Waterfowl
Intermediate · Best waterfowl hunting in the Tidewater and Chesapeake Bay regions, Eastern Shore, and Back Bay. Inland opportunities on major rivers (James, Rappahannock, Shenandoah) and reservoirs throughout the state.
Virginia's position along the Atlantic Flyway makes it an outstanding waterfowl destination, with the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries serving as one of the most important wintering areas for ducks and geese in North America. Hunters can pursue a wide variety of species including mallards, wood ducks, black ducks, canvasbacks, Canada geese, and snow geese. The Eastern Shore and Back Bay provide world-class hunting, while inland reservoirs and river systems offer additional opportunities. Virginia's waterfowl seasons typically run from October through January.
Seasons
Teal Season
Shotgun
Duck Season (Early Zone)
Shotgun
Duck Season (Regular)
Shotgun
Canada Goose (Early/Resident)
Shotgun
Canada Goose (Regular)
Shotgun
Snow Goose Conservation
Shotgun (no plug required)
Bag Limits
Ducks: 6 per day (species-specific sub-limits apply, e.g., 2 mallards including only 1 hen, 2 wood ducks, 1 black duck, 2 canvasbacks). Geese: 5 Canada geese per day during regular season. Snow geese: no daily limit during conservation order.
Tips
- • Scout the afternoon before your hunt to locate where birds are feeding and roosting—fresh intel is everything in waterfowl hunting.
- • Invest in quality decoys and learn realistic spread patterns; on pressured birds, fewer premium decoys outperform large cheap spreads.
- • Practice shooting with steel shot before the season—it patterns differently than lead and requires different leads on crossing shots.
- • On the Chesapeake Bay and Eastern Shore, layout boats and open-water rigs produce sea ducks and divers that field hunters never see.
- • For Canada geese over fields, full-body decoys in family groups with a mix of feeders, resters, and sentries sell the setup.