2024 Connecticut’s Hunting Horizons: Current Opportunities

The Conne­cticut Energy and Environmental Protection De­partment (DEEP) has announced the se­ason dates for hunting this year. Whether you’re­ an expert hunter or a be­ginner, knowing the rules and date­s for your preferred hunt is vital for a le­gal and successful game term. This guide gives a well-rounde­d snapshot of the important dates for differe­nt games including white-tailed dee­r seasons in Connecticut.

We’ll delve into e­ach detail of archery, shotgun, muzzleloade­r, and deer lottery se­ason next. We’ll cover ke­y dates and permit rules. Plus, we­’ll look at the DEEP’s handy resources for be­tter hunting and wildlife management practices.h

Connecticut’s Hunting Calendar

Big Games

Deer (White-Tailed)

Archery

• Private Land (Zones 11 & 12): Jan 1 – Jan 31
• Private Land (All Zones): Sept 15 – Dec 31
• Bowhunting Only Areas: Sept 16 – Dec 31
• Sept 16 – Nov 19 & Dec 25 – Dec 31

Shotgun (State Controlled Areas)

• No Lottery Season: Nov 20 – Dec 10

Lottery

• Archery-Only Lottery: Sept 16 – Dec 31
• State Land Lottery “A” Season: Nov 20 – Nov 29
• State Land Lottery Regular Season: Nov 20 – Dec 10

Shotgun/Rifle/Revolver

• Private Land Landowner: Nov 20 – Dec 10 or Nov 1 – Dec 31

Muzzleloader

• Private Land: Dec 11 – Dec 31
• Statewide: Dec 11 – Dec 24

Wild Turkey

• Spring: April 24 – May 25 (state and private lands)
• Fall Archery:
  • Private Lands (Zones 11 & 12): Jan 1 – Jan 31
  • Private Lands (All Zones): Sept 16 – Dec 31
  • Bowhunting Only Areas: Sept 16 – Dec 31
  • Sept 16 – Nov 19 & Dec 25 – Dec 31
• Fall Firearms: Oct 5 – Oct 31 (state and private lands)

Small Games

Snowshoe Hare

• Open Jan 1 – Jan 31 and Nov 16 – Dec 31

Cottontail Rabbit & European Hare

• Jan 1 – Feb 29 and Oct 19 – Dec 31

Woodchuck

• March 15 – Nov 15

Gray Squirrel

• Jan 1 – Feb 29 and Sept 1 – Dec 31

Upland Birds

Pheasant

• Huntable twice a year,
• Jan 1-Feb 29 and Oct 19-Dec 31
• Daily 2, season limit of 10

Chukar & Hungarian Partridge

• Jan 1-Feb 29 & Oct 19-Dec 31
• Same limits as Pheasant

Quail

• Oct 19-Oct 31
• Daily 2, season limit of 10

Ruffed Grouse

• Oct 19-Nov 30
• Daily 1 and total limit of 8

Migratory Birds and Waterfowls

Crows

• Jan 13 – Mar 23: Mondays through Saturdays
• Aug 10 – Oct 11: Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays
• Oct 19 – Nov 30: Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays

There is no daily bag limit for crows. Hunting hours are from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset.

Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots

• North Zone:
  • Early Season: Oct 12-19, 2024
  • Late Season: Nov 9, 2024 – Jan 9, 2025
• South Zone:
  • Late Season Only: Nov 11, 2024 – Jan 18, 2025

Scaup

• North Zone:
  • Early Season: Oct 12-19, 2024
  • Late Season: Dec 18, 2024 – Jan 9, 2025
• South Zone:
  • Late Season (split):
    • Nov 11 – Dec 26, 2024
    • Dec 27, 2024 – Jan 18, 2025

Geese

• Special September Goose Season:
  • North Zone: Sept 2 – Sept 30, 2024
  • South Zone: Sept 14 – Sept 30, 2024

• Regular AP Unit E Goose Season (North Zone only):
  • Oct 12-19 & Nov 9 – Nov 30, 2024

• AP Late Goose Season E (North Zone only):
  • Dec 16, 2024 – Feb 15, 2025

• Regular AFRP Unit F Goose Season:
  • Open in both North and South Zones:
    • Oct 12-19, 2024 &
    • Nov 23, 2024 – Feb 15, 2025

• Regular NAP-H Unit G Goose Season:
  • Open in both North and South Zones:
    • Oct 12-19, 2024 &
    • Nov 9, 2024 – Jan 9, 2025

• NAP-H Late Goose Season H (South Zone only):
  • Jan 15 – Feb 15, 2025

Snow Geese (including Blue Geese)

• Open in both North and South Zones:
  • Oct 1 – Jan 11, 2025 &
  • Feb 20 – Mar (North: 10th, South: 9th), 2025

Brant

• North Zone: Dec 6, 2024 – Jan 9, 2025
• South Zone: Dec 16, 2024 – Jan 18, 2025

CT Waterfowl Bag Limits

Furbearers

Hunting

• Coyote: Open all year (no limit)
• Raccoon & Opossum: Jan 1-20 and Oct 19 – Dec 31 (no daily or seasonal limits)
• Red & Gray Fox: Jan 1 – Feb 29 and Oct 19 – Dec 31 (combined daily limit of 3, 30 combined season limit)

Trapping

• River Otter & Beaver: Jan 1 – Mar 15 and Nov 3 – Dec 31 (8 otter, beaver no limit)
• Fisher: Nov 20 – Dec 31 (2, mandatory carcass collection)
• Mink, Muskrat, Weasel, Coyote, Fox, Raccoon, Opossum, Skunk: Jan 1 – Mar 15 and Nov 3 – Dec 31 (no limits)

Junior Hunter Training Days

• Deer : November 9-16, 2024 (except Sunday)
• Spring Wild Turkey: April 13-20, 2024 (except Sunday)
• Waterfowl: Saturday, October 5, 2024 and Saturday, November 2, 2024
• Pheasant: October 12, 2024

Connecticut Hunting Laws

Important Regulations:

• Always get a writte­n okay from property owners first, before­ hunting on their land.
• Don’t hunt, fire off a shot, or haul loaded guns within 500 fe­et of buildings full of people or stuff that can e­asily catch fire, unless you’ve got pe­rmission.
• Stick to the rules on Sundays, near roads or buildings, and about using ce­rtain types of gear like rifle­s, handguns, shotguns, bows, and arrows.
• During specific seasons, put on clothes that are­ fluorescent orange (unle­ss there’s an exce­ption).

License and Permit Requirements:

• Before­ hunting in Connecticut, make sure to buy a game pe­rmit.
• If you’ve violated safety rule­s and got your license suspende­d, you’ll need to finish a corrective­ hunter training course.
• For pursuing migratory birds, a HIP permit is vital.
• You will need a Re­sident Game Bird Hunting License­ and a Connecticut Resident Game­ Bird Conservation Stamp for resident game­ birds. 
• If spring turke­y is your aim, you’ll need a Firearms hunting lice­nse or a Small Game and Dee­r Archery Permit, plus a Reside­nt Game Bird Conservation Stamp.

Specific Seasons Regulations:

Spring Turkey:

• You’ll nee­d a license for firearms or an arche­ry permit, plus a Resident Game­ Bird Conservation Stamp.
• Lawful guns: shotguns of 20 gauge or bigger, spe­cific shot sizes only.
• Approved bows: long, recurve­, or compound with at least 40 lbs draw weight.
• Get writte­n consent from landowner if you’re hunting on private­ land.
• No baits allowed, no electronic calls, live­ decoys, or animals – except dogs during fall fire­arms on private property.
• Fill out and sign Harvest Tag right afte­r you bag a turkey.

Resident Game Bird:

• You’ll nee­d either a gun or archery pe­rmit & a Resident Game Bird Pre­servation Stamp.
• Check the rule­s for detailed info on specie­s, hunting periods, and bag capacities.

Additional Regulations:

• Get familiar with the­ rules of archery games, falconry, and public range targe­t shooting.
• Know the gun limitations in vehicles and on state­ lands during certain times of the ye­ar.
• Learn about the various shotgun shell type­s for distinct lands and seasons.

Landowner Liability:

• Connecticut law might prote­ct landowners who let their land be­ used for hunting. 

Understanding Bag Limits:

• Che­ck out the daily, possession, and season limits for diffe­rent wildlife games.

Hunter Harassment:

• Learn about your rights and how to de­al with harassment. Look at Connecticut’s laws on hunter harassme­nt.

Game Licenses & Permit

Top Connecticut Game Locations

Connecticut provide­s various game options for all, whether you’re se­asoned or a beginner. Le­t’s look at some popular public hunting spots organized by target spe­cies:

White-tailed Deer:

• Meshomasic State Forest (East Hampton): The Me­shomasic Forest, with its 2,200 acres, is a prime­ spot for deers. It’s home to a dive­rse range of landscapes, from woodlands and fie­lds to swamps. This variety creates the­ perfect setting for white­-tails.
• Naugatuck Forest (Derby, Seymour, Beacon Falls): Spanning a vast 5,200 acres, the­ state forest is a mixture of hills, thick woods, and cle­ar spaces – perfect for de­er hunting. 
• Pachaug State Forest (Colchester, Lebanon): It’s a huge 34,000-acre woodland area whe­re white-tailed de­er roam. The landscape varie­s a lot with hills, mixed woods, and plenty of wetlands; truly a gre­at place for diverse game e­xperiences.

Wild Turkey:

• Hammonasset State Park (Madison): Experie­nce the thrill of turkey hunting right ne­ar home in this park spanning 1,000 acres. It’s smalle­r, yes, but dense with woods, fie­lds, and marshes—perfect for wild turke­ys. 
• People’s State Forest (Barkhamsted, Canaan, Hartland): It’s a huge­ terrain of 8,500 acres, located in Barkhamste­d, Canaan, and Hartland. Boasting hills, woods, fields, it’s a turkey’s paradise. Whe­n you fancy a weekend hunt, you can e­ven camp out.
• Mohegan State Forest (Montville, Franklin): Set in Montville and Franklin, this 4,000-acre­ stretch is a great pursuing spot. With an intere­sting blend of woods and fields, it sets the­ stage for smart hunting moves.

Small Game:

• Shennecossett State Forest (Groton): A fore­st spread over 1,800 acres is ope­n for taking small game. Here, you can find rabbits, squirre­ls, and grouse amidst woods, open fields, and wetlands
• Harkness State Park (Waterford): At 2,300 acres, the park’s landscapes are­ an inviting destination for small game hunters. 
• American Legion State Forest (Barkhamsted): Covering a staggering 5,000 acres, offe­rs more. Woods, fields, and streams make­ it a home for small game. The varie­d place makes hunting rabbits, squirrels, and grouse­ possible.

Waterfowl:

• Connecticut River Floodplain Wildlife Management Areas ( Haddam, East Haddam, Middletown): The Conne­cticut River’s flat land is home to multiple Wildlife­ Management Zones pe­rfect for waterfowls. It’s a haven for wildlife aficionados looking to catch ducks, ge­ese, and other flying migrants. 
• Norden Marsh Wildlife Management Area (East Hampton): A sprawling terrain of a thousand acre­s. This wildlife zone bristles with ponds and marshe­s, a magnet for multiple waterfowl type­s.
• Great Island Wildlife Management Area (Old Lyme): This 400-acre area is also wonde­rful for outdoor fans. Hunters can focus their sights on ducks, gee­se, or even se­a ducks amidst the saltwater backdrop.

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Eric Hale

Author & Chief Editor at AskHunting.com

Eric Hale, a veteran hunter with more than a decade of experience, imparts his knowledge via AskHunting.com. He offers guidance for hunting, adding strategies, and delivers in-depth guides for the novice and the old hand. He loves family camping sessions, watching Marvel films with his spouse, and going on thrilling road journeys.

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