Overview
Known For
Deer, turkey, and small game are the most popular hunting species in Connecticut, with a notable amount of public lands open to hunting.
Terrain
Roughly two-thirds of Connecticut is open land. In the east, there are coastal plains and most of the cities. Other parts are hilly with hardwood forests.
Connecticut Hunting Seasons
| Season | Start Date | End Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Coyote
No closed season. No limit.
|
Jan 2, 2023 | Dec 30, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – Archery Only State Land
State Land Bowhunting only areas
|
Sep 15, 2023 | Dec 30, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – Archery All State Land 1
|
Sep 15, 2023 | Nov 14, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – Archery All Private Land
All zones.
|
Sep 15, 2023 | Dec 31, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – Shotgun/Rifle/Handgun Landowner
|
Nov 15, 2023 | Dec 30, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – State Land No-Lottery
|
Nov 15, 2023 | Dec 5, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – Muzzleloader Private Land
Private lands.
|
Dec 6, 2023 | Dec 30, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – Muzzleloader State Land
State lands.
|
Dec 6, 2023 | Dec 19, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – Archery All State Land 2
|
Dec 20, 2023 | Dec 30, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – Archery Late Private Land
Zone 11 and 12.
|
Jan 1, 2024 | Jan 31, 2024 |
|
|
Duck – Scaup North Zone 1
Daily bag limit of 1. See regulations.
|
Oct 7, 2023 | Oct 14, 2023 |
|
|
Duck – Early North Zone
Daily bag limit of 6 in aggregate. See regulations.
|
Oct 7, 2023 | Oct 14, 2023 |
|
|
Duck – Scaup South Zone 1
Daily bag limit of 1. See regulations.
|
Oct 12, 2023 | Oct 14, 2023 |
|
|
Duck – Early South Zone
Daily bag limit of 6 in aggregate. See regulations. |
Oct 12, 2023 | Oct 14, 2023 |
|
|
Duck – Late North Zone
Daily bag limit of 6 in aggregate. See regulations. |
Nov 10, 2023 | Jan 10, 2024 |
|
|
Duck – Scaup North Zone 2
Daily bag limit of 1. See regulations.
|
Nov 10, 2023 | Dec 18, 2023 |
|
|
Duck – Late South Zone
Daily bag limit of 6 in aggregate. See regulations. |
Nov 16, 2023 | Jan 20, 2024 |
|
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Duck – Scaup South Zone 2
Daily bag limit of 1. See regulations.
|
Nov 16, 2023 | Dec 28, 2023 |
|
|
Duck – Scaup North Zone 3
Daily bag limit of 2. See regulations.
|
Dec 19, 2023 | Jan 10, 2024 |
|
|
Duck – Scaup South Zone 3
Daily bag limit of 2. See regulations.
|
Dec 29, 2023 | Jan 20, 2024 |
|
|
Fox – Gray & Red
|
Oct 21, 2023 | Dec 30, 2023 |
|
|
Goose – Early Canada Goose North Zone
Daily bag limit of 15. See regulations.
|
Sep 1, 2023 | Sep 30, 2023 |
|
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Goose – Early Canada Goose South Zone
Daily bag limit of 15. See regulations.
|
Sep 15, 2023 | Sep 30, 2023 |
|
|
Goose – Early Snow Goose
Daily bag limit of 25. Includes blue geese.
|
Oct 2, 2023 | Jan 13, 2024 |
|
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Goose – Early Snow Goose North Zone
Daily bag limit of 25. Includes blue geese.
|
Oct 2, 2023 | Jan 13, 2024 |
|
|
Goose – AP Early North
North zone only. Canada goose daily bag limit of 3. |
Oct 10, 2023 | Oct 14, 2023 |
|
|
Goose – AFRP First
North and south zone. Daily bag limit of 5.
|
Oct 10, 2023 | Oct 14, 2023 |
|
|
Goose – NAP-H Early
North and south zone. Daily bag limit of 2.
|
Oct 10, 2023 | Oct 14, 2023 |
|
|
Goose – NAP-H Late
North and South Zones. Daily bag limit of 2. |
Nov 10, 2023 | Jan 12, 2024 |
|
|
Goose – AP Late North
North zone only. Canada goose daily bag limit of 3. |
Nov 10, 2023 | Dec 15, 2023 |
|
|
Goose – AFRP
Daily bag limit of 5. |
Nov 21, 2023 | Feb 15, 2024 |
|
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Goose – AFRP Second
North and south zone. Daily bag limit of 5.
|
Nov 21, 2023 | Feb 15, 2024 |
|
|
Goose – Special Late Canada Goose South Zone
South zone only. Daily bag limit of 5.
|
Jan 15, 2024 | Feb 15, 2024 |
|
|
Goose – Late Snow Goose
Daily bag limit of 25. Includes blue geese.
|
Feb 21, 2024 | Mar 9, 2024 |
|
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Ruffed Grouse
|
Oct 21, 2023 | Nov 30, 2023 |
|
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Pheasant
|
Oct 21, 2023 | Dec 30, 2023 |
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Quail
|
Oct 21, 2023 | Nov 4, 2023 |
|
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Rabbit – Cottontail
|
Oct 28, 2023 | Dec 30, 2023 |
|
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Rabbit – Snowshoe Hare
|
Nov 18, 2023 | Dec 30, 2023 |
|
|
Turkey – Spring
All lands.
|
Apr 26, 2023 | May 27, 2023 |
|
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Turkey – Fall Archery All State Land 1
|
Sep 15, 2023 | Nov 14, 2023 |
|
|
Turkey – Fall Archery Only State Land
State Land Bowhunting only Areas.
|
Sep 15, 2023 | Dec 30, 2023 |
|
|
Turkey – Fall Archery All Private Land
All zones.
|
Sep 15, 2023 | Dec 30, 2023 |
|
|
Turkey – Fall Firearms
All lands. State Land: 1 either sex. Private Land/Landowner: 2 either sex.
|
Oct 7, 2023 | Oct 31, 2023 |
|
|
Turkey – Fall Archery All State Land 2
|
Dec 20, 2023 | Dec 30, 2023 |
|
|
Turkey – Fall Archery Late Private Land
Zone 11 and 12.
|
Jan 2, 2024 | Jan 31, 2024 |
|
|
Chukar & Hungarian Partridge
|
Oct 21, 2023 | Dec 30, 2023 |
Connecticut Licenses, Permits and Regulations
Connecticut hunting licenses, permits, and regulations for resident and non-resident hunters can be purchased on the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection website. Click below to view the website.
Hunting GPS Maps
Every Connecticut hunter should have hunting GPS maps on hand. Connecticut hunting maps are available from onX Hunt. With a paid membership you can access Satellite, Topo, or Hybrid Basemaps, over which you can view maps of hunt zones, along with State, Forest Service, and other public and private property boundaries. You can view trails and roads, and even download maps to the Hunt App for use offline. Click below to get onX Hunt for Connecticut.
Hunt Management Zones
Connecticut has 12-plus deer/turkey management hunt zones. Research shows that the best hunting for big whitetail bucks is in the westernmost part of the state. Connecticut’s whitetail population is 125,000 strong, and, interestingly, if a hunter were to participate in all the archery and firearm seasons one could potentially harvest up to 14 deer in a year. Click below to view Connecticut’s hunt zones in more detail through an interactive map.
Hunting Layers
CT Private Lands
Over 1,100,000 parcels mapped by the onX team, this layer helps you know who the property owners are in Connecticut. Tap any parcel to learn more info about the owner and acreage.
CT Gov Lands
onX has the most accurate public lands maps with over 310,000 acres in Connecticut to help you plan your next adventure. Tap any public land parcel to learn more.
CT Possible Access
onX has mapped of possible access lands in Connecticut including timber companies and land conservation groups. Research rules on these private lands before recreating.
CT Deer & Turkey Zones
Connecticut Deer / Turkey Zones. Please hunt responsibly, obey all signage and have a safe legal hunt.
CT Public Hunting Areas
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection State Land Restrictions and Hunting Areas. All hunters are expected to know the rules of the program.
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