Waterfowl season kicks off in Southwest Idaho on Sunday, Oct. 19 - here’s what you need to know

What can hunters expect for the 2025-2026 waterfowl season?

First, the big picture: Idaho Fish and Game biologists can generally provide an informed outlook for upland game bird and big game hunters at a regional level, but it's harder to get a bead (see what we did there?) on how things might go for local waterfowl hunters before the season. In some cases, the migrations of ducks and geese span continents, and countless variables come into play as they travel between northern breeding habitats and southern wintering grounds.

With that said, Idaho waterfowl hunters can look to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's annual Waterfowl Population Status Report to get an idea of the potential for the 2025-2026 season, paying particular attention to the habitat conditions and population numbers in Alberta, where a good portion of the migrating dabbling ducks that are harvested in Idaho originate . However, local waterfowl abundance (and harvest) is generally dependent upon weather patterns and the timing of the fall and winter migrations.

One thing Idaho waterfowl hunters will certainly have an abundance of is opportunity. Idaho provides the maximum number of huntable days allowed under the federal regulatory framework for migratory bird seasons and routinely surveys hunters to ensure that season dates align with hunter preferences.

Southwest Idaho also offers plentiful public access for waterfowl hunters. That includes four Fish and Game Wildlife Management Areas with notable waterfowl hunting opportunities, dozens of Fish and Game boating access sites on the Snake, Boise and Payette rivers, and the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge that is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.