2024-2025 Central Flyway Duck Hunting Forecast
Posted 2024-09-26 by
Check out Duck Hunting Nation’s grades for Texas, Kansas, North Dakota and more
Gadwalls abound throughout much of the Central Flyway. And if you’ve been beneath a swirling flock of these white-bellied ducks, you know how exciting hunting them can be. Photo by Wirestock Creators.
From the wide-open vistas of North Dakota to the sweeping Texas skyline, the Central Flyway holds the stuff of waterfowling dreams. Chase local ducks early. Hunt mallards, geese and cranes late. It’s all here, and the 2024-2025 season looks promising. Find details here.
COLORADO
The Centennial State has earned a good reputation as a goose hunting destination, and duck hunting can be good here, too. Plus, there’s plenty of public land to explore.
KANSAS
It seems like almost everyone hunts Kansas nowadays, but here’s a secret: Duck hunting in the Sunflower State has always been good. Late-season mallards and geese in dry fields? It’s a waterfowler’s dream.
NEBRASKA
Like Kansas, Nebraska is a great duck and goose hunting destination. The only drawback is relative shortage of public land. Still, if you’ve ever seen mallards and honkers pile out of the North Platte River in December, you know why the Cornhusker State gets a high grade.
NEW MEXICO
Some states just don’t have much waterfowl habitat, and New Mexico falls in that category. But if you find water here, you can actually experience some decent gunning.
NORTH DAKOTA
Spoiler: The Peace Garden State receives an A rating. It’s a critical production state that also sees an incredible influx of migrant ducks and geese every autumn. And because North Dakota has plenty of public land and miles of prairie to roam, everyone needs to take at least one trip here.
OKLAHOMA
Much like Kansas, the Sooner State is a popular waterfowling destination. Still, hunting pressure here remains light when compared to nearby Mississippi Flyway states. And when conditions are right, Oklahoma holds loads of ducks.
SOUTH DAKOTA
Eastern South Dakota might be every bit as good for duck hunting as its northern neighbor. Only one factor holds back its Duck Hunting Nation Grade: Strictly limited nonresident access. However, regulating out-of-state pressure also leads to high-quality hunting.
TEXAS
This Central Flyway titan attracts great numbers of migrant ducks and geese, and its harvest numbers reflect the incredible opportunities there. Texas has very little public access, which knocks down its Duck Hunting Nation grade. But it’s probably worth the cost of an outfitted hunt to pursue sandhill cranes near Eagle Lake or redheads along the Gulf Coast.
WYOMING
The Cowboy State offers some very good duck hunting. You might have to search a bit to find it, though. That should be relatively easy in a state with loads of public access, however.
