Hunting Season in Saskatchewan starts September 1 every year and runs to the second weekend in December. You do not need an Outfitter or guide to hunt Upland or Waterfowl Birds in Saskatchewan. The province is in the central flyway of the annual migration of waterfowl. Basically everywhere you go you will find birds, however, some areas are better than others.  This has a lot to do with water and food conditions at time of migration. 

To hunt any bird (upland or waterfowl) you need a Game Bird License. This game bird license allows you to hunt Upland Game Birds ONLY. To hunt Migratory Game Birds (waterfowl) you must also obtain the Federal Migratory Bird Stamp. This stamp is ONLY available at a Federal Post Office or Post Office Designated Location. All waterfowl hunters either resident or non-resident must have this Migratory Stamp to validate the Game Bird License. To legaly hunt ONLY Waterfowl even if NOT hunting Upland Birds YOU MUST have both portions.

Migratory game birds can be given away as long as each bird is tagged with the name, address, Migratory Game Bird Permit number, date taken and the signature of the hunter that took the bird. Electric calls can be used for snow geese hunting but all decoys must be full white or blue geese only.

There are 2 Game Bird Districts in Saskatchewan these are, Northern and Southern Districts.

Before October 15, hunting for all geese is restricted to morning only (one-half hour before sunrise to 12:00 noon) in the South Game Bird District and zones 43, 47 to 59 and 67 to 69. All day hunting for all geese begins October 15. Exception: beginning September 1, White geese may be hunted all day EAST OF THE 106 degrees longitude.

Spring Snow Goose Hunt: Hunters are not required to have a provincial game bird licence or a habitat certificate for this hunt. Hunters are required to have in their possession a current Federal Migratory Game Bird Permit and Stamp. Snow geese may be hunted all day during the spring season. Spring snow geese include white and blue phase snow geese but NOT Ross` Geese.

The use of non-toxic shot is required for hunting migratory game birds in Saskatchewan infact all of Canada. Lead shot can still be used for hunting upland game birds except in national wildlife areas.

Three Stages to the Fall Migration:
At the start of the season: Sept. 1 to the third weekend in September we have local birds that nested in the area and early migrating birds that did not nest or lost their young to predators. This time frame we shoot lots of Canada Geese, area raised Ducks and some migrating Lesser Canada and Whitefronted Geese. Depending on harvest conditions amount of peas and winter wheat harvested and cut down determines how long the migrating birds stage.

End of September to Mid October: we see the main migration in numbers with the 2 best weeks for hunting being the very last week of Sept and first week in October. Harvest in full swing, crops picked up, fields available to feed on. Hunting pressure and weather determines how long these birds stage in the area but usually until late into October and early November. Snow does not seem to stop stage unless we get a few inches and it is not melting then the need for food causes the geese to all migrate and of course if the water freezes solid they are gone. Freezing water sources, smaller sloughs and lakes causes the birds to form large flocks. Not uncommon to see entire lakes and larger sloughs covered with birds.

End of October to End of Season: we see the arrival of the Giants the Greater Canadas, double curl tail Mallards and the young that couldn’t fly at time of the main migration. Total freezing over of all water sources determines the length of time these hang around.  At this time of year we residents have to decide to hunt big game or waterfowl. I have gone deer hunting in the morning, shot mallards and geese at noon and gone deer hunting again that night.  

My recommendation to anyone coming on a Waterfowl hunting trip, for the greatest number of all species of waterfowl game birds, would be the last week of September and first week of October. If you are after a true trophy Mallard or Giant Canada Geese then mid to late October. 

Know The Birds You Hunt:
Know The Geese
Know The Ducks
Know The Upland Birds

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