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Hunt Season & Regulations - Migratory Game Birds & Waterfowl

Migratory Bird Regulations

On this page:
Scroll down or click the quick link to view seasons and regulations for the following species:   

Additional Information


Please review the 2010 Nevada Hunting Seasons and Regulations for current Hunting Regulations.


Looking for Population Data?



Check out the 2008 Upland and Migratory Game Bird, Rabbit and Furbearing Mammals Harvest Data and Population Status Reports / Appendix I / Appendix II


What You Need to Hunt Migratory Birds
  • All waterfowl hunters are required to have federal and state waterfowl hunting stamps.
  • A Nevada State Duck Stamp ($10.00) is required for any person 12-64 years old who hunts migratory birds, except mourning or white-winged dove, snipe, coot, or moorhen. A federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Stamp ($16.00 at NDOW) is required for any person 16 or older who hunts any migratory waterfowl.

  • Nontoxic shot is required in Nevada (NAC 503.183)
  • 1. A hunter of ducks, mergansers, geese, swans, coots, gallinules or snipe shall use nontoxic shot in muzzle loaders or in shells for a shotgun when hunting in this state.
    2. The possession of shells for a shotgun which contain other than nontoxic shot is prohibited while hunting any bird designated in subsection 1.
    3. The possession of shot for a muzzle-loading shotgun other than nontoxic shot is prohibited while hunting any birds designated in subsection 1.
    4. As used in this section, "nontoxic shot" means any shot which has been approved by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service pursuant to 50 C.F.R. Part 20.134.

  • Shotguns must be plugged to limit overall shell capacity to three.



Harvest Information Program (HIP)
  • The Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP) is a method by Nevada Department of Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are developing more reliable estimates of the number of all migratory birds harvested throughout the country. These estimates give biologists the information they need to make sound decisions concerning hunting seasons, bag limits, and population management.

    Any person 12 years or older who plans to hunt any kind of migratory game bird, including ducks, geese, swans, rails, coot, doves, snipe, or gallinules in Nevada this year, is required to ANNUALLY obtain a Harvest Information Program (HIP) validation number and write it on their hunting license before entering the field.

    How to Get Your HIP Number

    The validation number is free, and is available by one of two ways:

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is conducting the nationwide harvest survey to better understand the impact of hunting on these wildlife resources. Some migratory bird hunters may be surveyed to collect harvest information.


Additional Regulations
  • For laws and regulations concerning waterfowl, boating, and other use regulations on state and federal lands, see the 2009 Nevada Hunt Book, which will be available on this site, and at license agents and NDOW offices. 

  • Waterfowl hunting is open to non-residents.

  • Waterfowl hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.  Waterfowl season and limit brochures will be available in on September 30 at NDOW offices and license agents. 

  • Migratory game birds are ducks, mergansers, geese, swans, coots, moorhens, snipe and dove. 

  • Head or fully feathered wing must remain attached while in transit from the field for ducks, mergansers, coots and moorhens, snipe, geese and swans.

  • Please report bird bands.  Call 1-800-327-BAND.
    By reporting band numbers, you will be helping to manage our continental waterfowl resource. When you call the Bird Banding Lab, they will ask when and where you encountered the bird. You can then find out when and where the bird was banded.

Protected Non-Game Birds
  • Non-game birds, such as shore birds, song birds, hawks, ravens, owls, etc., are protected by state and federal law, and as such must not be hunted, killed or possessed.

American Crow
2010 - 2011
American Crow

Season Dates
(Inclusive)

Open Counties

Limits
Daily/Possession

Fall Season
September 1, 2010 -
November 17, 2010

Spring Season
March 1, 2011 -
April 15, 2011

Statewide
Daily bag limit 10
SPECIAL REGULATIONS/INFORMATION

Shooting hours: Sunrise to sunset daily.

Shotguns only.

All crows must be retrieved and removed from the field.

Season closed on ravens.

 

Mourning & White-Winged Dove
2010 - 2011
Mourning & White-Wing Dove

Season Dates
(Inclusive)

Open Counties

Limits
Daily/Possession

September 1 - 30, 2010

Statewide
10/20
SPECIAL REGULATIONS/INFORMATION

LIMIT: Limit singly or in aggregate.

Shooting hours: One half hour before sunrise to sunset daily.

Note: White-wing dove season is closed in all counties except for Clark and Nye counties.

Limits for mourning dove and white-wing dove are singly or in aggregate in Clark and Nye Counties.

 

 


Ducks & Mergansers
2010 - 2011
Ducks & Mergansers

Season Dates
(Inclusive)

Open Counties

Limits
Daily/Possession


General Duck:
Oct. 16, 2010- Jan. 29, 2011

Scaup:
Nov. 6, 2010 - Jan. 29, 2011




Northern Zone:

  • Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, Storey, Washoe, and White Pine

General Duck Limits: 7/14

Pintail: 2/4
Mallard: Included within the general duck limit, but not to include more than 2 hen mallards and 4 in possession.
Redhead: 2/4
Canvasback: 1/2
Scaup (Lesser or Greater): 3 / 6, included within the general duck limit

 

General Duck:
Oct. 16, 2010- Jan. 28, 2011

Scaup:
Nov. 6, 2010 - Jan. 28, 2011


Southern Zone

  • Clark*
  • Lincoln

General Duck Limits: 7/14

Pintail: 2/4
Mallard: Included within the general duck limit, but not to include more than 2 hen mallards and 4 in possession.
Redhead: 2/4
Canvasback: 1/2
Scaup (Lesser or Greater): 3 / 6, included within the general duck limit

 

General Duck:
Nov. 6, 2010 - Jan. 28, 201

Scaup:

Nov. 6, 2010 - Jan. 28, 201



Moapa Valley portion of the Overton Wildlife Management Area

General Duck Limits: 7/14

Pintail: 2/4
Mallard: Included within the general duck limit, but not to include more than 2 hen mallards and 4 in possession.
Redhead: 2/4
Canvasback: 1/2
Scaup (Lesser or Greater): 3 / 6, included within the general duck limit

 

SPECIAL REGULATIONS/INFORMATION:

*Except the Moapa Valley portin of the Overton Wildlife Management Area.

SHOOTING HOURS: ½ hour before sunrise to sunset. Open to Nonresidents.

Maximum limits allowed for all species under the Federal Framework.





Youth Waterfowl Hunt
2010 - 2011
Youth Waterfowl Hunt

Season Dates
(Inclusive)
Open Counties

Limits
Daily/Possession

Oct. 2, 2010

Northern Zone

  • All Counties but Clark and Lincoln

Daily bag limit is the same as that for the general season for ducks, megansers, geese, coots and moorhens. Canvasback is closed. Limits singly or in aggregate for Canada and white-fronted geese. Limits singly or in aggregate for Snow and Ross' geese. White Pine Counties.

Feb. 5 - 6, 2011

Southern Zone

  • Clark
  • Lincoln

Daily bag limit is the same as that for the general season for ducks, megansers, geese, coots and moorhens. Canvasback is closed. Limits singly or in aggregate for Canada and white-fronted geese. Limits singly or in aggregate for Snow and Ross' geese.

Special Regulations / Information open to hunters 15 years old or younger.Youth hunters must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 18 years old. Adults are not allowed to hunt during this season. Open to Nonresidents.

*Snow and Ross’ geese are closed in Ruby Valley within Elko and White Pine Counties

 


Coots & Common Moorhens
2010 - 2011
Coots & Common Moorhens (gallinules)

Season Dates
(Inclusive)
Open Counties

Limits
Daily/Possession

Northern

Oct. 16, 2010 - Jan. 29, 2011

  • Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, Storey, Washoe, White Pine

 



25/25

Southern

Oct. 16, 2010 - Jan. 28, 2011

  • Clark*
  • Lincoln

 

25/25

Moapa Valley portion of the Overton Wildlife Management Area

Nov. 6, 2010 - Jan. 28, 2011

25/25

SPECIAL REGULATIONS/INFORMATION:

*Except the Moapa Valley portin of the Overton Wildlife Management Area.

LIMIT: Singly or in the aggregate.SHOOTING HOURS: ½ hour before sunrise to sunset

OPEN to nonresidents.





Canada & White-Fronted Geese
2010 - 2011
Canada & White-Fronted Geese

Season Dates
(Inclusive)

Open Counties Limits
Daily/Possession

Northern

Oct. 16, 2010 – Jan. 29, 2011

Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, Storey, Washoe, White Pine
3/6

Southern

Oct. 16, 2010 - Jan. 28, 2011

Clark*, Lincoln
3/6

Nov. 6, 2010 - Jan. 28, 2011

Moapa Valley portion of the Overton Wildlife Management Area 3/6

SPECIAL REGULATIONS/INFORMATION:LIMIT: Singly or in the aggregate.SHOOTING HOURS: ½ hour before sunrise to sunset

OPEN to nonresidents.





Snow & Ross' Geese
2009 - 2010
Snow & Ross' Geese

Season Dates
(Inclusive)

Open Counties
Limits/Daily Possession

Northern

Oct. 16, 2010 – Jan. 29, 2011

Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, Storey, Washoe, White Pine
10/20

Southern

Oct. 16, 2010 - Jan. 28, 2011

Clark*, Lincoln
10/20

Nov. 6, 2010 - Jan. 28, 2011

Moapa Valley portion of the Overton Wildlife Management Area 10/20

SPECIAL REGULATIONS/INFORMATION:

 

Shooting Hours: 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset

Open to Nonresidents.

CLOSED: Ruby Valley within Elko and White Pine Counties





Common Snipe
2009 - 2010
Common Snipe

Season Dates
(Inclusive)
Open Counties

Limits
Daily/Possession

Northern:
Oct. 16, 2010 – Jan. 29, 2011

 

Northern Zone

  • Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, Storey, Washoe
  • White Pine

8/16

Southern:
Oct. 16, 2010 - Jan. 28, 2011

  • Clark*
  • Lincoln

    *Except the Moapa Valley portion of the Overton Wildlife Management Area.

8/16

Moapa Valley portion of the Overton Wildlife Management Area

Nov. 6, 2010 - Jan. 28, 2011

8/16

SPECIAL REGULATIONS/INFORMATION: 

SHOOTING HOURS: ½ hour before sunrise to sunset.

OPEN to nonresidents.





Swan
2008 -2009
Swan

Season Dates
(Inclusive)
Open Counties

Limits
Daily/Possession


Oct. 16, 2010 - Jan. 2, 2010

  • Churchill
  • Lyon
  • Pershing

1 swan per hunt permit. Maximum of two swan permits per season. One swan per day.


SPECIAL REGULATIONS/INFORMATION:

Persons may apply for one of the 650 swan hunt permits. Applications must be mailed through a postal service to the address listed on the application or submitted online through the Internet at www.ndow.org. Permits are to be awarded through an initial drawing.

Deadline: Applications must be received by 5 p.m. by Friday Sept. 18, 2009. No hand delivered applications for the drawing. Results of the initial drawing will be provided by Friday, Oct. 2, 2009.

Any remaining swan hunt permits will be available on a first come, first served basis through the mail or over the counter during normal business hours (M-F 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.) at the Wildlife Administrative Services Office, 185 North Main Street, Fallon, Nevada Beginning on Monday, Oct. 5, 2009. Applications are available at all Department of Wildlife offices and select license agents. Persons may apply for a second swan permit beginning on Monday, Oct. 5, 2009. Applicants can submit one application per draw period. Applicants that did not apply for the initial drawing period may submit two applications during the first come, first served draw period.

Successful swan hunters are required to validate their permit pursuant to NAC 502.380, and then present at least the head and neck of their swan to an NDOW agent at selected sites for species verification within five (5) days of harvest. Mandatory inspection sites and requirements will be provided with the swan hunt permits.

If a total harvest of five (5) trumpeter swans is reached, the swan season is closed for the remainder of the season.

Persons must possess a valid annual Nevada hunting license and both a current Federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Stamp and a current Nevada Duck Stamp, when required, to hunt swan in Nevada.

Open to Nonresidents who have a valid annual Nevada hunting license or a Nonresident Short-Term Permit to hunt Upland game & Waterfowl and required waterfowl stamps.





Falconry Seasons for Migratory Birds
Falconry Seasons for Migratory Birds
Season Dates
(Inclusive)
Open Counties
Limits
Daily/Possession

Northern

Oct. 16, 2010 – Jan. 29, 2011

Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, Storey, Washoe, White Pine
3/6

Southern

Oct. 16, 2010 - Jan. 28, 2011

Clark*, Lincoln
3/6

Nov. 6, 2010 - Jan. 28, 2011

Moapa Valley portion of the Overton Wildlife Management Area 3/6

SPECIAL REGULATIONS/INFORMATION: Migratory game birds species allowed for legal take include: geese, ducks, mergansers, coots, common moorhens and common snipe. Limits: for all permitted migratory game birds are singly or in the aggregate. Hawking Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Open to Nonresidents.

 

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