A Maryland duck hunt can feel older than the road that brought you there. Dawn lifts over the Chesapeake, the marsh grass rattles, and decoys pull at their lines in a thin chop. A black duck may cross the creek like a dark arrow. A canvasback may ride the wind over big water. The scene feels free, but the hunt is held together by rules, the way a boat is held together by rivets you may not notice until one fails.
Maryland duck hunting laws come from Maryland DNR rules and federal migratory bird law. Ducks, coots, brant, and geese move across state lines, so hunters need to follow both rule sets. A lawful hunt needs the right hunting license, Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp proof, HIP certification, Federal Duck Stamp when required, open season dates, legal shooting hours, approved nontoxic shot, a plugged shotgun, correct bag limits, proper bird ID, and legal access to the blind, shoreline, boat, or public hunting area.
High-End Gear Picks for Maryland Duck Hunters
Affiliate note: I may earn from qualifying Amazon purchases through the links below. Maryland waterfowl gear has to handle salt spray, tidal mud, cold boat rides, icy ramps, open-bay wind, and long sits in wet cover. For premium glass, Swarovski NL Pure 10×42 binoculars are a high-end pick for watching birds cross big water and marsh edges. For cold tidal hunts, SITKA Delta Zip Waders are built for hard waterfowl use. For retriever handlers, a Garmin Alpha 300i with TT25 collar can help track a dog in marsh grass, flooded brush, and shoreline cover. For open-water safety, the Garmin inReach Mini 2 satellite messenger is a strong backup when cell signal fades. A premium setup with those items can pass $2,000 quickly, so buy for salt, wind, mud, and real blind abuse.
Who Needs a Maryland Hunting License?
Most duck hunters in Maryland need a valid Maryland hunting license. Maryland offers resident, nonresident, senior, junior, short-term, and apprentice license choices. A nonresident 3-day waterfowl and small game license can fit visiting duck hunters, but it does not replace stamp and HIP duties. A hunter should carry photo ID in the field, along with license and stamp proof.
Maryland has license exemptions for some people, including certain landowners and family members hunting on their own land. Those exemptions do not erase every waterfowl duty. Migratory game bird hunters still need the Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp proof and HIP certification. Waterfowl hunters age 16 or older still need the Federal Duck Stamp unless a narrow rule says otherwise.
Hunter Education Rules
Maryland requires hunter safety proof for first-time hunting license buyers unless they qualify through older license history or another listed path. A hunter can meet the rule with a Certificate of Competency in Firearms and Hunter Safety, proof of a hunting license held before July 1, 1977, proof of lawful private-land hunting before that date, or an accepted hunter education certificate from another state.
Nonresident hunters who buy a license only to hunt waterfowl have a special route under Maryland’s license rules, but that does not remove the need to hunt safely or carry the required waterfowl paperwork. A young hunter or new hunter should settle this before the season. A blind at daylight is no place to sort out missing education proof.
Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp and HIP
Every migratory game bird hunter in Maryland needs the Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp proof. This applies to ducks, coots, doves, rails, snipe, waterfowl, and woodcock. It also applies to hunters who do not need a regular hunting license and to senior hunting license holders. Maryland no longer gives a paper state stamp for this item. Hunters need the printed validation that proves purchase.
HIP certification is issued with the Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp. HIP stands for Harvest Information Program. It is tied to harvest questions about birds taken in a prior season and birds a hunter plans to pursue. The field rule is plain: carry the proof. A missing validation can stop a hunt even when the shotgun, dog, and decoys are ready.
Federal Duck Stamp
Waterfowl hunters age 16 or older need a Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp to hunt ducks, coots, brant, and geese in Maryland. A traditional stamp must be signed in ink and carried while hunting. An approved E-Stamp or printed proof bought through the Maryland system or an approved seller can serve under the rules tied to that purchase.
The Federal Duck Stamp is separate from the Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp. Buying one does not cover the other. Treat the paperwork like a three-part key: hunting license when needed, Maryland stamp and HIP proof, and Federal Duck Stamp for hunters age 16 or older.
Maryland Duck Hunting Zones
Maryland has Eastern and Western duck zones. The Eastern Duck Zone covers the Eastern Shore counties, much of Southern Maryland, and parts of central Maryland east of a set highway line. The Western Duck Zone covers Allegany, Carroll, Garrett, Frederick, and Washington counties, plus parts of Baltimore, Howard, Prince George’s, and Montgomery counties west of that line.
The line matters because opening dates differ. A hunter near Baltimore, Howard County, Montgomery County, or Prince George’s County should use the Maryland DNR duck zone map, not a guess. A short drive can move a hunter from one date set to another, and the birds will not warn you when the rule changes.
Newest Finalized Maryland Duck Season Dates
As of late May 2026, Maryland’s newest finalized public guide is the 2025-2026 migratory game bird guide. The 2026-2027 dates were in the proposal and review process in the material available at that time. Hunters planning fall 2026 should check the new Maryland DNR guide before hunting. The table below shows the finalized 2025-2026 duck dates as a guide to how Maryland sets the season.
| Maryland Duck Zone | Regular Duck Season Dates | Black Duck Open Dates | Regular Duck Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Zone | Oct. 11-Oct. 18, 2025; Nov. 15-Nov. 28, 2025; Dec. 16, 2025-Jan. 31, 2026 | Nov. 15-Nov. 28, 2025; Dec. 16, 2025-Jan. 31, 2026 | 6 ducks, with species caps |
| Western Zone | Oct. 4-Oct. 18, 2025; Nov. 22-Nov. 28, 2025; Dec. 16, 2025-Jan. 31, 2026 | Nov. 22-Nov. 28, 2025; Dec. 16, 2025-Jan. 31, 2026 | 6 ducks, with species caps |
The black duck note matters. Black ducks may be taken only during the black duck open dates. A black duck slipping over a creek during an early October duck split is not legal just because other ducks are open. Maryland’s marshes can put several duck types in the same sky, so bird ID must happen before the shot.
September Teal Season
Maryland’s finalized 2025 September teal season ran Sept. 18-Sept. 27. It was open only in listed eastern and southern counties and parts of Anne Arundel, Prince George’s, and Charles counties. The daily limit was 6 teal, with 18 in possession. The teal bag could include blue-winged and green-winged teal.
Teal season is quick, warm, and easy to misread. Wood ducks and other early birds can move with teal at low light. A small duck is not always a legal teal. During this season, fast shooting without clear ID is like running a boat through fog with no chart.
Duck, Sea Duck, and Coot Limits
The regular Maryland duck limit is 6 ducks per day. Inside that 6-duck bag, a hunter may take no more than 4 mallards, and only 2 may be hens. The bag may also include no more than 3 wood ducks, 2 black ducks during black duck season only, 2 canvasbacks, 3 pintails, 2 redheads, 1 fulvous tree duck, 1 mottled duck, and 1 scaup per day until the late scaup window, when 2 scaup per day are allowed.
Sea ducks count inside the 6-duck daily bag. A hunter may take no more than 4 sea ducks in that bag, with no more than 3 scoters, 3 long-tailed ducks, or 3 eiders. Only 1 eider hen may be taken. Harlequin ducks are closed. Swans, gallinules, and moorhens are also closed under the posted Maryland migratory bird guide.
Coots have their own daily limit. In addition to the duck bag, a hunter may take 15 coots per day, with possession set at three times the daily bag. The duck possession limit is also three times the daily bag, with species caps tripled. A freezer, cooler, camp, boat, and processor count toward possession, so do not treat birds as gone just because they left the blind.
Sea Duck Zone and Offshore Waterfowl Zone
Maryland no longer has a separate special sea duck season under the federal season system, but it still keeps the Sea Duck Zone. Sea ducks may be taken in Maryland during regular duck season as part of the regular 6-duck bag. In parts of the Sea Duck Zone that do not overlap the Offshore Waterfowl Hunting Zone, hunters may shoot only sea ducks. Those birds still count toward the regular daily duck bag.
That rule can trip up boat hunters. A place may look open for ducks, but the zone overlay may allow only sea ducks. Check both the Sea Duck Zone and Offshore Waterfowl Hunting Zone before setting up on big water. On the Chesapeake, a map can be as useful as a shotgun.
Youth, Veteran, and Military Waterfowl Days
Maryland’s finalized 2025-2026 youth, veteran, and military waterfowl days were Nov. 1, 2025, and Feb. 7, 2026. These days were open to youth hunters age 16 or younger, military veterans, and active-duty armed forces members, including certain National Guard and Reserve members on active duty.
Youth hunters need a qualified adult in the field. The adult must be at least 21, hold a valid Maryland hunting license or be exempt, and remain unarmed unless the adult also qualifies as an active military member or honorably discharged veteran under the special rule. Youth, veteran, and military hunters still need Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp and HIP proof. Hunters age 16 or older need the Federal Duck Stamp.
Goose and Brant Rules Duck Hunters Should Know
Maryland duck hunters often see geese and brant during the same outing. That does not mean every goose or brant is legal on every duck day. Atlantic Population Canada goose season, resident Canada goose zones, light goose season, brant season, and the light goose conservation order each have separate dates and limits.
In the finalized 2025-2026 guide, brant were open Dec. 29-Jan. 31 with a daily limit of 1 and a possession limit of 3. Light geese had a 25-bird daily limit during the regular light goose season and no possession limit. The light goose conservation order had no daily or possession limit, but it needed a Maryland Snow Goose Conservation Order permit and had its own equipment rules.
During the light goose conservation order, unplugged shotguns and electronic calls for light geese are allowed, and shooting hours run later. Those relaxed gear rules do not carry over to normal duck season. A rule that fits snow geese in spring can be wrong for mallards in December.
Legal Shooting Hours and Sunday Hunting
Maryland shooting hours for regular duck and coot seasons are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. The same hours apply to youth, veteran, and military waterfowl days. The light goose conservation order runs from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
Maryland also bars migratory game bird hunting on Sundays. That is easy to forget when a season split runs across a weekend. Check the calendar before setting the alarm. A perfect wind on Sunday does not make Sunday legal.
Legal Shotguns and Nontoxic Shot
Only shotguns that are 10-gauge or smaller may be used to hunt migratory game birds in Maryland. A shotgun that can hold more than three shells must be plugged with a one-piece filler that cannot be removed from the loading end. The gun may not hold more than three shells in the chamber and magazine combined during normal duck season.
Maryland has two main exceptions tied to waterfowl. Shotguns capable of holding more than three shells may be used for resident Canada geese during the September season and for light geese during the light goose conservation order. Those exceptions do not apply to normal duck hunts.
Nontoxic shot is required for hunting waterfowl and coots. Hunters may not use or possess lead shot while hunting waterfowl and coots. Hunters also may not use or possess approved nontoxic shot larger than size T. Steel, bismuth, and approved tungsten loads are common choices. Check every coat pocket and shell box before the hunt. One lead shell can spoil a morning like sand in an oyster.
Methods That Are Not Allowed
Migratory game birds may not be taken with traps, snares, nets, rifles, pistols, swivel guns, punt guns, battery guns, machine guns, fishhooks, poisons, drugs, explosives, or stupefying substances. Shotguns larger than 10-gauge are barred. Maryland also bars taking waterfowl with a crossbow.
Live decoys are not allowed. Recorded or electronically amplified bird calls are not allowed for normal duck hunting. Electronic calls are allowed only in the light goose conservation order where the rule allows them. Sink boxes are not legal. A hunter may not shoot from a motorboat or sailboat until the motor is off, the sail is furled, and forward motion from that power has stopped.
Baiting is barred. A baited area is a place where grain, salt, feed, or another lure has been placed to draw birds. An area can remain baited for 10 days after all bait is removed. Normal farming and managed wetland work can be lawful when done under the rules, but dumped grain near a blind is a warning sign in plain sight.
Offshore Blinds and Blind Sites
Maryland has detailed offshore blind and blind-site laws. A Stationary Blind and Blind Site License is needed to hunt from an offshore waterfowl blind or blind site in Maryland public waters. Shoreline owners may license their shoreline and offshore sites, while other Maryland residents can use the open licensing process when shoreline is unlicensed and legal space is open.
Offshore stationary blinds and blind sites must be at least 250 yards from each other. They must be at least 150 yards from a dwelling unless the licensee has written permission from the owner of that house. In many places, a stationary blind or blind site must be within 300 yards of the licensed shoreline or within one-third of the distance to the opposite shore, whichever is less. Some Chesapeake Bay and Prospect Bay areas have a longer distance rule.
Blinds and blind-site stakes have marking rules. A stationary blind must show the licensee’s name and license number and carry reflective material. A blind-site stake must also show the licensee’s name and license number and be marked with reflective material. A hunter using another person’s licensed blind or site should have a copy of the license. These rules are easy to overlook until another boat shows up in the dark.
Public Land, Refuges, and Permits
Maryland has state wildlife areas, natural resource management areas, state parks with limited hunts, federal refuges, and public blind sites. Each property can have its own reservation system, permit, check-in rule, entry time, hunting day, blind assignment, closed area, boat rule, or shell rule. A statewide open season does not open every marsh.
Some public lands allow waterfowl hunting only from marked sites or only during certain splits. Others need a Central Region or Southern Region public hunting permit. Federal refuges can have their own drawings and stricter access rules. Read the property page before leaving home, then read the sign at the ramp. The sign at the gate is part of the law for that hunt.
Private Land and Permission
Written permission is required to hunt on private land in Maryland. That rule matters for shoreline, farm ponds, creeks, fields, and marsh edges. A boat, tide, or creek channel does not erase private rights on land. When in doubt, get permission in writing before the hunt.
Permission also helps avoid blind conflicts. Waterfront owners, licensed shoreline holders, and offshore blind licensees may have rights that are not plain from the water. Respect property lines and licensed sites. In Maryland duck country, good manners can be as useful as good calling.
Retrieval, Bird ID, Tagging, and Transport
A hunter must make a reasonable effort to retrieve killed or wounded migratory birds. Wounded birds brought to hand must be killed at once and counted in the daily bag. A crippled duck in marsh grass is not a loose end. It is part of the hunt.
During transport, keep the head or one fully feathered wing attached until the bird reaches the hunter’s home or a migratory bird preservation facility. This allows species and sex ID for mallard hens, black ducks, scaup, pintails, canvasbacks, redheads, sea ducks, and other birds with caps.
If birds are given, left with another person, stored, shipped, or taken to a processor, tag them. A tag should show the hunter’s name, address, signature, number of birds by species, and harvest dates. Group hunts need clean counts by hunter. A shared pile of birds in the bottom of a boat can become a problem fast.
Meat Care in Maryland Waterfowl Weather
Maryland weather can swing from icy wind to damp warmth in one hunt. Keep birds cool, clean, and dry. Do not leave warm ducks sealed in plastic or lying in bilge water. Use a game strap, breathable bag, and cooler. Keep salt, fuel, mud, and dog hair away from meat when possible.
Do not clean birds so early that the required wing or head is gone during transport. Count before cleaning, and count again before leaving camp. A good duck dinner starts long before the skillet. It starts when the bird leaves the water.
Maryland Duck Hunting Law Check Before You Go
Before a Maryland duck hunt, check your hunting license, hunter education status, Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp proof, HIP certification, Federal Duck Stamp, photo ID, duck zone, season split, black duck dates, teal area, shooting hours, Sunday rule, daily limit, species caps, coot limit, possession limit, shotgun plug, nontoxic shells, public land permit, blind-site license, private-land permission, boat rule, and bird ID plan.
Maryland duck hunting laws can look heavy at first, but they settle into field habits. Hunt the right zone on the right date. Carry the right papers. Use approved nontoxic shot. Keep the gun plugged. Skip Sundays. Count every bird. Leave a wing or head attached. Tag birds when another person handles them. Respect licensed blinds, public land signs, and private shorelines. Do that, and the rules become part of the day’s rhythm, like decoys riding a Chesapeake chop and ducks crossing gray winter water.
This article is a plain-English guide, not legal advice. Maryland seasons, limits, fees, permits, blind-site rules, public land rules, and federal rules can change. Before each hunt, check the newest Maryland DNR migratory game bird season page, current hunting guide, and the rules for the exact blind, marsh, river, bay, refuge, or public hunting area where you plan to hunt.