Sec.26-66-2. State-owned, State-leased, and Permit-required Hunting Areas; Weapons

(a) Any rifle or handgun using centerfire ammunition may not be used to hunt on state-owned land. Any rifle or handgun that uses rim fire ammunition larger than .22 caliber and shotgun ammunition of loads larger or heavier than number two shot shall not be possessed or used for the purposes of hunting as defined in section 26-1 of the Connecticut General Statutes on any state-owned land, including state forests. Muzzleloading rifles larger than .36 caliber or using any projectile other than round ball shall not be possessed or used for the purposes of hunting as defined in section 26-1 of the Connecticut General Statutes on any state-owned land, including state forests, except as provided for in section 26-86c of the Connecticut General Statutes. This provision shall not apply to rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders, or revolvers possessed by persons transporting legally killed and properly tagged deer taken on private lands to check stations located on state-owned properties, approved shooting range areas or deer hunting with shotgun or muzzleloader during the open season on such land. Waterfowlers hunting from a boat, blind or stationary position may only use the ammunition specified in section 26-66-4 (q) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.

(b) Rifles of any caliber and shotgun ammunition of any shot load larger or heavier than number two shot shall not be possessed and pistols or revolvers of any caliber shall not be used for the purposes of hunting as defined in section 26-1 of the Connecticut General Statutes on any state-leased or permit required hunting area during the period starting the third Saturday in October through the last day in February, except by landowners, lessees, their spouses, lineal descendants and regular employees on land owned or leased by them. Waterfowlers hunting from a boat, blind or stationary position may only use the ammunition specified in section 26-66-4 (q) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. This provision shall not apply to combination rifle-shotgun firearms when the rifle portion thereof is, or has been made, inoperative, or to approved shooting range areas on such land. This provision shall not apply to persons holding a valid permit to hunt deer on such land with a revolver, shotgun, rifle or muzzleloader. Trappers actively engaged in legal trapping and raccoon hunters may use handguns using ammunition having a cartridge case not longer than that of a .22 rim fire long rifle cartridge case and the projectile of which is not heavier than 20 grains.

(c) During the period from the last day in February to the third Saturday in October, rifles, pistols or revolvers without regard to caliber, and shotgun ammunition of any load may be used in the legal hunting or taking of wildlife, or for any other legal purpose, on state-leased and permit-required hunting areas only with written permission of the landowner or lessee of the land.

(d) Hunting or possession of any hunting weapon is prohibited in any park or forest recreation area except at predetermined times in such areas as are set aside by the commissioner or the commissioner’s designee and posted for such purposes.

(e) Starting the third Saturday in October through the last day in February, hunting or shooting is prohibited on any permit-required hunting area without a written permit or other authorization from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection or an authorized agent of the Department except on lands owned by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection designated as a permit-required hunting area, a written permit or other authorization from the Department is required from the third Saturday in October through the first Saturday in December unless otherwise posted. All such written permits or other authorizations shall be returned to the Department, or its authorized agent, within forty-eight hours following expiration of such permit or authorization. Records kept by any authorized agent in issuing such permits or authorizations shall be available for inspection by any state conservation officer or other Department official during normal business hours.

(Effective October 18, 1996; Amended May 29, 1998; Amended April 27, 2005; Amended September 9, 2013; Amended July 7, 2016)