F&G commission sets migratory game bird seasons for 2024-25

During its conference call on April 17, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission set the 2024-2025 migratory game bird seasons, including waterfowl, mourning dove, American crow and sandhill crane. Because it was a special meeting of the Commission, no public comment or question opportunities were held during the meeting.

It’s important to note, Idaho’s waterfowl seasons are set within frameworks established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after they consult with all state fish and wildlife agencies. Federal frameworks do not allow duck seasons to extend beyond Jan. 31, the Canada goose season beyond Feb. 15, or the light and white-fronted goose season beyond March 10. 

While the federal framework for Canada geese was expanded to Feb. 15 this year, Fish and Game did not recommend modifying the season structure at this time. Results from a goose hunter opinion survey—that will be conducted in 2024—will be used to inform the season structure in future years.

In 2019 and 2020, Fish and Game conducted mail- and web-based surveys to obtain input from hunters on how to structure migratory game bird seasons and zones within the confines of the federal framework. This information has been used to guide Idaho waterfowl seasons and zone configurations for the 2020-2025 seasons and was used to develop proposals for 2024-2025 migratory game bird seasons and 2022-2025 duck zone configurations.

For 2024-2025, the Fish and Game Commission approved the maximum allowed number of hunting days and bag limits allowed by that federal framework for most species. 

Seasons for migratory game birds are largely unchanged from last season. Here’s what to expect.

Waterfowl

• Youth/Veteran/Military Waterfowl Season will occur Sep. 28-29, 2024
• The daily bag limit is 7 ducks and mergansers, but not more than 2 female mallards, 2 scaup, 2 redheads, 1 pintail, and 2 canvasbacks.
• The daily bag limit for Wilson’s snipe is 8, and the proposed daily bag limit for coots is 25.
• The daily bag limit for Canada geese is 5, 10 for white-fronted geese, and 20 for snow and Ross’s geese.
• The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit. 

Swans

• The daily and season limit on swans is 1. 

Doves

• The daily bag limit for doves is 15 mourning and white-winged doves in the aggregate. The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit. 

American Crows

• There is no daily bag limit for American crows.

Sandhill Cranes

• The daily bag limit and season limit for sandhill cranes is 2.

Public comment process

The 2024-2025 migratory game bird season proposals were available for public comment on Fish and Game’s website from March 11-24, and regional open houses were held statewide.

Hunters will be able to find exact season dates, zone maps, and shooting hours in 2024-2025 Migratory Game Bird Seasons and Rules booklet, which will be posted to Fish and Game’s website by early summer, well in advance of any of the upcoming seasons.