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This is the Official Connecticut hunting Information and Regulations navigation page for the Connecticut state rules and regulations guidebook overviews.
You can access each individual state regulation guidebook by clicking the links below.
These are just the overviews of the official state regulations.
The Actual state Connecticut hunting regulation guidebooks are accessible by clicking on the state you would like to see from the home page map then clicking on the Connecticut state hunting regulations books.
They are also accessible by clicking on the Connecticut hunting reg. books below and accessing the Connecticut hunting regs link in the Connecticut Guidebooks listed below.
Enjoy be safe and have a great time exploring the site and remember to check back often to keep updated on all the new laws, rules, and Connecticut regulations pertaining to the hunting, fishing, trapping, and wildlife sports. Also remember Connecticut hunting Licenses, hunters education Information, hunting maps and much more are available at the Connecticut Home Page.
Weather its, Connecticut bear hunting, Connecticut Boar Hunting, Connecticut deer hunting, Connecticut dove hunting, Connecticut Duck Hunting, Connecticut Elk Hunting, Connecticut goose hunting, Connecticut grouse hunting, Connecticut javelina hunting, Connecticut mule deer hunting, Connecticut pheasant hunting, Connecticut predator hunting, Connecticut quail hunting, Connecticut rabbit hunting, Connecticut pronghorn/antelope hunting, Connecticut raccoon hunting, Connecticut moose hunting, Connecticut whitetail deer hunting, Connecticut Turkey Hunting We have the Connecticut state hunting regulations for your trip into the wilderness or on the water covered in one easy to location.
Hunting is regulated in Connecticut by the fish and game department. You can check there website for current hunting information including Hunters education courses and requirements.
Connecticut hunting opportunities are diverse. Everything from antelope, deer, elk, wild pig and bear. Most hunting opportunities are established using the zone system with varying dates and bag limits. Special muzzleloader and archery seasons are available for most upland game and big game species.
For The complete Connecticut Hunting Regulations Summary Guidebook Click Here
Connecticut Hunting Information - Firearms hunting license or Small Game and Deer Archery Permit and a spring turkey permit. You may obtain both a private land (either Private Land or Free Landowner) and a state land spring turkey permit.
Hunting Hours: 1/2 hour before sunrise to 12 noon.
Legal Firearms: Shotguns, 20 gauge or larger, with #4, 5, 6, or 7 1/2 shot. Shotguns must not be capable of holding more than 3 shells.
Legal Bows: For the purposes of hunting deer and turkey, legal bows and arrows include long, recurved, and compound bows with a minimum draw weight of 40 pounds. An arrowhead must have at least two blades and must be at least 7/8 inch wide at its widest point. Arrowheads that are designed to open on impact are legal provided they meet the above requirement. Mechanical string release devices are permitted. Projectiles coated with any drug, poison or tranquilizing substance are prohibited. - Use of Crossbows: Crossbows may be used by physically disabled persons with a special permit. Crossbows may also be used by all persons hunting on Private Lands during the January bow season in Zones 11 and 12.
- Pheasant
- License & Permits: Firearms or Archery Hunting License, and Pheasant Tag Series
Special Conditions: Only one Pheasant Tag Series may be purchased per season. A valid pheasant tag must immediately be attached to harvested birds and must not be removed until cut up for consumption or mounted for display. Use of someone else's tags or re-use of tags is prohibited. Landowners hunting pheasants on their own land are exempt from tagging requirements, but are still restricted to daily and season bag limits. Private hunting clubs can apply for exemption from tagging requirements. Contact Wildlife Division for details. Members and guests of such exempt clubs are not subject to seasonal bag limits when hunting on club lands. They are also exempt from daily bag limits if they use club tags on all pheasants taken on such club lands. Club tags must be applied immediately upon kill and contain club name, hunting license number and date taken. Pheasants identified in this manner do not count towards the statewide daily limit of two. - Major Pheasant Stocking Areas
Junior Hunter Training Day - Saturday, October 9 (more info)
- Other Upland Game Birds
- Species: Ruffed Grouse, Quail, Chukar Partridge, Crow
License & Permits: Firearms or Archery Hunting License
Special Conditions:
Extended Quail Season - Quail may be hunted at the Nod Brook WMA and the Flaherty, Mansfield, and Sugarbrook Field Trial Areas from Jan. 1 - 9 and from Oct. 16 - Dec. 31.
Crow Hunting - While crow hunting from a stationary position a hunter is exempt from the fluorescent orange clothing regulation.
- Migratory Game Birds
- Species: Woodcock, Snipe, Rails, Coot
License & Permits: Firearms or Archery Hunting License, and Connecticut HIP Permit.
Legal Firearms: Shotguns are the only firearms which may be used. Shotguns must be capable of holding no more than 3 shells. Up to #2 size shot may be used, or up to BB size shot may be used when hunting on private lands other than during the private land firearms deer season.
Special Conditions: Federal Regulations - in addition to Connecticut hunting laws, migratory bird hunters are subject to all Federal Laws and Regulations. Legal shooting hours for migratory game birds and waterfowl end at sunset.
- Waterfowl
- Species: Ducks, Mergansers, Geese, Brant
License & Permits: Firearms or Archery Hunting License. Connecticut HIP permit. Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp and Connecticut Migratory Bird Hunting Authorization also required for hunters 16 years or older. Note, federal waterfowl stamps are not valid unless signed in ink on the face of the stamp. The actual state stamp no longer needs to be carried while hunting.
Legal Firearms: Shotguns are the only firearms which may be used. Refer to the Migratory Bird Hunting Guide for regulations regarding the number of shells a shotgun may hold.
Special Conditions: Non-Toxic Shot - Non-toxic shot is required for waterfowl hunting. The maximum size shot allowed is BB for steel and #2 for other federally approved non-toxic shot types. - Possession of Lead Shot - possessing lead shot while waterfowl hunting is a violation.
Federal Regulations - in addition to Connecticut hunting laws, waterfowl hunters are subject to all Federal Laws and Regulations. Legal shooting hours for migratory game birds and waterfowl end at sunset.
No Hunting Buffer Zone - while hunting in tidal areas from land or from floating blinds anchored to land or rock positions, the no hunting buffer zone around permanent buildings is 250 feet.
Fluorescent Orange Clothing - while hunting waterfowl from boats or stationary positions a hunter is exempt from the fluorescent orange clothing regulation.
Junior Hunter Training Days - See Current Migratory Bird Hunting Guide
- Small Game Mammals
- Species: Gray Squirrel, Cottontail, Snowshoe Hare, European Hare, Woodchuck
License & Permits: Firearms or Archery Hunting License
Special Conditions: None
- Raccoon and Opossum
- Shooting Hours: No restrictions on state-owned lands open to hunting and on private lands where landowners have given permission.
License & Permits: Firearms or Archery Hunting License
Special Conditions: When hunting at night, rifles or handguns using ammunition larger than .22 caliber rimfire long rifle, or shotgun shells larger than #2 shot may not be used. Note that rifles or handguns using .17 caliber rimfire ammunition are permitted for hunting at night. It is illegal to take raccoons or opossums with the use of a light from a motor vehicle.
- Foxes and Coyote
- Species: Red Fox, Gray Fox, Coyote
License & Permits: Firearms or Archery Hunting License
Special Conditions: The pelts of these species must be tagged.
Deer Hunting
- New procedures for tagging and reporting deer.
- Private land muzzleloader deer season extended to end of December.
- Established a second junior deer hunting training day.
- You can now buy a No-Lottery Permit for either the “A” Season or “B” Season.
- During the Private Land Shotgun/Rifle and Muzzleloader seasons, you are permitted one additional Antlerless deer in Zone 7.
- During the Private Land Shotgun/Rifle and Muzzleloader seasons, you are permitted two additional Antlerless deer in Zones 11 and 12.
Turkey Hunting
- New procedures for tagging and reporting turkeys.
- Spring turkey season moved forward by one week to start on last Wednesday in April.
- Spring turkey season ends on last Saturday in May.
- Spring turkey hunters can obtain both a state land and private land permit.
- Established a second junior turkey hunting training day and extended hunting hours on junior turkey hunting training days to 5:00pm.
Archery/Bowhunting Regulation Changes
- Eliminated interview process for physically disabled persons to obtain a crossbow permit.
- Eliminated orange clothing requirements for bow hunting during firearms deer seasons on state lands that are designated as bowhunting only when hunting from an elevated stand.
- Allows crossbows on private lands in Deer Management Zones 11 and 12 during January bow season.
- Allows deer hunters on private land to use a bow during entire shotgun/rifle season on a statewide basis and exempts them from orange clothing requirements when hunting from an elevated stand.
Goose Hunting
- Removes 3 shell limit for hunters during September goose season.
Trapping
- Eliminated the season bag limit on beaver and extended the beaver trapping season to March 31.
- Adjusted the fisher trapping season to be November 20 through December 31 and increased the season bag limit on fisher from two to four.
Click Here to go to the Connecticut Home Page which Includes the Hunting and Fishing Regulation Guidebooks, Maps, Videos, and Lots more Cool Stuff !!
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