About Hunting in Connecticut
Connecticut has some densely populated areas as well as some nice rural areas. It has a large amount of coast so it has great fishing but it also has some great hunting in parts of the state, especially the northwest.
Connecticut Archery Deer Hunting Seasons 2021
| Season | Dates | Zone |
| Deer | Jan. 1 – Jan. 31 | Private Lands (Zones 11–12) |
| Sept. 15 – Dec. 31 | Private Lands (All zones) | |
| Sept. 15 – Nov. 16 Dec. 22 – Dec. 31 | State Land | |
| Sept. 15 – Dec. 31 | State Land Bowhunting Only Areas |
Bag Limit: 2 either sex and 2 antlerless (4 total); additional bag of 1 either sex and 1 antlerless (2 total) during the Jan. 1-31 season on private lands in zones 11 and 12.
Hunting Hours: 1/2 hour before sunrise until sunset.
Connecticut Firearm Deer Hunting Seasons 2021
| Season | Date | Limits |
| Private Land Muzzleloader | Dec. 8 – Dec. 31 | See Below* |
| Private Land Shotgun/Rifle/Revolver | Nov. 17 – Dec. 7 | See Below* |
| State Land Muzzleloader | Dec. 8 – Dec. 21 | 1 Either Sex |
*Private Land Muzzleloader and Private Land Shotgun/Rifle/Revolver Bag Limits: Statewide: 1 Either Sex and 1 Antlerless; Zone 7: 1 Extra Antlerless; Zones 11 and 12: 2 Extra Antlerless; Zones 2 and 4a: 1 Either Sex (“Antlerless Only” tag NOT valid).
Connecticut Turkey Hunting Seasons 2021
| Season | Dates | Zone | Limits |
| Spring Turkey | Apr. 28 – May 29 | State Land, Private Land, Landowner | 5 bearded birds (on private land or state land or a combination of both) |
| Fall Turkey Archery | Jan. 1 – Jan. 30 | Private Land (zones 11–12) | 2 either sex |
| Sep. 15 – Dec. 31 | Private Land (all zones) | 2 either sex | |
| Sep. 15 – Dec. 31 | State Land Bowhunting Only Areas | 2 either sex | |
| Sep. 15 – Nov. 16 Dec. 22 – Dec. 31 | State Land | 2 either sex | |
| Fall Turkey Firearms | Oct. 2 – Oct. 30 | State Land, Private Land, Landowner | 3 either sex (on private land or state land or a combination of both). |
Understanding Connecticut’s hunting season
Before hunting in CT, you will need the following:
- A Connecticut hunting license (resident vs non-resident)
- Applicable permits (deer, goose, etc)
Connecticut Hunting License Costs
| License | Resident | Non-Resident |
| Firearms Hunting License | $19 | $91 |
| Archery Deer/Small Game Hunting License | $41 | $135 |
| Trapping | $34 | $250 |
Permit & Tag Costs
| Permit | Resident | Non-Resident |
| Deer ‘A’ Season | $19 | $68 |
| Deer Regular Season | $19 | $68 |
| Private Land Shotgun/Rifle | $19 | $68 |
| Private Land Muzzleloader | $19 | $68 |
| State Land Muzzleloader | $19 | $68 |
Tips for Hunting in CT
- If hunting with a Free Landowner Permit or are aConnecticut resident hunting with a Private Land Shotgun/Rifle Permit you can use a revolver rather than a rifle or a shotgun to hunt deer on private lands of at least 10 acres in size.