The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced that the deer hunting season bag limit has been increased in some parts of the state for the upcoming 2009 deer hunting season.
Deer hunters who hunt on private land in deer management zone 7 (New Haven County area) will be allowed to take one additional antlerless deer during the shotgun/rifle season and one additional antlerless deer during the muzzleloader season. In zones 11 and 12 (Fairfield County area and shoreline towns), hunters on private land will be allowed to take two additional antlerless deer during the shotgun/rifle season and two additional antlerless deer during the muzzleloader season.
The shotgun/rifle deer season on private land runs from Nov. 18 to Dec. 8, 2009, and the private land muzzleloader deer season runs from December 9-31, 2009.
“These changes will provide hunters the opportunity to more effectively reduce deer populations in those areas of the state where it is needed most,” said William Hyatt, acting chief of the DEP’s Bureau of Natural Resources. “Controlling deer population growth will better protect Connecticut’s eco-systems and help reduce public risk of being involved in deer-vehicle accidents,” said Hyatt.
Over the past 10 years, the DEP has implemented several changes to the deer hunting season framework so as to increase the effectiveness of hunting for controlling Connecticut’s deer populations. Local efforts by towns, such as Redding, Ridgefield, Wilton, Darien, Brookfield, and Fairfield, to open up lands to hunting have also been instrumental in managing deer populations.
Numerous regulation changes were approved in July 2009 and will take effect during the upcoming deer hunting season.
Some of these changes include:
· Extension of the private land muzzleloader deer hunting season (Dec. 9-31);
· Addition of a second youth hunter training day (Nov. 7 and 14);
· Allowing use of crossbows during the January archery season on private land in zones 11 and 12.
To learn more details about these and other changes in the deer hunting season, hunters should visit the DEP website at www.ct.gov/dep/hunting.
Showing posts with label hunting season. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hunting season. Show all posts
Friday, November 13, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Fall Outdoor Safety Tips
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued a safety reminder for all outdoor enthusiasts, including hunters and non-hunters alike.
“We are approaching the peak time of year for a variety of hunting activities in Connecticut,” said Susan Frechette, DEP deputy commissioner. “This is also a popular time for others to enjoy the many outdoor opportunities that our state has to offer, including hiking, biking, and paddling.
Basic tips for all outdoor users include:
· When you use the outdoors, let someone know where you plan to be and when you will return;
· Familiarize yourself with the area you will be using and know the activities that occur there;
· Obtain landowner permission before accessing private land;
· Wear brightly-colored clothing;
· Avoid wearing gray, brown, tan, or white when hiking in or near hunting areas;
· Consider using a bell on your bike or horse during hunting season;
· If you see someone hunting, call out to them to make them aware of your location;
· Report wildlife or hunting violations to the DEP Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police at (860) 424-3333. You may also use the Wildlife Violation Hotline at 1-800-842-HELP, where callers can choose to remain anonymous and receive cash rewards for information leading to arrest and conviction of the violator.
Hunters should also follow three basic, but important, rules:
1. Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.
2. Always keep the muzzle of your firearm pointed in a safe direction.
3. Always be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
Sportsmen must also observe the fluorescent orange clothing requirements, which specify that a total of 400 square inches be worn above the waist and be visible from all sides from Sept. 1 through the last day in February. Some exceptions do apply; they are listed in the 2009 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide.
Hunting Activities: Hunters must obtain landowner permission before hunting on private land. Hunting on public lands is allowed on most state forests and wildlife management areas and on some state parks. Detailed information about hunting seasons, public hunting areas, laws, and regulations are available in the 2009 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide available at all town halls, license agents, and on the DEP website (www.ct.gov/dep/hunting).
In general, peak hunting occurs during early morning and late afternoon, primarily during the period from mid-October through mid-December. The general firearms hunting season for deer begins on Nov. 18 this year.
The DEP offers a free, comprehensive Conservation Education/Firearms Safety (CE/FS) course for those who want to learn more about outdoor safety, hunting, and wildlife management. All first time firearms hunters in Connecticut are required to successfully complete the 16-hour CE/FS class offered by the DEP Wildlife Division. A dedicated core of more than 300 certified volunteer instructors teach the classes, which are offered free-of-charge throughout the year. In addition to firearms safety, laws, and regulations, all courses include topics such as outdoor survival and first aid, wildlife management, wildlife identification, and hunter ethics and responsibility. Some of the CE/FS firearms courses are also offered in a home study/internet format that includes an eight-hour field day. Separate classes are offered on bowhunting and trapping. For a listing of available classes, visit the DEP website at www.ct.gov/dep and click on "education."
“We are approaching the peak time of year for a variety of hunting activities in Connecticut,” said Susan Frechette, DEP deputy commissioner. “This is also a popular time for others to enjoy the many outdoor opportunities that our state has to offer, including hiking, biking, and paddling.
Basic tips for all outdoor users include:
· When you use the outdoors, let someone know where you plan to be and when you will return;
· Familiarize yourself with the area you will be using and know the activities that occur there;
· Obtain landowner permission before accessing private land;
· Wear brightly-colored clothing;
· Avoid wearing gray, brown, tan, or white when hiking in or near hunting areas;
· Consider using a bell on your bike or horse during hunting season;
· If you see someone hunting, call out to them to make them aware of your location;
· Report wildlife or hunting violations to the DEP Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police at (860) 424-3333. You may also use the Wildlife Violation Hotline at 1-800-842-HELP, where callers can choose to remain anonymous and receive cash rewards for information leading to arrest and conviction of the violator.
Hunters should also follow three basic, but important, rules:
1. Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.
2. Always keep the muzzle of your firearm pointed in a safe direction.
3. Always be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
Sportsmen must also observe the fluorescent orange clothing requirements, which specify that a total of 400 square inches be worn above the waist and be visible from all sides from Sept. 1 through the last day in February. Some exceptions do apply; they are listed in the 2009 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide.
Hunting Activities: Hunters must obtain landowner permission before hunting on private land. Hunting on public lands is allowed on most state forests and wildlife management areas and on some state parks. Detailed information about hunting seasons, public hunting areas, laws, and regulations are available in the 2009 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide available at all town halls, license agents, and on the DEP website (www.ct.gov/dep/hunting).
In general, peak hunting occurs during early morning and late afternoon, primarily during the period from mid-October through mid-December. The general firearms hunting season for deer begins on Nov. 18 this year.
The DEP offers a free, comprehensive Conservation Education/Firearms Safety (CE/FS) course for those who want to learn more about outdoor safety, hunting, and wildlife management. All first time firearms hunters in Connecticut are required to successfully complete the 16-hour CE/FS class offered by the DEP Wildlife Division. A dedicated core of more than 300 certified volunteer instructors teach the classes, which are offered free-of-charge throughout the year. In addition to firearms safety, laws, and regulations, all courses include topics such as outdoor survival and first aid, wildlife management, wildlife identification, and hunter ethics and responsibility. Some of the CE/FS firearms courses are also offered in a home study/internet format that includes an eight-hour field day. Separate classes are offered on bowhunting and trapping. For a listing of available classes, visit the DEP website at www.ct.gov/dep and click on "education."
