Minnesota's waterfowl season will open a half-hour before sunrise Sept. 27, under a similar season structure to last year, with similar bag limits and with season dates that vary for north, central and southern zones.

The daily bag limit remains six ducks. The mallard bag limit remains four, including two hens. The wood duck bag limit remains three.

The only bag limit change from 2013 is the canvasback limit, which decreases from two to one per day.

Youth Waterfowl Day will be Sept. 13, when hunters 15 and under may take regular-season bag limits when accompanied by an adult 18 or older.

A change has been made to the south duck zone (south of Hwy. 212.) Hunting opens there for three days from Sept. 27 through Sept. 29, and then closes. The season reopens from Oct. 11 through Dec. 6.

In the north duck zone (north of Hwy. 210), the season will run Sept. 27 through Nov. 25. And in the central duck zone, the season will run from Sept. 27 through Oct. 5, and from Oct. 11 through Nov. 30.

Meanwhile, a special August Canada goose harvest began Saturday and runs through Aug. 24 in an intensive harvest zone. An early September Canada goose season opens Sept. 6, and the regular goose seasons opens with the regular duck hunting season Sept. 27.

DOUG SMITH