Iowa Duck Hunting Season

Iowa’s first duck season of 2026 – the statewide special September teal-only season – opens for nine days beginning Sept. 5. Wetlands are important for duck hunting and Iowa’s wetland conditions vary across the state from southern Iowa which has received a lot of rain this summer, and has water in places that hadn’t held water in years, to northwest and north central wetlands that are starting to dry out and could use additional rain. Teal prefer shallow wetlands or wetlands with exposed mudflats. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will issue its first wetland condition report next week.