Have you experienced the excitement of harvesting a banded game bird? Report your band recovery. Photo courtesy of Taylor Finger

Hunting

Sign up

for hunter safety. Required if you were born on or after January 1, 1973.

Buy

your hunting license.

Apply

for a permit and check permit status online.

Know

the regulations.

Related links

• About Horicon National Wildlife Refuge [exit DNR]
• USFWS Division of Migratory Bird Management [exit DNR]
• Waterfowl Hunting Management in North America [exit DNR]
• Guidance for hunters - Protect yourself and your birds from avian influenza [PDF exit DNR]

Waterfowl hunting

The Wisconsin waterfowl hunter is one of the most dedicated and involved conservationists in the nation, contributing time and money to waterfowl management and habitat restoration. Wisconsin is a great waterfowl hunting state and one of the reasons is your enthusiasm and dedication to the sport. Waterfowl are enjoyed by many people in Wisconsin. Look below for more information on waterfowl reports and surveys, hunting regulations and other current issues.

Waterfowl resources

Rules and regulations

Regulations

• 2018 migratory bird regulations [PDF]
• Waterfowl season dates
• Youth waterfowl hunt
• Invasive species prevention

Recent rule changes

• Waterfowl rules process
• Mississippi River duck zone [PDF]

Waterfowl management

• Waterfowl management information

Waterfowl reports

Wisconsin population surveys

• Wisconsin waterfowl surveys page
• Mallard migration map [exit DNR]

Wisconsin technical reports

• 2016 Canada Goose harvest reports [PDF]
• Three state (Wisconsin, Michigan and Iowa) experimental early teal season final analysis and summary report [PDF]

Wisconsin hunter survey results

• 2017 survey results [PDF]
• 2015 survey results [PDF]
• 2013 survey results [PDF]

Public input

Public Input Summary

2018 Migratory Bird Season Public Input Summary

Presentations

2018 Migratory Bird Season Proposal Presentation

Proposal document

2018 Migratory Bird Season Proposals
• Please contact Trenton Rohrer with any questions.

USFWS resources

Federal regulations

• Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration
• Federal waterfowl baiting regulations [exit DNR]

Report banded birds

• Report bird band recoveries

Federal reports

• USFWS waterfowl population status, 2017 [PDF]
• USFWS HIP report [PDF]

Hunter resources

Becoming a better hunter

• The Basics of Waterfowl Hunting in Wisconsin [PDF]
• Decoy Tactics [PDF]
• Wingshooting
• Tom Roster's nontoxic shot lethality table [PDF]

Recipes

Check out these wildgame recipes [PDF] provided by DNR staff.

Waterfowl identification

• Waterfowl identification guide [exit DNR]

Mapping tools

• Public access lands mapping system

Early teal season quiz

Brush up on your waterfowl identification in preparation for the early teal season! Dont forget to test yourself and take the quiz!

Quiz yourself by taking the Teal Quiz and see how prepared you are for the September early teal season.

Contact information

For information on waterfowl hunting, contact:

Trenton Rohrer
Assistant migratory game bird ecologist
Bureau of Wildlife Management
608-261-6458

Learn more about ways to Connect with DNR.