Summary of the Migratory Game Bird Hunting Regulations: Manitoba, August 2026 to July 2027
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Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit
To hunt migratory game birds in Canada, you must possess:
- a valid Migratory Game Bird Hunting (MGBH) Permit
- a Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation (CWHC) Stamp on the permit
The MGBH Permit is valid anywhere in Canada where and when there is an open season to hunt migratory game birds.
Hunting zones
Long description
A map of Manitoba divided into four game bird hunting zones.
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 1: the portion of Manitoba lying north of latitude 57°N and the portion lying east of longitude 94°W and north of latitude 56°N.
On the map, the community of Churchill located is in Zone No. 1.
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 2: the portion of Manitoba lying between Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 1 and the line commencing at the intersection of the boundary between Manitoba and Saskatchewan and latitude 53°N; from there easterly along that parallel of latitude to the east shore of Lake Winnipegosis; from there southeasterly along the shoreline of that lake to the northern limit of Township 43; from there easterly along the northern limit of that township to the boundary between Manitoba and Ontario.
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 3: the portion of Manitoba lying between Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 2 and Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 4.
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 4: Provincial Game Hunting Areas No. 22, 23, 24, 25A, 25B, 27, 28, 29, 29A, 30, 31, 31A, 32, 33, 34, 34A, 34B, 34C, 35, 35A, 36 and 38 as described in Manitoba’s Hunting Areas and Zones Regulation, M.R. 220/86, made under The Wildlife Act, C.C.S.M., c. W130.
On the map, the community of Winnipeg is located in Zone No. 4.
Open seasons and daily bag and possession limits for migratory game birds in Manitoba
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 1
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 1
All ducks, combined
- Open season:
- September 1 to October 31
- Daily bag limit:
- 8
- Possession limit:
- 24
Canada Geese, Cackling Geese, White-fronted Geese and Brant, combined
- Open season:
- September 1 to October 31
- Daily bag limit:
- 8
- Possession limit:
- 24
Sandhill Cranes
- Open season:
- September 1 to November 30
- Daily bag limit:
- 5
- Possession limit:
- 15
Coots
- Open season:
- September 1 to October 31
- Daily bag limit:
- 8
- Possession limit:
- 24
Woodcock
- Open season:
- No open season
- Daily bag limit:
- Not applicable
- Possession limit:
- Not applicable
Snipe
- Open season:
- September 1 to October 31
- Daily bag limit:
- 10
- Possession limit:
- 30
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 2
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 2
All ducks, combined
- Open season:
- September 1 to September 7, for residents of Canada only
- September 8 to November 30
- Daily bag limit:
- 8
- Possession limit:
- 24
Canada Geese, Cackling Geese, White-fronted Geese and Brant, combined
- Open season:
- September 1 to September 7, for residents of Canada only
- Daily bag limit:
- 8
- Possession limit:
- 24
- Open season:
- September 8 to November 30
- Daily bag limit:
- 8 for residents of Canada
5 for non-residents of Canada - Possession limit:
- 24 for residents of Canada
15 for non-residents of Canada
Sandhill Cranes
- Open season:
- September 1 to November 30
- Daily bag limit:
- 5
- Possession limit:
- 15
Coots
- Open season:
- September 1 to September 7, for residents of Canada only
- September 8 to November 30
- Daily bag limit:
- 8
- Possession limit:
- 24
Woodcock
- Open season:
- No open season
- Daily bag limit:
- Not applicable
- Possession limit:
- Not applicable
Snipe
- Open season:
- September 1 to September 7, for residents of Canada only
- September 8 to November 30
- Daily bag limit:
- 10
- Possession limit:
- 30
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 3
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 3
All ducks, combined
- Open season:
- September 1 to September 23, for residents of Canada only
- September 24 to December 6
- Daily bag limit:
- 8
- Possession limit:
- 24
Canada Geese, Cackling Geese, White-fronted Geese and Brant, combined
- Open season:
- September 1 to September 23, for residents of Canada only
- Daily bag limit:
- 8
- Possession limit:
- 24
- Open season:
- September 24 to December 6
- Daily bag limit:
- 8 for residents of Canada
5 for non-residents of Canada - Possession limit:
- 24 for residents of Canada
15 for non-residents of Canada
Sandhill Cranes
- Open season:
- September 1 to December 6
- Daily bag limit:
- 5
- Possession limit:
- 15
Coots
- Open season:
- September 1 to September 23, for residents of Canada only
- September 24 to December 6
- Daily bag limit:
- 8
- Possession limit:
- 24
Woodcock
- Open season:
- September 8 to December 6
- Daily bag limit:
- 8 for residents of Canada
4 for non-residents of Canada - Possession limit:
- 24 for residents of Canada
12 for non-residents of Canada
Snipe
- Open season:
- September 1 to September 23, for residents of Canada only
- September 24 to December 6
- Daily bag limit:
- 10
- Possession limit:
- 30
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 4
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 4
All ducks, combined
- Open season:
- September 1 to September 23, for residents of Canada only
- Daily bag limit:
- 8
- Possession limit:
- 24
- Open season:
- September 24 to December 6
- Daily bag limit:
- 8 for residents of Canada
8 for non-residents of Canada (not more than 4 may be Redheads or Canvasbacks in any combination) - Possession limit:
- 24 for residents of Canada
24 for non-residents of Canada (not more than 12 may be Redheads or Canvasbacks in any combination)
Canada Geese, Cackling Geese, White-fronted Geese and Brant, combined
- Open season:
- September 1 to September 23, for residents of Canada only
- Daily bag limit:
- 8 (plus an additional 4 in Provincial Game Hunting Area 38)
- Possession limit:
- 24
- Open season:
- September 24 to December 6
- Daily bag limit:
- 8 for residents of Canada
5 for non-residents of Canada - Possession limit:
- 24 for residents of Canada
15 for non-residents of Canada
Sandhill Cranes
- Open season:
- September 1 to December 6
- Daily bag limit:
- 5
- Possession limit:
- 15
Coots
- Open season:
- September 1 to September 23, for residents of Canada only
- September 24 to December 6
- Daily bag limit:
- 8
- Possession limit:
- 24
Woodcock
- Open season:
- September 8 to December 6
- Daily bag limit:
- 8 for residents of Canada
4 for non-residents of Canada - Possession limit:
- 24 for residents of Canada
12 for non-residents of Canada
Snipe
- Open season:
- September 1 to September 23, for residents of Canada only
- September 24 to December 6
- Daily bag limit:
- 10
- Possession limit:
- 30
Note to hunters who are non-residents of Canada: In Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 4 or in Provincial Game Hunting Areas 13A, 14 and 14A, the part of Area 16 south of the north limit of Township 33 and Areas 18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 19, 19A, 19B, 20, 21A, 23A and 25, you may only hunt Canada Geese, Cackling Geese, White-fronted Geese and Brant from half an hour before sunrise until noon (local time) from the first day of an open season up to and including the second Sunday of October as shown in the table above.
Special measures for overabundant species in Manitoba
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 1
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 1
Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese, combined
- Open season:
- August 15 to August 31
- Daily bag limit:
- 50
- Possession limit:
- No limit
- Additional hunting method or equipment:
- Electronic bird calls of Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese may be used.
- Open season:
- September 1 to October 31
- Daily bag limit:
- 50
- Possession limit:
- No limit
- Additional hunting method or equipment:
- Electronic bird calls of Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese may be used. While hunting those species with those calls, any other species of migratory bird for which it is open season may be hunted.
- Open season:
- April 1 to June 15
- Daily bag limit:
- 50
- Possession limit:
- No limit
- Additional hunting method or equipment:
- Electronic bird calls of Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese may be used.
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 2
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 2
Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese, combined
- Open season:
- September 1 to September 7, for residents of Canada only
- September 8 to November 30
- Daily bag limit:
- 50
- Possession limit:
- No limit
- Additional hunting method or equipment:
- Electronic bird calls of Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese may be used. While hunting those species with those calls, any other species of migratory bird for which it is open season may be hunted.
- Open season:
- March 15 to May 31
- Daily bag limit:
- 50
- Possession limit:
- No limit
- Additional hunting method or equipment:
- Electronic bird calls of Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese may be used.
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 3
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 3
Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese, combined
- Open season:
- September 1 to September 16, for residents of Canada only
- September 17 to December 6
- Daily bag limit:
- 50
- Possession limit:
- No limit
- Additional hunting method or equipment:
- Electronic bird calls of Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese may be used. While hunting those species with those calls, any other species of migratory bird for which it is open season may be hunted.
- Open season:
- March 15 to May 31
- Daily bag limit:
- 50
- Possession limit:
- No limit
- Additional hunting method or equipment:
- Electronic bird calls of Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese may be used. From March 15 to April 10, electronic bird calls of Canada Geese may be used. While hunting Canada Geese with those calls, any other species of migratory bird for which it is the open season may be hunted.
Canada Geese
- Open season:
- March 1 to April 10
- Daily bag limit:
- 8
- Possession limit:
- 24
- Additional hunting method or equipment:
- Electronic bird calls of Canada Geese may be used. From March 15 to April 10, electronic bird calls of Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese may be used. While hunting that species with those calls, any other species of migratory bird for which it is the open season may be hunted.
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 4
Game Bird Hunting Zone No. 4
Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese, combined
- Open season:
- September 1 to September 16, for residents of Canada only
- September 17 to December 6
- Daily bag limit:
- 50
- Possession limit:
- No limit
- Additional hunting method or equipment:
- Electronic bird calls of Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese may be used. While hunting those species with those calls, any other species of migratory bird for which it is open season may be hunted.
- Open season:
- March 15 to May 31
- Daily bag limit:
- 50
- Possession limit:
- No limit
- Additional hunting method or equipment:
- Electronic bird calls of Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese may be used. From March 15 to April 10, electronic bird calls of Canada Geese may be used. While hunting Canada Geese with those calls, any other species of migratory bird for which it is the open season may be hunted.
Canada Geese
- Open season:
- March 1 to April 10
- Daily bag limit:
- 8
- Possession limit:
- 24
- Additional hunting method or equipment:
- Electronic bird calls of Canada Geese may be used. From March 15 to April 10, electronic bird calls of Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese may be used. While hunting that species with those calls, any other species of migratory bird for which it is the open season may be hunted.
Hunting hours
No person shall hunt earlier than half an hour before sunrise or later than half an hour after sunset.
Hunting restrictions and requirements
For more information on restrictions and requirements to hunt migratory game birds, please refer to the Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022 and/or consult the Migratory game bird hunting web page, which includes a frequently asked questions page.
The Canadian Firearms Act outlines the requirements for the licensing, possession, storage and transportation of firearms. Learn more on the RCMP page on firearms.
Most provinces and territories have additional requirements to hunt and/or carry firearms. Check the provincial/territorial and municipal regulations where you will be hunting. Restrictions such as minimum required distances from residences and businesses for the discharge of firearms may apply.
The province of Manitoba requires spring Canada Goose, Snow Goose and Ross’s Goose hunters to obtain a free electronic license, available on the Manitoba elicensing page.
The province of Manitoba has restrictions on foreign resident hunters. For more information, please refer to the Manitoba Waterfowl and Migratory Game Bird Hunting page.
Buy your MGBH Permit online
You can purchase an electronic MGBH Permit through the Regulatory Services Platform.
Hunters must carry their MGBH Permit with them at all times when hunting or when in possession of unpreserved migratory game birds. Permits obtained online may be presented as an electronic PDF or as a printed copy. A provincial or territorial licence may also be required. It is the hunter’s responsibility to be able to show all required permits to a game officer immediately upon request.
As of the 2027–2028 hunting season, Environment and Climate Change Canada will no longer print physical (paper) copies of the hunting regulation summaries. They will continue to be available online at Hunting regulations for migratory birds: provincial and territorial summaries.
The physical MGBH Permits may be phased out as early as the 2027-2028 hunting season. Hunters will be invited to obtain their MGBH Permit through the Regulatory Services Platform.
Youth Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit
The Youth MGBH Permit is an option available to hunters who are minors (under 18 years old on the day the permit is issued). The Youth MGBH Permit and electronic CWHC Stamp are free of charge and can only be obtained through the Regulatory Services Platform.
The Youth MGBH Permit provides young hunters with the opportunity to practice their skills under the supervision of an adult hunter (known as a mentor) and allows them to have their own daily bag and possession limits.
Mentors must possess their own MGBH Permit, must have held a MGBH Permit in a previous year, and may accompany no more than two Youth MGBH Permit holders at a time. Mentors may carry a firearm and may hunt.
Many provinces and territories have additional requirements and restrictions for hunters who are minors and/or for their mentors.
Enforcement
Federal game officers enforce the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 and its associated regulations. This law regulates human activities, such as hunting, that could adversely affect the conservation of migratory birds. Game officers may use warnings, administrative monetary penalties, tickets or prosecutions. Fines and penalties vary depending on the severity of the offence. Individuals found guilty of a summary conviction for a first offence are liable to a fine between $5,000 and $300,000, a maximum imprisonment term of six months, or both.
Crime Stoppers
Report illegal hunting activities, illegal selling of birds or other offences related to migratory birds to Crime Stoppers online or at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Your tip is anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.
Shot
- Lead shot is toxic to wildlife and the environment
- In Manitoba, the use and possession of shot other than non-toxic shot is prohibited while hunting migratory game birds, except for woodcock.
- Within National Wildlife Areas (NWA) that allow hunting, the possession of lead shot is prohibited for all hunting, including the hunting of migratory and upland game birds. Refer to Schedule I.1 of the Wildlife Area Regulations to know which NWAs allow hunting and what restrictions or requirements apply
To reduce your exposure to contaminants in meat, make sure, before cooking it, to:
- remove the shot from birds hunted with lead shot;
- remove the skin and fat from fish-eating birds
Consultation process and migratory birds regulatory reports
There is a national consultation process which includes a report on the population status of migratory game birds and a proposal report that provides an opportunity to participate in developing the hunting regulations. To learn more, visit Migratory birds regulatory report series.
Report your migratory bird bands
Report a bird with a federal band or colour marker online or call 1-800-327-BAND (2263) to leave a message.
Contact us
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Canadian Wildlife Service
Regional office
510-234 Donald Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 1M8
Tel.: 1-800-668-6767
enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca
The information presented here is a summary of the law. If there is a discrepancy between the law and this summary, the law prevails.