2025-26 Central Flyway Duck Hunting Forecast
Posted 2025-09-18 by
From the northern prairies to the Texas coast, this flyway has it all. Here’s Duck Hunting Nation’s breakdown for the upcoming season
Gadwalls are an important duck throughout the Central Flyway. In fact, hunters there shot almost 400,000 gray ducks during the 2024-2025 season, which was the second highest total of any flyway. Photo by Photodigitaal.nl.
If you love wide-open spaces and unmatched variety, the Central Flyway is for you. Chase early ducks in the Dakotas. Grind it out for mallards and geese as winter closes in on the heartland. Heck, jet down to Texas and hunt cranes.
Duck hunters can find it all in the nation’s midsection, and 2025-2026 looks promising. Check out the details here.
COLORADO
Elk and mule deer grab all the press here, but duck and goose hunting can be pretty good at times. And you’ll never run out of public land.
KANSAS
This longtime destination continues to produce season after season, and it’s a free-lancer’s dream, earning a high mark from Duck Hunting Nation.
NEBRASKA
Only one negative prevents the Cornhusker State from receiving an A grade: a relative scarcity of public land. But with the North Platte River and endless ag fields, Nebraska remains a top-tier destination.
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NEW MEXICO
Many waterfowlers will skip this entry, but maybe you shouldn’t. If you find water in New Mexico, duck hunting can actually be pretty good. And you won’t encounter much competition.
NORTH DAKOTA
This long-time go-to duck destination has some rule changes for nonresident hunters in 2025. Nonetheless, it remains a bucket-list state with perhaps unmatched waterfowling opportunity.
OKLAHOMA
Maybe the Sooner State has become a hotspot in recent years. Or perhaps it was good all along. Whatever the case, when conditions are right, Oklahoma holds a pile of ducks and provides great hunting.
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SOUTH DAKOTA
An A-grade state in every aspect of waterfowl hunting, South Dakota only falls a notch because of its nonresident draw system. But maybe that’s not a detriment at all, as it keeps hunting pressure to a minimum. Whatever the case, this is another must-visit destination.
TEXAS
Everything’s bigger in the Lone Star State, including waterfowl hunting. Chase redheads along the coast, or go inland for sandhill cranes. There’s no shortage of other fowl, either. But you might want to use an outfitter, as public ground is limited.
WYOMING
Like Colorado, the Cowboy State features some fine duck hunting. It’s just limited in scope. No matter. Hunting pressure is also light, and there’s endless public land to explore. Duck Hunting Nation likes the sound of that.
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