What hunters should know about the 2024 Utah waterfowl hunting season

Salt Lake City — It's a quiet, still morning as you sit near the edge of a lake in your blind. You hear some birds in the distance and turn your head to see several ducks flying toward you. Your heartbeat quickens, and you slowly raise your shotgun. Waterfowl hunting season is finally here.

With the exception of tundra swans (which require a permit from the hunt drawing that ended July 17), the rest of the waterfowl hunts in Utah are open to anyone with a Utah small game hunting or combination license. However, you are also required to have a Harvest Information Program (HIP) number to hunt any waterfowl or migratory upland species. You'll need a federal duck stamp to hunt waterfowl, if you are 16 years of age or older.

You can register for a free HIP number on the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources website. You can purchase a duck stamp online, from your local post office, various license agents or by phone. (The phone number is 800-782-6724.) New this year, the electronic duck stamp is valid for the entire season. After purchasing, you can simply download the e-stamp with your other licenses in the Utah Hunting and Fishing mobile app.

Federal duck stamps help fund wildlife conservation across the U.S., with 98% of the purchase fee going directly to help acquire and protect wetland habitat and purchase conservation easements for the National Wildlife Refuge System.

If you are planning to hunt ducks, geese or tundra swans this fall, here is some information to be aware of:

Ducks

Local duck populations in Utah are doing great this year, and several DWR wetland managers have reported excellent duck production on the waterfowl management areas. However, duck numbers across North America are down slightly from previous years, sitting at around 34 million in all four flyways (4% below the long-term average). Long-term drought and disease impacts are likely factors in this slight downward trend. Specifically, there were fewer ponds and associated grasslands available for nesting last year, which led to an overall decrease in reproduction in the flyways.

"Many prairie pothole regions in North America that are of critical importance to breeding waterfowl species were dry last year, due to drought," DWR Migratory Bird Coordinator Jason Jones said. "These conditions have persisted over several years, so generally waterfowl production was below average last year. Waterfowl numbers usually peak in mid-September in Utah, with the dabblers coming first, and the divers usually migrating through a bit later in October. Utah waterfowl hunters may experience fewer birds coming through Utah this hunting season, compared to the last 10 years. However, green-winged teal look to be far above their population objective, which is great for Utah waterfowl hunters. Also, water conditions in the managed wetland areas and in the shallow bays around the Great Salt Lake are in better condition than in the recent past."

Typically, about 15 duck species can be found in Utah. Details and photos of each species can be found in the 2024–25 Utah Waterfowl Guidebook.

"Hunters can greatly improve their success during the duck hunt by spending some time scouting before each hunt," Jones said. "Learning where and when birds are in a specific location can allow hunters to be where the birds want to be, when they want to be there, and will greatly increase the number of birds they harvest."

For instance, each duck species uses different types of habitats. Diving ducks, like canvasbacks and redheads like big, open waterbodies. Puddle ducks, like teal and shovelers, are generally found in shallow water. And species like mallards can be found just about anywhere.

"Think about the species you are hunting and then look for them in the habitats they want to be in," Jones said. "If you aren't finding the species you are targeting, move around to different areas until you find them."

Calls are also an effective tool in helping hunters be successful during duck hunts. Most hunters use a traditional duck call that sounds like a mallard hen. Experimenting with other sounds, such as wigeon or pintail whistles, can also increase success. Dogs are great at helping hunters retrieve downed birds and will increase your chances of finding ducks that fall in thick cover.

The general-season duck hunt runs from Oct. 5 to Jan. 18, 2025 in Utah's northern zone and runs from Oct. 12 to Jan. 25, 2025 in the southern zone. The northern zone youth waterfowl hunt takes place on Sept. 21, and the southern zone youth hunt will happen on Sept. 28. Check the Utah Waterfowl Guidebook for the boundaries of the two zones and to see the bag limits for ducks.

Geese

Canada goose production in Utah was down this year, likely due to many of their nests being flooded during the spring runoff. However, Canada goose populations in the Pacific Flyway are increasing and are currently above their population objectives.

"Hunters should see plenty of geese early in the season," Jones said. "Migrating geese will begin showing up around mid-to-late November. Geese continue to increase in the Pacific Flyway — which includes Utah — and hunting should be good this year. However, snow goose numbers have seen a slight decrease in the Pacific Flyway."

An important tip for success while hunting geese is to use a good call.

"Calling is a very important part of goose hunting," Jones said. "Geese are very social birds, so being able to sound like a goose can help hunters harvest more birds."

Dark and white-fronted geese season dates:

• Northern area: Oct. 5–12 and Oct. 26 to Jan. 31, 2025
• Wasatch Front area: Oct. 5–12 and Nov. 11 to Feb. 15, 2025
• Eastern Box Elder area: Oct. 5 to Jan. 18, 2025
• Southern area: Oct. 12 to Jan. 25, 2025

Light geese season dates:

• Eastern Box Elder, Northern and Wasatch Front goose areas: Oct. 15 to Dec. 22 and Feb. 1 to March 10, 2025.
• Southern area: Oct. 25 to Dec. 15 and Jan. 15 to March 10, 2025.

The youth waterfowl hunt that will be held on Sept. 28 in the southern zone will allow dark goose and white-fronted goose hunting. Check the Utah Waterfowl Guidebook for the specific zone boundaries and bag limits.

Hunters should also note that most light goose hunting takes place on private property. Make sure to get written permission from landowners before hunting on their property.

Swans

Tens of thousands of swans move through Utah every fall on their way to their wintering grounds in California. Tundra swan populations in the Pacific Flyway are still doing well, and hunters can expect to see similar numbers as in previous years in Utah.

"Swans migrate and stop over at the same locations each year," Jones said. "Traditional staging areas, such as Public Shooting Grounds WMA and the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, will hold swans beginning in late October to early November, and they typically stay in the area until the wetlands freeze and food becomes difficult to find."

Tundra swans will leave resting areas to feed during the morning and late afternoon, and also throughout the day as temperatures get colder. So scouting before the hunt can help hunters determine when swans are moving and know what times of day to hunt.

"Hunting along a swan's flight path, or in their feeding locations, will increase your odds of harvesting a swan," Jones said.

Hunters should also be sure of the swan species they are targeting before attempting to harvest one. Trumpeter and tundra swans both migrate through the state, but as of 2023, it is illegal to harvest trumpeter swans in Utah. Only tundra swan hunting permits are issued to hunters.

Hunters are still required to check in any harvested swans at a DWR office or also at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge on Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon and 2–7 p.m. Trumpeter swans will be seized, and the hunter may face a citation. In addition, hunters who harvest a trumpeter swan will also be prohibited from being able to apply for a tundra swan hunting permit for several years. Youth who harvest a trumpeter swan must wait three years until they can apply for a tundra swan permit, and adults must wait five years.

Each species can be identified by size and sound. Trumpeter swans are significantly larger than tundra swans. Trumpeter swans do not have a yellow-colored area near their eyes, and they also make a distinctive trumpet-like sound, hence their name.

Utah is one of only nine states in the U.S. that allows hunting for swans.

The tundra swan season runs from Oct. 5 to Dec. 8. However, if the federal quota of 20 trumpeter swans is met before Dec. 8, the swan hunting season will close early. Those with a tundra swan permit may harvest only one tundra swan during the 2024 season.

Waterfowl management areas

There are more than 20 waterfowl management areas (WMAs) throughout Utah that are owned and managed by the DWR. Waterfowl management areas in Utah typically open for scouting on the Thursday before the youth waterfowl hunt, which is Sept. 19 this year.

Access and water conditions at the majority of the waterfowl management areas should be good this year. For specific details and condition reports about the WMAs, visit the DWR website. Be sure to check the conditions before attempting to launch an airboat at a WMA.

"Good snowpack and subsequent spring runoff this year helped water levels in the Great Salt Lake to increase from 2022's record low; however, food resources and access around the associated wetlands of the Great Salt Lake are still suffering due to long-term drought conditions," Jones said. "Because of that, waterfowl may migrate through Utah quicker this year, which will make hunting more difficult later in the season."

Utah Waterfowl Slam

If you'd like to add some fun and challenge to your hunt, consider completing the Utah Waterfowl Slam. Hunters earn a slam by completing different requirements, such as harvesting a group of species in a certain time period or location. There are currently 10 slams with different levels of difficulty, so you can find a variety of fun, unique challenges. Along with trying something new, hunters who complete the slam can also earn colorful, collectible leg bands.

The money earned from the slam is used to complete habitat-improvement projects on the different WMAs across the state. Learn more about the Utah Waterfowl Slam on the DWR website.