The statewide duck season is split into two segments: Nov. 21-29 and Dec. 12 through Jan. 31. Wildlife officials designed the second segment to run through the end of January to give hunters more late-season opportunities.

Before the main season, a special two-day hunt is set for Nov. 14-15 for youth, active-duty military and veterans. During that weekend, eligible hunters may pursue designated migratory species including ducks, Canada geese and mergansers. Youth hunters must be 15 or younger and accompanied by an adult at least 18 years old, though only the youth may shoot.

Kara Nitschke, a migratory gamebird biologist with the state, urged hunters to follow harvest reporting rules. "Be sure to consult the regulations, either online or in the popular guide, for species-specific daily bag limits," Nitschke said. "Always be sure to check whether you've harvested a banded bird and if so, report it to the USGS Bird Banding Lab."

Hunters taking part in Georgia's waterfowl season must carry three separate credentials: a Georgia hunting license, a Georgia migratory bird license and a federal duck stamp. The Wildlife Resources Division offers a Waterfowl Hunter Package at GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com that bundles the requirements and includes a plastic hard card license.

Complete migratory bird hunting regulations and bag limit details are available on the Georgia DNR's website.

The season structure matters for Georgia's outdoors community, from families who rely on the youth weekend to pass on hunting traditions to military members and veterans who get a dedicated early opportunity. State officials say the extended late segment helps maximize hunting days when waterfowl are most active.

Hunters are reminded to check species-specific limits before heading out and to report any banded birds they harvest, a key data source for wildlife managers tracking migratory populations.