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Is deer season open in Connecticut?

Every Connecticut deer season we have read for 2026 from Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, open or closed on the day you pick, and when the next one opens.

Connecticut deer seasons 2026

Connecticut's Private Land Shotgun/Rifle/Revolver deer season runs Nov 18 to Dec 8, 2026. State Land No-Lottery Shotgun season: Nov 18 to Dec 8.

State land lottery and controlled hunt areas need a lottery permit, and private land in Zones 11 and 12 also has a January archery season that is not shown here, so check the DEEP guide for those.

Sunday deer hunting is legal on private land only, and not within 40 yards of blazed public trails.

Archery (private land)Sep 15 to Dec 31
Archery (state land bowhunting only areas)Sep 15 to Dec 31
Archery (state land)Sep 15 to Nov 17 · Dec 23 to Dec 31
Landowner Deer Hunting (restricted to qualifying landowners) · landowners with 10 or more contiguous acres and their listed family members onlyNov 1 to Dec 31
Junior Deer Hunter Training Days (youth) · junior hunters with firearms deer permits onlyNov 7 to Nov 14
Private Land Shotgun/Rifle/RevolverNov 18 to Dec 8
State Land No-Lottery ShotgunNov 18 to Dec 8
State Land MuzzleloaderDec 9 to Dec 22

1 more season

Private Land MuzzleloaderDec 9 to Dec 31

Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. 2026 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide: Deer Hunting (CT DEEP), checked November 2026.

Deer Season DatesConnecticut · 2026

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Deer season · Connecticut · Today

Season open

Yes. 3 deer seasons are open in Connecticut today: Archery (private land), Archery (state land bowhunting only areas), Archery (state land).

Also open today for some hunters:

Landowner Deer Hunting (restricted to qualifying landowners), Nov 1 to Dec 31: landowners with 10 or more contiguous acres and their listed family members only

State land lottery and controlled hunt areas need a lottery permit, and private land in Zones 11 and 12 also has a January archery season that is not shown here, so check the DEEP guide for those.

Archery (private land)
Archery (state land bowhunting only areas)
Archery (state land)
Landowner Deer Hunting (restricted to qualifying landowners)
Junior Deer Hunter Training Days (youth)
Private Land Shotgun/Rifle/Revolver
State Land No-Lottery Shotgun
State Land Muzzleloader
Private Land Muzzleloader

OctNovDec

Archery (private land)ArcheryOpen
Sep 15 to Dec 31
Connecticut's wording
"Sept. 15 - Dec. 31 Private Land (All zones; zone map )"
Archery (state land bowhunting only areas)ArcheryOpen
Sep 15 to Dec 31
Connecticut's wording
"Sept. 15 - Dec. 31 State Land Bowhunting Only Areas"
Archery (state land)ArcheryOpen
Sep 15 to Nov 17 · Dec 23 to Dec 31
Connecticut's wording
"Sept. 15 - Nov. 17 and Dec. 23 - Dec. 31 State Land"
Landowner Deer Hunting (restricted to qualifying landowners)OtherOpen
Nov 1 to Dec 31
Landowners with 10 or more contiguous acres and their listed family members only
Connecticut's wording
"Landowner Deer Hunting | Season Dates: | Nov. 1 - Dec. 31 | Free Landowner Permits are available only to persons owning 10 or more contiguous acres of land."
Junior Deer Hunter Training Days (youth)Youth
Nov 7 to Nov 14
Junior hunters with firearms deer permits only
Connecticut's wording
"Saturday, November 7 through Saturday, November 14, 2026, (excluding Sunday on state land) are Junior Deer Hunter Training Days and junior hunters with firearms deer permits may be hunting with firearms."
Private Land Shotgun/Rifle/RevolverFirearm
Nov 18 to Dec 8
Connecticut's wording
"Private Land Shotgun/Rifle/Revolver Deer Hunting | Season Dates: | Nov. 18 - Dec. 8"
State Land No-Lottery ShotgunFirearm
Nov 18 to Dec 8
Connecticut's wording
"State Land No-Lottery Deer Hunting | Season Dates: | Nov. 18 - Dec. 8"
State Land MuzzleloaderMuzzleloader
Dec 9 to Dec 22
Connecticut's wording
"State Land Deer Muzzleloader Hunting | Season Dates: | Dec. 9 - Dec. 22"
Private Land MuzzleloaderMuzzleloader
Dec 9 to Dec 31
Connecticut's wording
"Private Land Deer Muzzleloader Hunting | Season Dates: | Dec. 9 - Dec. 31"

Sundays

Sunday deer hunting is legal on private land only, and not within 40 yards of blazed public trails.

"Deer hunting is allowed on Sundays on private land only with any legal hunting implement allowed for the firearms deer season | Hunting on Sundays is not allowed within 40 yards of blazed public trails."

Hunter orange

"During the period September 1 through the last day of February, hunters (including persons hunting with deer damage permits) are required to wear at least 400 square inches of fluorescent orange clothing above the waist and visible from all sides."

Source: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, 2026 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide: Deer Hunting (CT DEEP), checked November 2026.

Find a hunting outfitter

A guide to the dates each state printed for the year, not the regulations. Bag limits, permits, weapon rules and unit closures are in the state's own digest, which is the authority.

Each state's own dates, quoted
Your zone and your day
When the next season opens

Hunting in Connecticut

13 outfitters, guides and lodges listed in Connecticut. Legal shooting hours in Connecticut today.

See Connecticut outfitters

Common questions

Deer season questions

Connecticut's Private Land Shotgun/Rifle/Revolver deer season runs Nov 18 to Dec 8, 2026. State Land No-Lottery Shotgun season: Nov 18 to Dec 8. State land lottery and controlled hunt areas need a lottery permit, and private land in Zones 11 and 12 also has a January archery season that is not shown here, so check the DEEP guide for those. Source: 2026 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide: Deer Hunting (CT DEEP).

Connecticut's Archery (private land) season opens Sep 15, 2026. Source: 2026 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide: Deer Hunting (CT DEEP).

Sunday deer hunting is legal on private land only, and not within 40 yards of blazed public trails. Connecticut's rule says: "Deer hunting is allowed on Sundays on private land only with any legal hunting implement allowed for the firearms deer season Hunting on Sundays is not allowed within 40 yards of blazed public trails."

Connecticut's rule says: "During the period September 1 through the last day of February, hunters (including persons hunting with deer damage permits) are required to wear at least 400 square inches of fluorescent orange clothing above the waist and visible from all sides."

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