The 2026-27 Central Flyway Duck Hunting Forecast
Posted 2026-09-23 by
Any flyway that starts with North Dakota and ends with Texas promises plenty of waterfowling opportunity. Here’s Duck Hunting Nation’s breakdown for this season
Central Flyway hunters took more than 480,000 gadwalls during the 2025-2026 season. Photo by Wojtek Szynkaruk.
Despite several challenges, the Central Flyway continues to be the stuff of which duck hunting dreams are made.
Sure, hunting pressure has increased in some areas. And there’s the alarming loss of Conservation Reserve Program acreage and other critical waterfowl habitat. But if you’ve ever watched the first big wave of snow geese arrive in North Dakota or stood in awe as mallards poured into the North Platte River, you know the deal. This flyway has it all.
Best, the Central Flyway is poised for another great year. Check out Duck Hunting Nation’s assessment of each flyway state, and dig deeper with the links.
COLORADO
The secret is out: Goose hunting in Colorado can be pretty darn good. The duck hunting doesn’t stink, either. And hunters have loads of public ground to explore.
KANSAS
When the weather gets cold, Kansas waterfowl hunting gets hot, with prime opportunities for mallards and geese. Freelancers can try to obtain access for cut ag fields or poke around the state’s 1.1 million acres of Walk-In Hunting program land.
NEBRASKA
Like its southern neighbor, Nebraska can produce great hunting when weather pushes birds south. The only knock against this state is its relative lack of public land. Still, it merits high marks.
Don’t Miss: Double Your Duck Stamps for Conservation
NEW MEXICO
Hey, some states just aren’t duck country. Honestly, waterfowling here can be pretty good when you find water.
NORTH DAKOTA
Every duck hunter needs to visit the Peace Garden State at least once, as the shooting there can be second to none. Sure, the scene has changed a bit since the glory days of the late 1990s and early 2000s, but North Dakota still offers loads of ducks and has ample public land.
OKLAHOMA
The Sooner State might once have been a whispered secret among duck hunters in the know, but word is out. And for good reason. When conditions line up, Oklahoma offers top-notch duck hunting.
Don’t Miss: Hot-Spotting and Duck Hunting Pressure
SOUTH DAKOTA
The element that prevents South Dakota from equaling its northern neighbor as a duck hunting state might be what keeps it great. The state tightly regulates nonresident hunting pressure. If you score a tag, look out: South Dakota sees tremendous migrations of ducks and geese, and there’s public land to spare.
TEXAS
It’s been said that the Lone Star State is a country unto itself, and that’s certainly true for waterfowl hunting. Chase sandhill cranes inland. Head to the coast for redheads and pintails. You might have to hire a guide, but it will be worth it.
WYOMING
Overshadowed by opportunities for big game, duck hunting in the Cowboy State is actually pretty good. It’s just limited. Still, hunters willing to explore river drainages or potholes in the eastern or western portions of the state can find plenty of birds.
Don’t Miss: How to Find the Right Duck Call
?fmt=auto&qlt=default&fmt.webp.qlt=65&fmt.png.qlt=73&fmt.jp2.qlt=35&fmt.jpeg.qlt=60)
