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| The outlook for the 2016 deer hunting season is expected to be good, depending on weather conditions. The best opportunities are in the southwest corner of the state and many of the shoreline towns, especially for bow hunters.
Photo credit: Paul J. Fusco, CT DEEP-Wildlife Division.
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Fall Archery Deer and Turkey Seasons Open September 15
New Resident Game Bird Conservation Stamp Replaces Turkey Permits
Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) reminds sportsmen that the 2016 fall archery hunting season for deer and wild turkey is open from September 15 to December 31, 2016, on private land and bowhunting only areas on state land in Deer Management Zones 1-10; and from September 15, 2016 – January 31, 2017 on private land in Deer Management Zones 11 (Fairfield County area) and 12 (Connecticut shoreline towns). The archery season for deer and turkey on state land is open from September 15 to November 15 and December 21-31, 2016.
“The outlook for the 2016 hunting season is good as hunting conditions this fall are expected to be better than 2015,” said Rick Jacobson, Director, DEEP Wildlife Division. “The best opportunities are in the southwest corner of the state and many of the shoreline towns, especially for bowhunters. Many landowners use the archery deer hunting season as a safe and effective method of reducing deer populations, especially in the more developed areas of the state where firearms hunting may not be feasible.”
Resident Game Bird Conservation Stamp: New legislation (Public Act 16-27), which became effective on July 1, 2016, established a Resident Game Bird Conservation Stamp, which replaces turkey permits and the Pheasant Stamp. This new stamp will be required to hunt any resident (non-migratory) game birds, including wild turkey, pheasant, ruffed grouse, partridge, and quail. The cost of the Resident Game Bird Conservation Stamp is $28 for adults and non-residents and $14 for Connecticut hunters ages 12 through 17. All revenues from the sale of Resident Game Bird Conservation Stamps will be deposited into a separate, non-lapsing account to use exclusively for the purchase and management of game birds and their habitat.
Wild turkey hunters planning to hunt in fall 2016 will need either a Fall Turkey Permit or a Pheasant Stamp (if purchased on or before June 30, 2016), or a Resident Game Bird Conservation Stamp (if purchased after July 1, 2016). Hunters pursuing wild turkeys in fall 2016 will NOT be required to hold both a Fall Turkey Permit and a Resident Game Bird Conservation Stamp. Landowners (who own 10 or more contiguous acres) may take turkeys on their property with any of the following: Free Landowner Fall Turkey Permit, Fall Turkey Permit, Pheasant Stamp, Free Landowner Resident Game Bird Conservation Stamp, or Resident Game Bird Conservation Stamp. There is no additional bag limit for turkeys due to the Free Landowner Game Bird Conservation Stamp.
Sunday Archery Deer Hunting: Sunday archery deer hunting on private lands in 2016 will be permitted in all but three of the state’s Deer Management Zones (DMZs) based on its assessment of the deer population in each of the zones. The three zones where Sunday hunting will NOT be permitted – DMZs 2, 3, and 4A – are in north central Connecticut, including portions of Hartford, Litchfield, and Tolland Counties. Wild turkeys, however, may NOT be taken on Sunday anywhere in the state. The Connecticut Deer Management Zone map can be found on the DEEP website at http://go.usa.gov/3MNPT.
2015 Connecticut Deer Program Summary: The DEEP Wildlife Division recently published a summary of white-tailed deer information for 2015, which is available on the DEEP website at www.ct.gov/deep/hunting.
Harvest Tags: When hunters harvest a deer or turkey, they are required to fill out a Harvest Tag, sign it, and keep the Harvest Tag with the animal until it is processed for consumption. Copies of Harvest Tags and instructions for their use are on page 34 of the 2016 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide, as well as on the DEEP website at www.ct.gov/deep/hunting.
Report Harvest: Hunters are required to report their deer and turkey harvest within 24 hours either on the DEEP website (www.ct.gov/deep/hunting) or by calling a toll free number (1-877-337-4868). Deer hunters in Deer Management Zones 11 and 12 who take advantage of the Replacement Antlerless and Earn-a-Buck tag programs must complete this same tagging and reporting procedure prior to going to a check station that issues replacement tags. A listing of replacement tag vendors is available on the DEEP website. After reporting their harvest via the Internet or by telephone, hunters will be given a confirmation number to write on their Harvest Tag. This confirmation number serves as proof that the harvest was legally reported.
Wear Fluorescent Orange: Bowhunters are reminded that they must wear 400 square inches of fluorescent orange while walking to and from their tree stands during the firearms deer hunting season. However, once in a tree stand, elevated at least 10 feet off the ground, bowhunters may remove the fluorescent orange clothing. All private land archery hunters are required to carry a DEEP consent form signed by the landowner and dated for the current season. Consent forms can be found in the Hunting Guide or at www.ct.gov/deep/hunting. Deer permits and Resident Game Bird Conservation Stamps can be purchased online at www.ct.gov/deep/sportsmenlicensing or at participating town halls, vendors, and at some DEEP offices. Hunters should consult the DEEP website for an up-to-date listing of new state lands open to archery hunting.
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