Migratory Bird Hunting Laws in Washington: Season Dates, Licenses, and Penalties Explained

Washington hunters who skip the Harvest Information Program survey or misjudge a baited field aren’t just risking a warning — they’re exposed to federal charges under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act that can carry fines into the thousands of dollars. Migratory bird hunting laws in Washington blend state regulations from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) with federal oversight from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the two systems don’t always get equal attention from hunters until it’s too late. If you’re heading into a dove field, a duck blind, or a goose pit anywhere in the state this season, understanding both layers of law matters as much as knowing where the birds are flying.

This breakdown covers which species qualify as migratory game birds under Washington rules, the season windows set for 2026-2027, licensing and HIP requirements, legal equipment, baiting restrictions, and the tagging and possession rules that keep your hunt compliant from the field to the freezer.

Pro Tip: Always cross-check season dates against the current WDFW Game Bird and Small Game Regulations pamphlet before you hunt — zone boundaries and split-season dates change annually and vary by Goose Management Area.

Which Birds Count as Migratory Game Birds in Washington

Migratory game birds are species protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which gives the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service authority over season frameworks that states like Washington then implement locally. In Washington, the category includes duck, goose, coot, snipe, mourning dove, and band-tailed pigeon, and all hunters of these species age 16 and over must complete a Harvest Information Program survey. Ducks in Washington cover a wide range of species, from mallards and pintails to diving ducks like scaup and canvasback, each carrying its own bag limit restrictions within the overall daily limit. The daily bag limit is 7 ducks, to include not more than 2 hen mallard, 1 pintail, 2 scaup, 2 canvasback, and 2 redhead statewide, with additional species caps applying in Western Washington. Sea ducks — harlequin duck (Histrionicus histrionicus), scoter, long-tailed duck, and goldeneye — require extra paperwork beyond the standard duck tag. Hunters must physically possess a special hunting authorization and harvest record card for sea ducks when hunting scoter, long-tailed duck, and goldeneye in Western Washington. Harlequin duck hunting is even more tightly controlled: the species is closed statewide except through a limited number of issued permits, with 52 harlequin duck special permits available for the 2025-2026 season. Geese in Washington are managed by Goose Management Area rather than as a single statewide population, which affects both season timing and subspecies handling. Dusky Canada geese in particular are a conservation concern, and hunters in Goose Management Area 2 who take one accidentally face serious consequences — authorization will be invalidated by the department and the hunter will not be able to hunt geese in Goose Management Area 2 Coast and Inland for the remainder of the season. Snow geese, Ross’s geese, and blue geese also carry their own paperwork requirement in Goose Management Area 1, where hunters must physically possess a special paper or electronic migratory bird hunting authorization and harvest record card for snow geese when hunting snow, Ross’, and blue geese. Brant hunting, limited to a handful of coastal counties, similarly requires a special authorization and harvest record card, with a daily bag limit of 2 brant and a possession limit of 6 in Clallam, Skagit, Pacific and Whatcom counties. Coot, often called mudhen, shares the same framework as ducks. Coot hunting follows the same areas and dates as duck season, with a daily bag limit of 25 and a possession limit of 75. If you’re focused specifically on waterfowl, our detailed duck hunting laws in Washington guide covers species-specific bag limits in more depth.

Migratory Bird Hunting Season Dates in Washington

Washington’s 2026-2027 migratory bird seasons span from early September through mid-March, though no single species is open that entire window. The full regulation pamphlet covering these dates details rules for migratory waterfowl, upland and small game, effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. Duck season opens with youth-only hunting days before the general season begins. Youth days are September 26, 2026 in western Washington and October 3, 2026 in eastern Washington, with a statewide youth, veterans and active military day on February 6, 2027. The regular statewide season runs October 17, 2026 through January 31, 2027, split into two segments with a short closure in between. Scaup have a delayed opener within that window. Scaup season is closed from October 17 to November 6, 2026, inside the statewide duck season. Coot and snipe follow the same general framework, opening October 17-25 and October 28-January 31 for both species statewide. Goose seasons vary significantly by management area and include a short early-September hunt focused on resident Canada geese. In Goose Management Area 2, the September season runs Sept. 5-13 for Canada geese only, followed by a regular season first split from Oct. 17-Nov. 1 restricted to Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesdays, with Canada geese limited to 2 per day (Dusky closed), White-fronted geese 6 per day, and White geese 10 per day, all requiring authorization. A second split and a late-February segment follow, with the late February season running Feb. 7-15 on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays, with NWRs and WDFW Wildlife Areas closed during that window except on Youth/Vets/Military hunt days. Mourning dove and band-tailed pigeon have their own narrower windows. Mourning dove runs Sept. 1 through Oct. 30, while band-tailed pigeon runs Sept. 15-23, with a reporting deadline shortly after the pigeon season closes.

Species	2026-2027 Season Window	Notes
Mourning Dove	Sept. 1 – Oct. 30, 2026	Statewide
Band-tailed Pigeon	Sept. 15 – 23, 2026	Authorization reporting deadline Sept. 30
Ducks (statewide)	Oct. 17 – 25 & Oct. 28, 2026 – Jan. 31, 2027	Scaup closed Oct. 17 – Nov. 6
Coot & Snipe	Oct. 17 – 25 & Oct. 28, 2026 – Jan. 31, 2027	Statewide
Geese (by GMA)	Sept. 5, 2026 – Feb. 15, 2027	Varies by Goose Management Area

These windows are subject to in-season adjustment, so hunters planning trips around holidays should watch for special allowances. Extended falconry seasons for ducks, coots, and geese also run later into the winter, with the extended falconry season running from Sept. 26, 2026 to Feb. 6, 2027 in Western Washington and Oct. 3, 2026 to Feb. 6, 2027 in Eastern Washington for falconers using raptors rather than firearms. If you hunt waterfowl in other states too, our guides to duck hunting laws in North Carolina, duck hunting laws in Georgia, and duck hunting laws in Florida can help you compare season structures before you travel.

License, Stamp and HIP Requirements for Migratory Bird Hunting in Washington

Before loading a shotgun for any migratory species, you need a stack of paperwork that goes beyond a basic hunting license. The foundational requirement applies to every hunter regardless of target species: all hunters of migratory game birds — duck, goose, coot, snipe, mourning dove, and band-tailed pigeon — age 16 and over are required to complete a harvest information program survey at a license dealer and possess proof of that compliance. A small game license is the base requirement for waterfowl hunting. All hunters of migratory game birds (ducks, geese, doves, coots, and snipe) are required to complete a Harvest Information Program survey at a license dealer and possess a state migratory bird permit as evidence of compliance when hunting migratory game birds. Species that carry conservation concerns require an additional layer: a Migratory Bird Authorization and Harvest Record Card. To improve management of certain limited migratory bird species, hunters are required to possess a Migratory Bird Authorization and Harvest Record Card if hunting those species. This applies to sea ducks, brant, snow geese, band-tailed pigeons, and geese in certain Goose Management Areas. Reporting isn’t optional once you hold one of these cards. Hunters must report hunting activity on their harvest record cards to WDFW using the online reporting system at fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov or the MyWDFW mobile app. Paper versions remain available too: paper authorizations are available from WDFW license dealers or online, and only one harvest record card is issued per species, except for Snow Goose, where up to three may be issued with no duplicates.

Pro Tip: The MyWDFW app can replace paper cards for most authorizations. Hunters may elect to use the MyWDFW app in place of a paper license or transport tags, where applicable, which saves you from carrying a soggy card in a duck blind. Federal compliance adds one more requirement on top of state licensing. Every hunter 16 or older pursuing waterfowl must also hold the Federal Duck Stamp, which funds wetland conservation nationally and is checked separately from state paperwork. Washington’s licensing structure is detailed further in our general hunting laws in Washington guide, which covers how migratory bird rules fit into the state’s broader licensing system.

Requirement	Who Needs It	Where to Get It
Small Game License	All migratory bird hunters	WDFW license dealers, fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov
HIP Certification	Hunters age 16+	Completed at license dealer at time of purchase
Migratory Bird Permit	All migratory bird hunters	Issued with small game license
Federal Duck Stamp	Waterfowl hunters age 16+	USPS, USFWS, many license vendors
Authorization & Harvest Record Card	Sea duck, brant, snow goose, band-tailed pigeon hunters	fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov or MyWDFW app

Legal Hunting Methods and Equipment for Migratory Birds in Washington

Federal law sets the baseline for legal equipment nationwide, and Washington enforces these standards alongside its own hunting hour restrictions. Shotguns are the standard tool for migratory bird hunting, but capacity is restricted: shotguns capable of holding more than three shells at a time are illegal for migratory bird hunting unless they’ve been permanently plugged to reduce capacity, a rule referenced in federal enforcement actions against Washington hunters in the past. Nontoxic shot is mandatory for waterfowl hunting throughout Washington, a nationwide requirement tied to preventing lead poisoning in waterfowl and the eagles that scavenge them. The rule extends beyond waterfowl in some contexts: nontoxic shot is required for all upland bird hunting on all pheasant release sites statewide, reflecting how seriously the state treats lead exposure risks across game bird hunting generally. Legal hunting hours differ by species and region, and shooting outside those windows is treated as a hunting violation regardless of other compliance. Western Washington pheasant and quail hunting hours run from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in all areas, and migratory bird hours follow similarly defined windows tied to sunrise and sunset that shift throughout the season. Falconry offers an alternative legal method for taking migratory birds, governed by its own separate season structure rather than the firearm seasons most hunters follow. The extended falconry season runs Sept. 26, 2026 to Feb. 6, 2027 in Western Washington and Oct. 3, 2026 to Feb. 6, 2027 in Eastern Washington, giving falconers a longer window than firearm hunters in exchange for the more restrictive take rates inherent to raptor hunting. If you also hunt upland birds or waterfowl with a bow, methods and legal equipment differ substantially from shotgun hunting — our bow hunting laws in Washington page breaks down archery-specific equipment rules, and hunters who split time between states can compare standards in bow hunting laws in Kansas, bow hunting laws in Illinois, or bow hunting laws in Pennsylvania.

Baiting Laws for Migratory Bird Hunting in Washington

Baiting is arguably the single most consequential rule in migratory bird hunting, and it’s one where Washington hunters have actually faced federal prosecution. The underlying federal statute makes it unlawful to place or direct the placement of bait on or adjacent to an area for the purpose of taking or attempting to take migratory game birds, punishable under title 18 United States Code with fines up to $100,000 for individuals and $200,000 for organizations, plus imprisonment for not more than 1 year. Hunting over bait that someone else placed is also illegal, even without direct involvement in the baiting itself. Under Title 16 United States Code, it is unlawful to hunt on or over baited areas, with maximum misdemeanor penalties up to $15,000 and/or imprisonment up to 6 months, while felony violations are punishable with fines up to $250,000 per individual, $500,000 per organization, and up to 2 years imprisonment. This isn’t a theoretical risk in Washington — it has real enforcement history. In 2006, a Sunnyside-area landowner was caught baiting a dove field, and the fallout affected everyone who hunted there. The landowner admitted to unlawfully placing bait on an area to allow others to take mourning doves and was fined $5,000 and banned from hunting in the United States for two years. The hunters on his property didn’t escape consequences either, even though they hadn’t placed the bait themselves. Officers issued citations to nine hunters for numerous violations including exceeding the bag limit for doves, possession in excess of the bag limit, and hunting with shotguns capable of holding more than three shells. In total, the Eastern Washington landowner and nine hunters paid fines in excess of $14,000 for baiting violations under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Important Note: Ignorance of a baited field is not a reliable defense. Federal agents investigate “zone of influence” around known bait sources, and WDFW’s own guidance warns hunters to be cautious even near agricultural storage. Washington specifically flags a common trap for waterfowl hunters: hunting too close to legitimate agricultural operations. For waterfowl and coot hunting, areas where grain is present and stored — such as grain elevators, grain bins, and livestock feeding areas — carry risk, and hunters are cautioned that hunting within the vicinity of a grain elevator or other places where grain is stored or fed to livestock may subject them to prosecution for hunting with the aid of bait. That investigation into the Sunnyside baiting case was a joint effort, underscoring how seriously both levels of government treat the issue: the case originated from a joint investigation by officers with the Enforcement Branch of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Special Agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Tagging, Transport and Possession Rules for Migratory Birds in Washington

Possession limits in Washington are typically set at three times the daily bag limit, but the specific numbers vary significantly by species. For ducks, the possession limit for the regular season is 21 ducks, to include not more than 6 hen mallard, 3 pintail, 6 scaup, 6 canvasback, and 6 redhead statewide, with additional Western Washington species restrictions layered on top. Coot possession limits follow a simpler structure since there’s no subspecies breakdown to track. The possession limit for coot is 75 birds, three times the 25-bird daily limit. Snipe possession works the same way, with a daily bag limit of 8 snipe and a possession limit of 24 snipe. Species requiring special authorization cards carry extra record-keeping duties at the point of harvest, not just at the end of the season. A hunter who has not previously possessed a sea duck harvest report card must submit an application form to WDFW, and immediately after taking a sea duck into possession, hunters must record in ink the information required on the harvest record card. The 2026-2027 rules update this slightly for format: hunters must physically possess a special hunting authorization and harvest record card for sea ducks when hunting scoter, long-tailed duck, and goldeneye in Western Washington, and must immediately after taking a sea duck into possession record all required information on the harvest record card. Band-tailed pigeon hunters face the same immediate-reporting standard, plus a hard deadline after the season closes. The authorization card requirement applies specifically to this species because of its historically slower population recovery compared to other migratory game birds. Brant hunters in the four eligible coastal counties work within noticeably tighter numbers than other waterfowl. Bag limits for Clallam, Skagit, Pacific and Whatcom counties set the daily bag limit at 2 brant with a possession limit of 6 brant. Transport rules generally require that harvested birds remain identifiable by species (retaining a wing or head) until they reach your final destination, a standard practice across most states but one worth confirming if you’re processing birds in the field rather than at home. Hunters who also pursue upland game or furbearers in Washington should review our coyote hunting laws in Washington guide, since possession and transport standards differ meaningfully between migratory birds and predator species.

Penalties for Migratory Bird Hunting Violations in Washington

Washington treats migratory bird violations as both a state and federal matter, which means a single bad decision in the field can trigger two separate legal processes. On the state side, many common infractions are handled as civil matters rather than criminal charges, at least for first offenses. General hunting violations — hunting without a valid license, hunting out of season, or failing to carry required stamps and permits — are all Class 1 civil infractions under Washington law. Bag and possession limit violations are treated more seriously than simple licensing lapses. Taking ducks over the legal bag limit is a criminal violation under Washington law, and penalties scale with the number of birds over the limit and the species involved. Washington’s suspension framework is built around the state’s Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Code. The Revised Code of Washington Chapter 77.15 requires the mandatory suspension of a person’s hunting privileges if a person is convicted of one of the following violations, which includes specific baiting and method violations tied to protected species. Beyond a single conviction, Washington escalates penalties for hunters who keep breaking the rules: repeat offenders receive a mandatory two-year suspension of all fishing and hunting privileges, defined as any person with two strikes within ten years for big game hunting violations and three strikes within ten years for all other recreational hunting and fishing violations. Notably, the legal process doesn’t require a trial to count against you. The law treats an uncontested notice of infraction, a finding of “committed” on an infraction, or a guilty plea as a conviction that will count toward a potential suspension. And the consequences aren’t limited to Washington: the privilege to hunt or fish in Washington will also be revoked if notice of a suspension is received from another state whose suspensions Washington has agreed to honor, and Washington similarly reports suspensions in this state to other states. Equipment and evidence are also fair game for seizure under state law, separate from any fine. Property used to violate fishing and hunting regulations, or held with the intention of committing a violation, may be seized for evidence and may ultimately be forfeited to the state. Goose violations tied to protected subspecies illustrate how state and federal penalty structures overlap in practice. Other violations of Area 2 goose hunting rules are punishable as an infraction under RCW 77.15.160(2)(e) or as a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor under RCW 77.15.400 for unlawful hunting of wild birds, depending on the circumstances of the violation.

Violation Type	Classification	Potential Consequence
No license/HIP/stamp	Class 1 civil infraction	Fine, possible citation
Over bag/possession limit	Criminal violation (state)	Fines scaling with excess, possible license action
Hunting over bait	Federal misdemeanor/felony	Up to $15,000 (misdemeanor) or $250,000 (felony), imprisonment
Placing bait	Federal misdemeanor	Up to $100,000 individual / $200,000 organization, up to 1 year
Repeat offenses (3 strikes/10 yrs)	Mandatory suspension	2-year suspension of all hunting/fishing privileges

Pro Tip: Because Washington participates in the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, a suspension here can follow you to nearly every other state. Treat a Washington citation as a multi-state problem, not a local one.

This article is intended for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Hunting regulations change between seasons, so confirm current rules directly with WDFW or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before you hunt.

Staying compliant with migratory bird hunting laws in Washington comes down to treating state and federal rules as two separate checklists that both need attention — not one combined set of guidelines. Confirm your HIP certification, carry the right authorization cards for the species you’re after, know your zone’s baiting risk, and keep your possession numbers straight before you ever load a shell. For related species-specific and cross-state comparisons, see our guides on duck hunting laws in Alaska, duck hunting laws in Connecticut, and hunting laws in Kentucky.