Migratory Game Bird Hunting

• Waterfowl In Iowa, Overview
• Waterfowl Management, Seasons, and Harvests in Iowa

The links below provide maps of areas closed to the hunting of Canada geese. Additional refuge areas exist on some state wildlife management areas that are closed to ALL hunting. These maps are provided as a convenience to hunters to increase awareness of areas closed to the taking of Canada geese. Every effort has been made to insure the accuracy of these maps; however, the boundaries shown on these maps are approximate representations, and hunters should consult the Waterfowl Hunting Map Book.

• Emmet County Closed Area 1
• Clay-Palo Alto Counties Closed Area 2
• Worth-Winnebago County Closed Area 4
• Guthrie County Closed Area 7
• Adams County Closed Area 8
• Monona-Woodbury Counties Closed Area 9
• Jackson County Closed Area 11
• Bremer County Closed Area 14
• Union County Closed Area 16

Why is the DNR banding ducks and geese?

When banded birds are recovered by hunters or recaptured by other banders and the recovery/recapture information is reported to the USGS Bird Banding Lab, we can learn how long the bird has lived and where it is at a specific time of the year. Banding projects that are implemented during brood-rearing or nesting periods can also tell us where birds go to reproduce and, in some cases, if they nested. Band recoveries from birds killed by hunters tell us where and when the birds from the banded population are being harvested. If a large enough sample of birds are banded and recovered annually, biologists can estimate the average survival of the birds in the population. This is important for monitoring the status of most populations of ducks and geese, but particularly important for species that cannot be directly counted such as wood ducks.

How many ducks and geese are usually banded in Iowa?

DNR Wildlife staff band from 4,000 to 5,000 ducks and 4,000 to 6,000 giant Canada geese in Iowa each year. Ducks and geese are banded throughout the state. Most of the banded birds are young-of-the-year, i.e., they hatched the same year they were banded. Most of the banded ducks are wood ducks, although other species are banded as well.

When are geese and ducks banded in Iowa?

Geese are banded in late June and early July, while in their flightless stage. Ducks are banded after ducklings have attained a size adequate for handling and attaching bands without harming the birds, usually beginning in late July and continuing until the first week in September. The June 2000 Wildlife Bureau Featured Activity article "June means Jewelry for Geese" provides information regarding the Bureau's annual goose banding activities.

If I recover a banded bird while I'm hunting, can I keep the band?

Yes, you can keep the band. Many hunters like to collect their bands as mementos of their hunts. We only ask that you report the band number, and the date and location where you harvested the bird.

To whom should I report the banded duck (or goose) that I shot?

You should report all banded ducks and geese that you recover to the Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) in Washington D.C. The BBL keeps records of all migratory birds banded in North America. You can do this over the phone by calling (toll free) 1-800-327-2263 or over the Internet via the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center - Bird Banding Lab website, reportband.gov. The BBL will send you a certificate with information about the banded bird that you recovered.

Want to learn more about bird banding?

The U.S. Geological Survey - Patuxent Wildlife Research Center - Bird Banding Laboratory coordinates all bird banding done in the United States and maintains records of band recoveries. For additional information regarding the hows and whys of bird banding we recommend visiting the Bird Banding Lab's site.

Developing Waterfowl Hunting Season Regulations

Waterfowl are migratory birds and are influenced by factors that occur both within the state and beyond Iowa’s borders. Working with state wildlife agencies through the Flyway Councils, the US Fish and Wildlife Service identifies a range of reasonable alternatives for waterfowl hunting seasons.

The Annual Process of Developing Waterfowl Hunting Regulations

Migratory game bird regulations are governed by a cooperative process involving Iowa government rules, nationally with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and internationally with Canada under the Migratory Game Bird Treaty. This is a step by step process that begins in January of each year and must be followed in order that the waterfowl seasons are allowed to open each fall.

Dog training has deep roots in hunting and conservation culture. In order to develop dogs that can reliably hunt and recover game, it is vital to train with a variety of game under varying conditions. It is important that dog trainers and clubs know the rules concerning use of game during training to both support wildlife conservation and stay out of trouble with the law. Many state and federal laws and regulations apply to the importation, possession, use and disposal of game used in training and field events. These rules serve two general purposes: to protect the health and welfare of native wildlife populations in Iowa, and to ensure that hunting regulations are enforceable.

Dog training refers to any teaching or exercising activity involving sporting dogs in which the primary purpose is to enhance performance. Sporting dogs are utilized for hunting game birds and game mammals and include breeds as pointers, setters, retrievers, and hounds.

Regulations governing the training of sporting dogs vary according to what species the dogs are being trained with and where the training takes place.

• Dog Training and Trialing Information

Habitat Acquisition Statistics: Prairie Pothole Joint Venture

Metropolitan Canada goose seasons are open on specified dates during the first two weeks of September in the Des Moines, Cedar Rapids-Iowa City, and Waterloo-Cedar Falls zones.

Canada Goose Zone boundary Maps:

• Map: Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Zone
• Map: Des Moines Zone
• Map: Waterloo/Cedar Falls Zone

Fill with several inches of course wood shavings (not sawdust) and place on pipes over water. Erecting the boxes over land or in trees invites predators and extra measures must be taken to predator proof your nest box.

• Download a simple wood duck box template

https://www.fws.gov/birds/

Reports for fall will begin early September.

• Wetland Habitat Conditions, 10/11/2024
• Waterfowl Migration Report

• Metropolitan Canada Goose Hunting Season* (in specified areas): Sep. 13 - 21
  • Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Zone
  • Des Moines Zone
  • Waterloo/Cedar Falls Zone
• Light Goose Conservation Order*: Jan. 25 - May 1, 2026

*Additional regulations apply.

We work hard to keep our calendars current, but always refer to  the Iowa Hunting, Trapping, & Migratory Game Bird Regulations for official, legal season dates.