If you’ve been counting down the days until waterfowl season opens, your wait is nearly over. You can begin hunting ducks and geese in Utah’s northern zone marshes tomorrow! (The southern zone waterfowl hunts open Oct. 14.) Keep reading for details on licensing requirements, WMA conditions, safety considerations and more.

Make sure you have a license, HIP number and duck stamp

Nearly all of Utah’s waterfowl hunts are open to anyone with a valid Utah hunting or combination license. (The only exception is tundra swan hunting, which requires a separate permit from the hunt drawing that ended July 19.) In addition to a license, you will also likely need the following before you can hunt: 

• A  free Harvest Information Program number, which is required in order to hunt any waterfowl in Utah. (Having a HIP number is mandatory for hunters of all ages.) 
• A federal duck stamp, if you are 16 or older. You can purchase a duck stamp from your local post office, various license agents or by calling 800-782-6724. Duck stamps are not available at DWR offices.

Check current WMA conditions

The DWR owns and manages more than 20 waterfowl management areas, which are now open to hunters for scouting. See detailed reports on WMA conditions for the waterfowl hunt opener, especially if you plan to launch an airboat.

Important: The WMAs will likely be crowded because more people will want to hunt in areas managed for waterfowl. Please be courteous and respectful of others who are hunting nearby.

Keep safety in mind

If you are planning to hunt waterfowl in Utah this fall, there are some things you’ll want to watch out for, depending on your hunting location. Two diseases that affect waterfowl, avian influenza and avian botulism, have killed birds in Utah this year. There are also harmful algal blooms present in multiple Utah waterbodies. Be sure to read about these issues and take the following precautions to keep yourself and your hunting dog safe:

• Do not harvest, handle or eat any animal that appears sick.
• Wear rubber or disposable latex gloves while handling and cleaning birds. Wash your hands with soap and water, and thoroughly clean all knives, equipment and surfaces that come in contact with the birds. Disinfect using a 10% chlorine bleach solution.
• Keep your game birds cool, clean and dry.
• Do not eat, drink or smoke while cleaning game or handling animals.
• All game meat should be thoroughly cooked before eating (well-done or 165° F).
• If you are hunting with a dog, keep them from consuming meat from dead or dying birds.

Know Utah’s waterfowl hunting laws and rules

Before you begin hunting, be sure to check the Utah Waterfowl Guidebook for specific zone boundaries, season dates and bag limits. (See pages 3-4 of the guidebook for an overview of rule changes that are new this year.) And keep in mind: Starting this year, it is illegal to harvest trumpeter swans in Utah. 

Participate in the Utah Waterfowl Slam

If you'd like to add some fun and challenge to your hunt, consider completing the Utah Waterfowl Slam. There are currently 10 slams with different levels of difficulty, so you can find a variety of fun, unique challenges. This program supports habitat-improvement projects on WMAs across the state. 

We wish you a fun, safe and successful waterfowl season! To learn more about what to expect this year, click the link below.