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and states are then able to choose their season dates within the frameworks. Changes occasionally come about as duck populations fluctuate. For example, the Northern Pintail used to have a daily bag limit of one but the bag limit will increase to three pintails in the 2025-2026 duck season pending final federal approval.

Havens told the MDWFP Commission on March 19 that the season would be a nine-day season instead of the previous 16 and the season would be from Sept. 20 to Sept. 28 to take advantage of the weekends. Of course, teal season isn’t the hunting season opener.

 

Dove Season

Labor Day Weekend is traditionally the kickoff to the hunting seasons in Mississippi. Houston Havens said dove season would open on Sept. 1, Labor Day. Season frameworks do not allow for an earlier start. At least the opener is not on a Sunday like it was in 2024.

Dove season’s first split will be from Sept. 1 to Sept. 29 followed by a second split from Oct. 18 to Nov. 16 and a third and final split from Dec. 27 to Jan. 25. Havens explained to the commission the dove season has a limit of 90 days so the department splits it into three 30-day segments.

“It copies what we did last year,” Havens said. “Feedback was good last year and we will see this year.”

Hunters should consider preparing plantings for the dove season opener as some grains take 60 to 120 days to mature and produce food. MDWFP offers technical guidance to private landowners for dove fields and other habitat management objectives. Visit the agency’s private lands page to learn more.

 

Waterfowl season

Two other waterfowl seasons open up on Sept. 1st. Mississippi’s resident Canada Goose season and rails and gallinules open on Sept. 1st and will last until Sept. 30. A secondary split for rail and gallinules is from Nov. 22 to Dec. 31.

Snipe season will be from Nov. 14 to February 28. Woodcock will be open from Dec. 18 to Jan. 31. Hunters could find woodcock hunting opportunities at Copiah Wildlife Management Area.

The first split of duck season will open on Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 28 to Nov. 30. Mississippi’s second split for duck season is from Dec. 6 to Jan. 31. Youth and Military will have an additional weekend of duck hunting on Feb. 7th and 8th. Goose season will open Nov. 14 to Nov. 30th and then Dec. 6 to Jan. 31.

“There is a change in the goose season to make sure it overlaps with Thanksgiving,” Havens said. “We wanted to make sure it overlapped.”