North Dakota sets 2026 waterfowl, small game and furbearer regulations; several notable changes from last year

(Valley News Live) — The North Dakota Game and Fish Department has finalized 2026 small game, waterfowl and furbearer regulations, with several changes from last year that hunters and trappers should be aware of before heading afield.

Waterfowl season dates

Resident duck, goose, coot and merganser hunting opens Saturday, Sept. 26. Nonresidents may begin hunting waterfowl in North Dakota on Monday, Oct. 5.

Beginning Nov. 29, shooting hours for geese will extend to one-half hour before sunrise to sunset through the end of the respective goose season.

Early Canada goose season

The early Canada goose season opens Aug. 15 in all three zones. Closing dates vary by zone — Sept. 7 in the Missouri River zone, Sept. 15 in the western zone and Sept. 22 in the eastern zone.

Daily bag limits are 15 geese, with a possession limit of 45. Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Residents need a $10 early Canada goose license and a general game and habitat license. Residents 16 and older also need a small game license. Nonresidents need only a $50 early Canada goose license. All hunters need a waterfowl habitat restoration stamp. Licenses can be purchased and applied for online.

Waterfowl rest areas, which are closed during the regular season, are open during the early season. Most land in these areas is private, so hunters may need permission to access them.

Swan hunt applications

A total of 2,200 tundra swan licenses are available by lottery for the 2026 season. The application deadline is Aug. 19. Both residents and nonresidents are eligible to apply. The resident license fee is $10; the nonresident fee is $50. Successful applicants will receive a tag to take one swan.

The statewide tundra swan season opens Oct. 3. All swan hunters, regardless of age, need a general game and habitat license and a waterfowl habitat restoration stamp. Nonresidents must also have a valid waterfowl license; residents 16 and older need a small game or combination license.

Notable furbearer changes

American marten will be open for harvest for the first time in 2026, with a season mirroring the fisher season. Fisher can now be trapped statewide, removing the previously restricted area in the Turtle Mountains.

River otter harvest has also changed — the season will now run three weeks, from Nov. 23 through Dec. 13, replacing the previous season that ran from Nov. 23 through March 15 and closed after a quota of 30 otters was met.

Full regulations are available on the North Dakota Game and Fish website. Printed guides will be available at vendor locations by late August.