CHAPTER 91
WATERFOWL AND COOT HUNTING SEASONS
[Prior to 12/31/86, Conservation Commission[290] Ch 107]
571—91.1(481A) Duck hunting.
	91.1(1) Zone boundaries. Zone boundaries are as specified in the November 2023 Waterfowl Hunting Map Book published on the department of natural resources’ (department’s) website (www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Migratory-Game-Birds), chapter 1 “Waterfowl Hunting Zones.”
	91.1(2) Season dates - north zone. Special September teal season: September 1 through September 16. For all ducks: The first segment of the season will begin on the Saturday nearest September 30 and run for seven days. The second segment of the season will open on the Saturday nearest October 13 and continue for 53 consecutive days.
	91.1(3) Season dates - central zone. Special September teal season: September 1 through September 16. For all ducks: The first segment of the season will begin on the Saturday nearest October 6 and run for seven days. The second segment of the season will open on the Saturday nearest October 20 and continue for 53 consecutive days.
	91.1(4) Season dates - south zone. Special September teal season: September 1 through September 16. For all ducks: The first segment of the season will begin on the Saturday nearest October 13 and run for seven days. The second segment of the season will open on the Saturday nearest October 27 and continue for 53 consecutive days.
	91.1(5) Bag limit. Bag limits for all species are as adopted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The daily bag limit for scaup will be one for the first 15 days of the duck hunting season and two for the remaining 45 days.
	91.1(6) Possession limit. For the special September teal season and for all ducks: Possession limit is three times the daily bag limit.
	91.1(7) Shooting hours. For the special September teal season: Shooting hours are sunrise to sunset each day. For all ducks: Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset each day.
[ARC 7914C, IAB 5/1/24, effective 6/5/24]
571—91.2(481A) Coots (split season).
	91.2(1) Same as duck season dates and shooting hours.
	91.2(2) Bag and possession limits. Daily bag limit is 15 and possession limit is three times the daily bag limit.
[ARC 7914C, IAB 5/1/24, effective 6/5/24]
571—91.3(481A) Goose hunting.
	91.3(1) Zone boundaries. Zone boundaries are as specified in the November 2023 Waterfowl Hunting Map Book published on the department’s website (www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Migratory-Game-Birds), chapter 1 “Waterfowl Hunting Zones.”
	91.3(2) Season dates - north zone. For all geese: The first segment of the regular goose season will begin on the Saturday nearest September 23 and run for a 16-day period. The second segment of the goose season will open on the Saturday nearest October 13 and continue for 53 consecutive days. The goose season will reopen on the Saturday nearest December 13 and remain continuously open until the total number of days used for goose hunting reaches 107.
	91.3(3) Season dates - central zone. For all geese: The first segment of the regular goose season will begin on the Saturday nearest September 30 and run for a 16-day period. The second segment of the goose season will open on the Saturday nearest October 20 and continue for 53 consecutive days. The goose season will reopen on the Saturday nearest December 20 and remain continuously open until the total number of days used for goose hunting reaches 107.
	91.3(4) Season dates - south zone. For all geese: The first segment of the regular goose season will begin on the Saturday nearest October 6 and run for a 16-day period. The second segment of the goose season will open on the Saturday nearest October 27 and continue for 53 consecutive days. The goose season will reopen on the Saturday nearest December 27 and remain continuously open until the total number of days used for goose hunting reaches 107.
	91.3(5) Bag limit. The daily bag limit for dark geese (Canada geese, white-fronted geese, brant and any other geese that are not light geese) is five and may include no more than two Canada geese during the first segment of the statewide season and no more than three Canada geese during the remainder of the statewide season. The daily bag limit for light geese (white and blue-phase snow geese and Ross’ geese) is 20.
	91.3(6) Possession limit. The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit for Canada geese, brant and white-fronted geese. There is no possession limit for light geese.
	91.3(7) Shooting hours. Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until sunset each day.
	91.3(8) Light goose conservation order season. Only light geese (white and blue-phase snow geese and Ross’ geese) may be taken under a conservation order from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service beginning the day after the regular goose season closes and continuing until May 1.
	a. 	Zone boundaries. Statewide.
	b. 	Shooting hours. One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
	c. 	Bag limit. No bag limit.
	d. 	Possession limit. No possession limit.
	e. 	Other regulations. Methods of take approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for hunting light geese during the conservation order season shall be permitted.
	91.3(9) Metropolitan goose hunting seasons and specified areas.
	a. 	Season dates. The second Saturday in September for nine consecutive days.
	b. 	Bag limit. Daily bag limit is five Canada geese.
	c. 	Possession limit. Three times the daily bag limit.
	d. 	 Specified areas.
	(1)	Cedar Rapids/Iowa City. Areas are as specified in the November 2023 Waterfowl Hunting Map Book published on the department’s website (www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Migratory-Game-Birds), chapter 2 “Metropolitan Goose Hunting Areas.”
	(2)	Des Moines. Areas are as specified in the November 2023 Waterfowl Hunting Map Book published on the department’s website (www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Migratory-Game-Birds), chapter 2 “Metropolitan Goose Hunting Areas.”
	(3)	Cedar Falls/Waterloo. Areas are as specified in the November 2023 Waterfowl Hunting Map Book published on the department’s website (www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Migratory-Game-Birds), chapter 2 “Metropolitan Goose Hunting Areas.”
[ARC 7914C, IAB 5/1/24, effective 6/5/24]
571—91.4(481A) Closed areas. Waterfowl and coots may be hunted statewide except in specific areas.
	91.4(1) Waterfowl and coots. There shall be no open season for ducks, coots and geese as specified in the November 2023 Waterfowl Hunting Map Book published on the department’s website (www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Migratory-Game-Birds), chapter 3 “Areas Closed to Waterfowl Hunting.”
	91.4(2) Canada geese. There shall be no open season on Canada geese in certain areas described as specified in the November 2023 Waterfowl Hunting Map Book published on the department’s website (www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Migratory-Game-Birds), chapter 4 “Areas Closed to Canada Goose Hunting.”
[ARC 7914C, IAB 5/1/24, effective 6/5/24]
571—91.5(481A) Canada goose hunting within closed areas.
	91.5(1) Closed areas. All areas are as described in subrule 91.4(2).
	a. 	Purpose. The hunting of Canada geese in closed areas is being undertaken to allow landowners or tenants who farm in these closed areas to hunt Canada geese on land they own or farm in the closed area.
	b. 	Criteria.
	(1)	Landowners and tenants who own or farm land in the closed areas will be permitted to hunt Canada geese in the closed areas.
	(2)	Landowners and those individuals named on the permit according to the criteria specified in subparagraph 91.5(1)“b”(9) will be permitted to hunt in the closed area. Tenants may obtain a permit instead of the landowner if the landowner transfers this privilege to the tenant. Landowners may choose, at their discretion, to include the tenant and those individuals of the tenant’s family specified in subparagraph 91.5(1)“b”(9) on their permit. Assigned permits must be signed by both the permittee and the landowner assigning the permit.
	(3)	Landowners must hold title to, or tenants must farm by a rent/share/lease arrangement, at least eight acres inside the closed area to qualify for a permit.
	(4)	No more than one permit will be issued to corporations, estates, or other legal associations that jointly own land in the closed area. No individual may obtain more than two permits nor may an individual be named as a participant on more than two permits.
	(5)	Persons holding a permit can hunt with those individuals named on their permit as specified in subparagraph 91.5(1)“b”(9) on any property they own (or rent/share/lease in the case of tenants) in the closed area provided their activity complies with all other regulations governing hunting. Nothing herein shall permit the hunting of Canada geese on public property within the closed area.
	(6)	Persons hunting under this permit must adhere to all municipal, county, state and federal regulations that are applicable to hunting and specifically applicable to Canada goose hunting. Hunting as authorized by this rule shall not be used to stir or rally waterfowl.
	(7)	Hunting within the closed area will be allowed through October 31.
	(8)	Permit holders will be allowed to take eight Canada geese per year in the closed area.
	(9)	Permits will be issued only to individual landowners or tenants; however, permit holders must specify, when requesting a permit, the names of all other individuals qualified to hunt on the permit. Individuals qualified to hunt on the permit shall include the landowners or tenants and their spouses, domestic partners, parents, grandparents, children, children’s spouses, grandchildren, siblings and siblings’ spouses only.
	c. 	Procedures.
	(1)	Permits can be obtained from the local conservation officer or wildlife unit headquarters within the closed area no later than 48 hours before the first Canada goose season opens. The permit will be issued to an individual landowner or tenant and must list the names of all individuals who may hunt with the permittee. The permit will also contain a description of the property covered by the permit. The permit must be carried by a member of the hunting party whose name is listed on the permit. Conservation officers will keep a record of permittees and locations of properties that are covered by permits.
	(2)	Eight consecutively numbered tags will be issued with each permit. Geese will be tagged around the leg immediately upon being reduced to possession and will remain tagged until delivered to the person’s abode.
	(3)	No one may attempt to take Canada geese under this permit unless the person possesses an unused tag for the current year.
	(4)	No landowner or tenant shall be responsible or liable for violations committed by other individuals listed on the permit issued to the landowner or tenant.
[ARC 7914C, IAB 5/1/24, effective 6/5/24]
571—91.6(481A,483A) Youth waterfowl hunt. A special youth waterfowl hunt will be held the weekend before the first segment of the regular duck season in each duck hunting zone. Youth hunters must be residents of Iowa as defined in Iowa Code section 483A.1A and less than 16 years old. Each youth hunter must be accompanied by an adult 18 years old or older. The youth hunter does not need to have a hunting license or stamps. The adult must have a valid hunting license and habitat stamp if normally required to have them to hunt and a state waterfowl stamp. Only the youth hunter may shoot ducks and coots. The adult may hunt for any game birds for which the season is open. The daily bag and possession limits are the same as for the regular waterfowl season, as defined in rule 571—91.1(481A). All other hunting regulations in effect for the regular waterfowl season apply to the youth hunt.
[ARC 7914C, IAB 5/1/24, effective 6/5/24]
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code sections 481A.38, 481A.39, 481A.48(2), and 483A.2.
[Filed 8/29/75]
[Filed emergency 9/2/76—published 9/22/76, effective 9/22/76]
[Filed emergency 9/1/77—published 9/21/77, effective 9/1/77]
[Filed emergency 8/30/78 after Notice of 3/8/78—published 9/20/78, effective 8/30/78]
[Filed emergency 8/29/79 after Notice of 3/7/79—published 9/19/79, effective 8/29/79]
[Filed emergency after Notice 8/29/80, Notice 3/5/80—published 9/17/80, effective 8/29/80]
[Filed emergency after Notice 9/4/81, Notice 3/4/81—published 9/30/81, effective 9/4/81]
[Filed emergency after Notice 9/2/82, Notice 3/3/82—published 9/29/82, effective 9/3/82]
[Filed emergency after Notice 9/1/83, Notice 3/30/83—published 9/28/83, effective 9/2/83]
[Filed emergency after Notice 9/7/84, Notice 2/29/84—published 9/26/84, effective 9/7/84]
[Filed emergency after Notice 9/5/85, Notice 2/27/85—published 9/25/85, effective 9/6/85]
[Filed emergency 9/3/86 after Notice 2/26/86—published 9/24/86, effective 9/5/86]
[Filed without Notice 12/12/86—published 12/31/86, effective 2/4/87]
[Filed emergency after Notice 9/4/87, Notice 3/11/87—published 9/23/87, effective 9/4/87]
[Filed emergency 9/2/88 after Notice 2/24/88—published 9/21/88, effective 9/2/88]
[Filed emergency 10/12/88—published 11/2/88, effective 10/12/88]
[Filed emergency 9/15/89 after Notice 3/8/89—published 10/4/89, effective 9/15/89]
[Filed emergency 9/13/90 after Notices of 3/7/90, 5/2/90—published 10/3/90, effective 9/13/90]
[Filed 2/15/91, Notice 12/26/90—published 3/6/91, effective 4/10/91]
[Filed emergency after Notice 9/13/91, Notice 3/6/91—published 10/2/91, effective 9/13/91]
[Filed emergency 9/10/92 after Notice 3/4/92—published 9/30/92, effective 9/10/92]
[Filed emergency 9/10/93 after Notice 3/31/93—published 9/29/93, effective 9/10/93]
[Filed emergency 9/9/94 after Notice 3/2/94—published 9/28/94, effective 9/9/94]
[Filed emergency 9/8/95 after Notice 3/1/95—published 9/27/95, effective 9/8/95]
[Filed emergency 9/8/95 after Notice 7/5/95—published 9/27/95, effective 9/8/95]
[Filed 8/9/96, Notice 6/5/96—published 8/28/96, effective 10/2/96]
[Filed emergency 8/23/96 after Notice 2/28/96—published 9/11/96, effective 8/23/96]
[Filed emergency 9/19/97 after Notice 3/12/97—published 10/8/97, effective 9/19/97]
[Filed emergency 8/21/98 after Notice 3/11/98—published 9/9/98, effective 8/21/98]
[Filed emergency 10/16/98—published 11/4/98, effective 10/16/98]
[Filed emergency 8/20/99 after Notice 3/10/99—published 9/8/99, effective 8/20/99]
[Filed emergency 8/18/00 after Notice 3/8/00—published 9/6/00, effective 8/18/00]
[Filed emergency 8/17/01 after Notice 3/7/01—published 9/5/01, effective 8/17/01]
[Filed emergency 8/16/02 after Notice 3/6/02—published 9/4/02, effective 8/16/02]
[Filed emergency 8/15/03 after Notice 3/5/03—published 9/3/03, effective 8/15/03]
[Filed emergency 8/13/04 after Notice 3/3/04—published 9/1/04, effective 8/13/04]
[Filed emergency 8/11/05 after Notice 3/30/05—published 8/31/05, effective 8/11/05]
[Filed emergency 8/11/06 after Notice 3/29/06—published 8/30/06, effective 8/11/06]
[Filed emergency 8/10/07 after Notice 3/28/07—published 8/29/07, effective 8/10/07]
[Filed emergency 8/20/08 after Notice 4/9/08—published 9/10/08, effective 8/20/08]
[Filed Emergency After Notice ARC 8106B (Notice ARC 7686B, IAB 4/8/09), IAB 9/9/09, effective 8/18/09]
[Filed Emergency After Notice ARC 9055B (Notice ARC 8682B, IAB 4/7/10), IAB 9/8/10, effective 8/16/10]
[Filed Emergency After Notice ARC 9720B, IAB 9/7/11, effective 8/19/11]
[Filed Emergency After Notice ARC 0307C (Notice ARC 0116C, IAB 5/2/12), IAB 9/5/12, effective 8/15/12]
[Filed Emergency After Notice ARC 1003C (Notice ARC 0721C, IAB 5/1/13), IAB 9/4/13, effective 8/15/13]
[Filed Emergency After Notice ARC 1614C (Notice ARC 1450C, IAB 4/30/14), IAB 9/3/14, effective 8/15/14]
[Filed Emergency After Notice ARC 2129C (Notice ARC 2033C, IAB 6/10/15), IAB 9/2/15, effective 8/13/15]
[Filed ARC 2526C (Notice ARC 2409C, IAB 2/17/16), IAB 5/11/16, effective 6/15/16]
[Filed ARC 3060C (Notice ARC 2937C, IAB 2/15/17), IAB 5/10/17, effective 6/14/17]
[Filed ARC 3797C (Notice ARC 3623C, IAB 2/14/18), IAB 5/9/18, effective 6/13/18]
[Filed ARC 5057C (Notice ARC 4914C, IAB 2/12/20), IAB 6/17/20, effective 7/22/20]
[Filed ARC 6355C (Notice ARC 6260C, IAB 3/23/22), IAB 6/15/22, effective 7/20/22]
[Filed ARC 7914C (Notice ARC 7238C, IAB 12/27/23), IAB 5/1/24, effective 6/5/24]