Idaho Fish and Game is seeking feedback on its 2026-2027 migratory game bird season proposals.

An open house is scheduled for Thursday, March 12, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Coeur d'Alene Panhandle Regional Office, located at 2885 W. Kathleen Avenue. 

Full draft proposals are reviewed at https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/migratory/2026-scoping. Anyone wishing to comment may do so until March 15 at 11:59 p.m. MDT.

Ducks, mergansers, coots and snipe

For the Panhandle region (Duck Zone 1), IFG is proposing a 2026–27 duck season running Oct. 3 through Jan. 15, 2027, with scaup season ending earlier on Dec. 27 as part of a 105-day season structure shaped by hunter feedback and federal Pacific Flyway frameworks. 

Proposed limits would remain largely unchanged at seven ducks daily (with species restrictions), plus statewide youth and veteran hunt dates set for Sept. 26 and 27. 

Canada geese

For the Panhandle region (Canada Goose Zone 1), IFG is proposing for the 2026–27 migratory game bird season a Canada goose season from Oct. 3 through Jan. 15, 2027, with a daily bag limit of 5 Canada geese and a possession limit of three times the daily bag limit. 

Light geese (snow and Ross's geese)

For the Panhandle region (Light Goose Zone 1), IFG is proposing a light goose season from Oct. 3 through Jan. 15, 2027. The proposed daily bag limit is 20 light geese with a possession limit of three times the daily limit.  

White-fronted geese

For the Panhandle region (White-fronted Goose Zone 1), IFG's proposal would set a white-fronted goose season from Oct. 3 through Jan. 15, 2027, with a daily bag limit of 10 white-fronted geese and a possession limit of three times that.

Swans

For the Panhandle region (Swans controlled hunt in Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, and Kootenai counties), IFG’s 2026–27 proposal would offer a controlled swan season from Oct. 10 through Dec. 1, 2026, with 50 tags available by controlled hunt and a limit of one swan per tag. 

Mourning and white-winged doves

The draft 2026-27 mourning and white-winged dove season proposal would keep the firearm season statewide from Sept. 1 through Oct. 30 with a daily bag limit of 15 doves in the aggregate (and a possession limit three times that), followed by an extended falconry season Oct. 31 through Dec. 16 with a 3-bird daily limit. 

American crows

Crow season would run statewide from Oct. 27 through Feb. 28, 2027, with no daily bag limit, in accordance with federal guidance on season length and nesting protection. 

Sandhill cranes

The draft 2026–27 sandhill crane hunting proposal from IFG would increase Idaho’s crane harvest allocation, offering 870 first-come, first-served tags across multiple eastern Idaho hunt areas, and spread seasons into both September and October 2026. The daily and season bag limit would remain 2 cranes per hunter.