Once you start researching the waterfowl hunting lifestyle you’ll see one topic come up repeatedly. Everyone wants to know the best states for serious waterfowl hunters. The problem with asking this question in full-timer discussion forums and Facebook groups is that there is no single answer. Choosing the best state to hunt waterfowl in is a complicated matter, so let’s examine the situation a little more.
The Final Choice Depends on Your Situation
Many people confuse the terms “good” and “great” hunting so let’s begin by clarifying those terms. A good waterfowl hunting state is simply where you have ample hunting opportunity and bagging birds is almost a given on each hunt. Some people have many good hunting spots, such as people who spend time on property they own in multiple states. The prairie pothole region is where some spend the winter hunting ducks and it’s good, but it’s not considered great.
A great waterfowl hunting spot is not just a temporary home base for full-time waterfowl hunters. A great area involves consistent habitat and opportunity to provide close to limit hunts. This is why it’s a more complicated choice than where to set the decoys out. The bag limits and hunting regulations of this world force all of us to abide by the rules of the state. The state in which you choose to hunt in needs to have conditions favorable to great hunting.
You also need to consider how long the hunting season is actually viable in some states since northern states can freeze up or send most of the birds south. Once you choose a state, it’s important to look at waterfowl harvest rates to identify which species occur there and how it compares to other states. This must be done in order to avoid focusing on harvesting species of waterfowl that aren’t abundant there.
When all these factors come together, you’ve identified a great place to hunt waterfowl. Right now we’ll examine the three most popular and best states for a full-time waterfowl hunters.
The Three Best States Serious Waterfowl Hunters
The best states for serious waterfowl hunters generally come down to Arkansas, California, and Texas. All three states are in the middle of their respective flyways and have liberal hunting regulations to take full advantage of hunting ducks and geese. Choosing a waterfowl hunting destination usually comes down to a few important factors that affect a person’s wallet:
- Hunting land and lease costs
- Guide fees
- Hunting licensing fees and annual reporting requirements
- Ease of travel and weather conditions
- Types of waterfowl available to hunt
If you’re a freelance duck hunter, ease of running the dirt roads and asking permission to hunt in that state is also a major factor.
What’s right for one serious hunter isn’t always right for another. Like many things about this lifestyle, everyone’s situation is different. Some of us are working, juggling the family life, and trying to make it all work in one place. Some serious waterfowl hunter’s own property and others have complicated hunting strategies. Others don’t own anything more than what’s stored in their truck or on their boat. This is just a snapshot of how a person’s financial picture affects their choice of what state they hunt duck in.
Waterfowl Harvest by Species: State Leaderboard
If hunting certain types of waterfowl are a top priority, this list shows which states harvest the most ducks and geese by species.
- Black Duck – Maryland
- Blue-winged Teal – Texas
- Bufflehead – Michigan
- Canvasback – California
- Eider – Massachusetts
- Gadwall – Texas
- Goldeneye – Idaho
- Greater Scaup – Oregon
- Green-winged Teal – California
- Hooded Merganser – Minnesota
- Lesser Scaup – Louisiana
- Long-tailed Duck – Michigan
- Mallard – Arkansas
- Mottled Duck – Louisiana
- Northern Pintail – California
- Redhead – Texas
- Ringneck Duck – Texas
- Ruddy Duck – North Dakota
- Scoter – Maryland
- Northern Shoveler – California
- Wigeon – California
- Wood Duck – North Carolina
- Brant – New Jersey
- Canada Goose – Michigan
- Snow Goose – California
- Ross’ Goose – Texas
- White-fronted Goose – California
States that harvest the most ducks and geese by species. Compiled using the USFWS harvest reports for 2021.
More Waterfowl Harvest Studies
Harvest studies are conducted by the USFWS each year in the U.S. to gauge the number of ducks and geese that are taken by hunters. This aids in setting bag limits and managing migratory bird populations from year to year. Below are the most common migratory species with available harvest data. Please click the links below to see how many birds were harvested and where.
Talking to other serious waterfowl hunters in discussion forums can get you thinking about which state you want to choose. Ultimately only you can decide which state works best for you. The good news is that if you choose a state and find out it doesn’t work well in your situation, there are many other states to choose from that will provide you what you are looking for.
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