Tracking the Snipe Migration
A look into snipe hunting and their migration south.
Did you know snipe are a migratory bird much like their cousin the beloved woodcock?
These little birds make an ambitious flight south each fall, generally tracking behind teal but arriving before the big pushes of American woodcock and waterfowl.
To no surprise, snipe seasons line up with their migration as they move from their summer breeding grounds in September to their winter grounds on into November and December.
Depending on where you live, your snipe season may compete with dove and early teal or extend well into February after other wingshooting seasons have closed.
Moving from the northern to central and on to the southern latitudes, we can see that state snipe seasons fall into three categories—September, October and November openers.
Early Season: September Openers
Snipe season comes early in the Northern states where many snipe have bred, raised their clutch, and may or may not even be migrating yet. Most of these states can keep you busy in the uplands well into December and January so long as the weather hasn’t pushed them out.
| State | 2019-2020 Season Dates | Daily/Possession Limit |
| Alaska | Southeast Units 1 – 4: Sep. 1, 2019 – Dec. 16, 2020 | 8/24 |
| Gulf Coast Units 5 – 7, 9, 10: Sep. 1, 2019 – Dec. 16, 2019 | ||
| Pribilof/Aleutian Unit 10: Oct. 8, 2019 – Jan. 22, 2020 | ||
| Kodiak Unit 8: Oct. 8, 2019 – Jan. 22, 2020 | ||
| North Units 11 – 13, 17 – 26: Sep. 1, 2019 – Dec. 16, 2019 | ||
| Colorado | Sep. 1, 2019 – Dec. 16, 2019 | 8/24 |
| Delaware | Sep. 13, 2019 – Nov. 30, 2019 Dec. 7, 2019 – Jan. 21, 2020 | 8/24 |
| Illinois | Sep. 7, 2019 – Dec. 22, 2019 | 8/24 |
| Indiana | Sep. 1, 2019 – Dec. 16, 2019 | 8/24 |
| Iowa | Sep.7, 2019 – Nov. 30, 2019 | 8/24 |
| Kansas | Sep. 1, 2019 – Dec. 16, 2019 | 8/24 |
| Kentucky | Sep. 18, 2019 – Oct. 27, 2019 Nov. 28, 2019 – Feb. 2, 2020 | 8/24 |
| Maine | Sep. 2, 2019 – Dec. 17, 2019 | 8/24 |
| Maryland | Sep. 30, 2019 – Jan. 31, 2020 | 8/24 |
| Massachusetts | Sep. 2, 2019 – Dec. 16, 2019 | 8/24 |
| Michigan | Sep. 1, 2019 – Nov. 9, 2019 | 8/24 |
| Minnesota | Sep. 1, 2019 – Nov. 4, 2019 | 8/24 |
| Missouri | Sep. 1, 2019 – Dec. 16, 2019 | 8/24 |
| Montana | Sep. 1, 2019 – Dec. 16, 2019 | 8/24 |
| Nebraska | Sep. 1, 2019 – Dec. 16, 2019 | 8/24 |
| New Hampshire | Sep. 15, 2019 – Nov. 14, 2019 | 8/24 |
| New Jersey | Sep. 14, 2019 – Jan. 16, 2020 | 8/24 |
| New York | Sep. 1, 2019 – Nov. 9, 2019 | 8/24 |
| North Dakota | Sep. 14, 2019 – Dec. 1, 2019 | 5/15 |
| Ohio | Sep. 1, 2019 – Nov. 26, 2019 Dec. 14, 2019 – Jan. 2, 2020 | 8/24 |
| Rhode Island | Sep. 1, 2019 – Nov. 9, 2019 | 5/15 |
| South Dakota | Sep. 1, 2019 – Oct. 31, 2019 | 5/15 |
| West Virginia | Sep. 2, 2019 – Dec. 17, 2019 | 8/24 |
| Wyoming | Sep. 1, 2019 – Dec. 16, 2019 | 8/24 |
| Wisconsin | North Zone: Sep. 28, 2019 – Nov. 26, 2019 South Zone: Sep. 28, 2019 – Oct. 6, 2019 Oct. 12, 2019 – Dec. 1, 2019 Mississippi Zone: Sep. 28, 2019 – Oct. 4, 2019 Oct. 12, 2019 – Dec. 3, 2019 | 8/24 |
Mid Season: October Openers
Fourteen states enjoy the start of their season in October, with ideal fall weather. If you live in one of these you will likely get multiple pushes of birds as they follow the cold fronts and frost lines south.
| State | 2019-2020 Season Dates | Daily/Possession Limits |
| Arizona | Desert Zone: Oct. 18, 2019 – Jan. 26, 2020 Mountain Zone: Oct. 4, 2019 – Jan. 12, 2020 | 8/24 |
| California | Oct. 19, 2019 – Feb. 2, 2020 | 8/24 |
| Connecticut | Oct. 21, 2019 – Nov. 16, 2019 Nov. 18, 2019 – Dec. 11, 2019 | 8/24 |
| Idaho | Area 1: Oct. 12, 2019 – Jan. 24, 2020 Area 2: Oct. 5, 2019 – Jan. 17, 2020 | 8/24 |
| Nevada | NE Zone: Sep. 21, 2019 – Oct 20, 2019 Oct 23, 2019 – Jan 5, 2020 NW Zone: Oct. 19, 2019 – Jan 31, 2020 S Zone – Clark and Lincoln County: Oct 19, 2019 – Jan 31, 2020 S Zone – Moapa Valley: Nov 2, 2019 – Jan 31, 2020 | 8/24 |
| New Mexico | Central Flyway: Oct. 12, 2019 – Jan. 26, 2020 Pacific Flyway: Oct 17, 2019 – Jan 31, 2020 | 8/24 |
| North Carolina | Oct. 28, 2019 – Feb. 28, 2020 | 8/24 |
| Oklahoma | Oct. 1, 2019 – Jan. 15, 2020 | 8/24 |
| Pennsylvania | Oct. 19, 2019 – Nov. 29, 2019 Dec. 16, 2019 – Dec. 24, 2019 | 8/24 |
| Texas | Oct. 26, 2019 – Feb. 9, 2020 | 8/24 |
| Vermont | Oct. 1, 2019 – Nov. 14, 2020 | 8/24 |
| Utah | Northern Zone: Oct. 5, 2019 – Jan. 18, 2020 Southern Zone: Oct. 12, 2019 – Jan. 25, 2020 | 8/24 |
| Virginia | Oct. 11, 2019 – Oct. 14, 2019 Oct. 2, 2019 – Jan. 31, 2020 | 8/24 |
| Washington | Oct. 12, 2019 – Oct. 30, 2019 Nov 2, 2019 – Jan. 26, 2020 | 8/24 |
Late Season: November Openers
Down South the seasons start late but run well into February. Some push on to Mexico, but for many it’s the end of the line. As the season rolls on, a southern snipe will definitely get educated and become more flighty.
| State | 2019-2020 Season Dates | Daily/Possession Limits |
| Alabama | Nov. 14, 2019 – Feb. 28, 2020 | 8/16 |
| Arkansas | Nov. 1, 2019 – Feb. 15, 2020 | 8/24 |
| Florida | Nov. 1, 2019 – Feb. 15, 2020 | 8/24 |
| Georgia | Nov. 15, 2019 – Feb. 28, 2020 | 8/24 |
| Louisiana | Nov. 2, 2019 – Dec. 8, 2019 Dec. 21, 2019 – Feb. 28, 2020 | 8/24 |
| Mississippi | Nov. 14, 2019 – Feb. 28, 2020 | 8/24 |
| Oregon | Zone 1: Nov. 2, 2019 – Feb. 16, 2020 Zone 2: Oct. 5, 2019 – Dec 1, 2019 Dec 4, 2019 – Jan 19, 2020 | 8/24 |
| South Carolina | Nov. 14, 2019 – Feb. 28, 2020 | 8/24 |
| Tennessee | Nov. 14 2019 – Feb. 28, 2020 | 8/24 |
Go Plan a Snipe Hunt
If snipe are on your radar this fall, the snipe habitat and gear guide are natural follow-on reading. You’ll learn about where to locate them and what you need for a day afield.
