2025-2026 Mississippi Flyway Duck Hunting Forecast
Posted 2025-09-11 by
Check out Duck Hunting Nation’s grades for Minnesota, Missouri, Louisiana, and more
Mallards are the kings of the Mississippi Flyway. During the 2024-2025 season, hunters there took more than 1.77 million of them. Image by Medusa’s Brother.
There’s a reason the Mississippi Flyway receives more attention from duck hunters than any other region: It represents the core of North American duck hunting. And from the wild-rice lakes of northern Minnesota to the flooded green timber of Arkansas, 2025-2026 looks promising.
If you plan to hunt this legendary flyway this fall, check out our insider info for each state.
ALABAMA
The Yellowhammer State earns a good grade from Duck Hunting Nation, even though it might be overlooked by waterfowlers in favor of flashier neighboring states. The Tennessee River Valley and other areas hold lots of wintering ducks, so Alabama is no slouch.
ARKANSAS
What more can you say about what might be the most famous duck hunting state? From its productive green timber to an unmatched waterfowling tradition, Arkansas gets an A all the way.
ILLINOIS
Despite somewhat limited hunter access, the Land of Lincoln still gets a solid mark from Duck Hunting Nation. After all, it has a rich hunting heritage and the mighty Mississippi River, and remains a productive destination.
Don’t Miss: Hot-Spotting and Duck Hunting Pressure
INDIANA
The Hoosier State doesn’t get much duck hunting press, as it has fairly limited public access and doesn’t have loads of waterfowl habitat. But duck and goose hunters do surprisingly well here, so Indiana holds its own.
IOWA
From cold-weather field hunting to the Mississippi River, Iowa has a surprising number of waterfowl hunting opportunities. And even though it’s better known for big bucks, Iowa still gets a decent Duck Hunting Nation grade.
KENTUCKY
The western and southern portions of the Bluegrass State feature the best duck hunting, but it gets a solid overall mark. The commonwealth has some solid wildlife management areas and lots of other public properties.
LOUISIANA
With a remarkable duck hunting tradition and consistently high harvest numbers, Louisiana remains an A-list waterfowl state. Hunters might shoot fewer mallards here nowadays, but they overall hunting is still some of the best in the world.
Don’t Miss: Duck Numbers Steady, But Pond Counts Down
MICHIGAN
With diverse waterfowl hunting opportunities and plenty of public land, Michigan is a very good duck and goose hunting spot. Hunting pressure can be high, but Duck Hunting Nation still gives the Wolverine State good marks.
MINNESOTA
The birthplace of the Mississippi River offers a great variety of duck and goose hunting opportunities. Further, the waterfowling tradition here runs deep. Duck Hunting Nation recognizes that with a good mark.
MISSISSIPPI
The namesake state of the flyway still attracts millions of ducks every winter. And with abundant public access, it’s easy to see why the state receives a high grade.
MISSOURI
The Show-Me State might get lost in the shuffle when considering duck hunting hotspots, but it’s legit. With two major rivers and several major national wildlife refuges, Missouri attracts loads of migrating waterfowl. It’s high mark reflects that.
Don’t Miss: How to Pull Off a Great Free-Lance Duck Hunt
OHIO
Much like Kentucky, Ohio can be a hit-or-miss state for waterfowlers. Lake Erie and its associated marshes offer excellent opportunities, even though hunter access can be somewhat of an issue.
TENNESSEE
With the famous Reelfoot Lake, Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, the Volunteer State produces some great hunting. Like its northern neighbor, most of the action centers around the western portion of the state, but Tennessee still gets a good rating.
WISCONSIN
Loads of local ducks, great diver and puddler migrations, and abundant honkers. What’s not to love about Badger State waterfowling? Sure, pressure can be an issue in spots, but the state still gets good Duck Hunting Nation marks.
