Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

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Permit-Required Hunting Areas

2020 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide

Access to Permit-Required Hunting Areas is regulated by agreement with private landowners, towns, state agencies, water companies, universities, non-profits, and cooperating sportsmen’s clubs. Most Permit-Required Hunting Areas are open to the public from the third Saturday in October through the last day of February for small game and waterfowl hunting by special permit and are subject to certain restrictions. Hunting during any other period requires landowner permission unless specifically noted as open. Access to some DEEP-owned lands is also regulated through a permit system. Maps describing each Permit-Required Area are available from permit vendors and from the Hunting Area Maps section. Permit-Required Hunting Areas are posted with yellow plastic signs designating the properties under agreement. Note: Some areas are only accessible with a permit issued directly from the entity that owns or manages the property.

Public Hunting Area Maps

Public Hunting Area List (From 2020 Guide. Includes information on type of hunting permitted, town, acreage, and any special conditions.)

Daily Permits and Mandatory Survey - Permittees are required to submit a hunter survey when using these areas. Hunter surveys are attached to the permit or available online.

Issuance of Daily Permits - Vendors who issue daily permits are noted on Public Hunting Area Maps and the Permit Vendor List.

  • Permits are issued free-of-charge to any persons holding valid hunting licenses and who are not eligible for "season" permits.
  • Each permit is valid for one licensed sportsman (unless it is a goose field, waterfowl blind, or weekend pheasant permit) for a specified time frame and location.
  • Daily permits are "first-come, first-serve." Once the daily quota is met, no more permits can be made available for that day.
  • Junior hunters may hunt on Permit-Required areas when accompanied by a licensed person at least 18 years of age. Junior hunters must obtain their own permit unless they are hunting pheasants with an AM/PM Saturday permit holder.

Online Issuance of Daily Permits: Daily permits for most Permit-Required Hunting Areas can be obtained for free online. These permits are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Only one online permit can be obtained per selected hunting date. To see which areas have online permitting, consult the Permit Vendor List or Public Hunting Area Maps.

To get a daily permit for most areas, you must log into your hunter profile on the Online Sportsmen Licensing System. Once there, you will need to select the OTHER or the BIRDS AND WATERFOWL tab at the top of the page. You should then see a list that includes DAILY PERMITS. If you select ADD, you will see 4 days worth of permits, along with a list of areas where permits are still available. You can add one permit per day to your cart. You must CHECK OUT to add the daily permit to your license. There is no fee, but you will need to reprint your license and carry it with you to verify that you have a permit for the correct location and date. Instructions for Online Purchases

Firearms Restrictions - Rifles of any caliber or shotgun ammunition larger or heavier than #2 shot and hunting with any pistol or revolver of any caliber are prohibited on permit-required hunting areas, except by landowners, lineal descendants, and regular employees. Waterfowlers hunting from a boat, blind, or stationary position may use up to and including BB size steel shot.

Saturday Pheasant Hunting Permits - Saturday AM/PM permits are required October 17 - November 14, 2020, at select areas listed below. These areas will be stocked the listed Saturday mornings and afternoons and will only be open to hunters with a Saturday AM or Saturday PM permit. Saturday permits for these areas will only become available on the Online Sportsmen Licensing System the Monday preceding the Saturday hunts, starting at 12:01 AM. Specific details about these permits can be found on the Pheasant Hunting webpage.

  • Cromwell Meadows WMA
  • NU-Skiff Mountain Coop. Area     
  • Naugatuck State Forest (Hunter's Mtn. Block)     
  • Simsbury WMA
  • Nathan Hale State Forest
  • Durham Meadows WMA

Permit-Required Area Permit Vendors: State-owned, State-leased, and State-managed Lands

Online permits are available through the Online Sportsmen Licensing System.

Western Connecticut

Bristol Fish and Game Association (1,663 acres)
Open from the third Saturday in October until the Saturday after Thanksgiving Day
Online Permitting ONLY

Centennial Watershed State Forest, Garder Rd., Monroe Block (93 acres)
Small Game and Waterfowl Only; Online Permitting ONLY

Meriden Rod and Gun Club (1,364 acres)
Fishing Factory II, 1426 Meriden-Waterbury Road (Route 322), Southington, CT: 860-621-8145
Online Permitting Available

NU-Skiff Mountain Cooperative WMA (710 acres)
Online Permitting ONLY

Pequonnock Valley (176 acres)
Hunting on Mon., Wed., Fri., and Sat. only from Oct. 17, 2020, through the third Saturday in December.
Online Permitting ONLY

Quinnipiac River State Park (340 acres)
Daily permits not required before third Saturday in October or after first Saturday in December.
Online Permitting ONLY

Sessions Woods WMA (771 acres)
Online Permitting ONLY: Online permitting for the waterfowl blind will not be available for the 2019-early 2020 waterfowl hunting seasons because the boardwalk is currently closed for repairs.
Hunters with a waterfowl hunting permit must hang a sign when using the blind at the marsh. Pick up the sign at the Sessions Woods main office (Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM-4:00 PM) no more than 3 days in advance of a scheduled hunting date.

Seymour Fish and Game Club (94 acres)
Online Permitting ONLY

Stanley Works Cooperative WMA (1,100 acres)
Online Permitting ONLY

Suffield Sportsmen’s Association (1,164 acres)
Online Permitting ONLY

Trout Brook Valley (327 acres)
Daily permits are issued for all hunting seasons except State Land Shotgun deer season. Prior to each season, call 860-424-3011 to obtain the combination code for the access gate.
Online Permitting ONLY

Wallingford Town Owned Area (840 acres)
Hunting on Mon., Wed., and Sat. only from Oct. 17, 2020 through Feb. 28, 2021, and Thanksgiving Day.
Online Permitting ONLY

Eastern Connecticut

Bolton Area (238 acres)
Online Permitting ONLY

East Windsor-Enfield Area (1,530 acres)
Online Permitting ONLY

Hebron Area (454 acres)
Online Permitting ONLY

Higganum-Haddam Rod and Gun (33 acres)
Online Permitting ONLY

Lebanon Coop. Mgmt. Area (214 acres) Goose Field Permits
Goose field permittees may bring up to 2 guests
Online Permitting ONLY

Lebanon Coop. Mgmt. Area Marsh Permits
(Small game and waterfowl)
Online Permitting ONLY

Norwich Fish and Game (700 acres)
Online Permitting ONLY

NU-Maromas Coop. Area (1,400 acres)
Online Permitting ONLY

Sprague Town Land PR Area (620 acres)
Game bird and migratory bird hunting only. Steel shot must be used for all species.
Online Permitting ONLY

Woodstock  (200 acres)
Online Permitting ONLY

Yale Forest (7,700 acres)
Open for small game, waterfowl, and turkey hunting with a season permit. This area is not open for Junior Hunter Training Days.
Due to the COVID-19 closure of the JT’s Fly Shop, Yale Forest Daily Permits will be available online. In the event that JT’s Fly Shop reopens, Yale Forest Season Permits may available at that location: JT’s Fly Shop, 664 Buckley Hwy., Union, CT: 860-684-1575

Dog Training and Field Trial Areas

Hunting is permitted on these areas when field trial events are not scheduled. During field trials, these areas are closed to all other uses. Check the list of scheduled events.

  • Dog Training Areas - The following areas have been established as Dog Training Areas where hunting dogs may be trained with the use of live birds. Game birds may not be shot on these areas except during the open hunting season.
    Only artificially propagated gamebirds (pheasants, chukar partridge, quail, ducks) and pigeons of either sex may be liberated. All birds liberated shall be full winged and capable of maintaining normal flight and shall be in a condition suitable to maintain themselves in the wild. No birds or animals are to be shot except during the open season; use of blank cartridges will be permitted.
    • Nod Brook Wildlife Management Area
    • Flaherty Field Trial Area
    • Pease Brook Wildlife Management Area
  • Field Trial Areas - The following areas have been established as state-regulated Field Trial Areas. Field trial clubs sanctioned by AKC, NAVHDA, or CASDFTA may obtain permits to use these areas for field trials. 
    • Nod Brook Wildlife Management Area
    • Flaherty Field Trial Area
    • Mansfield Field Trial Area (State-leased)
    • Sugarbrook Field Trial Area
    Dates for state land and state-leased areas are scheduled in December of the preceding year. Any group wishing to use one of the above listed areas should contact Laurie Fortin at 860-424-3963 or laurie.fortin@ct.gov in the month of December.

Hunting and Trapping Guide Table of Contents

Content last updated on March 24, 2020.