October 21 Opening Day of Small Game Season Fall Firearms Turkey Season Opens on October 7

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced that Connecticut’s 2006-2007 small game hunting season will open at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 21 for pheasant, bobwhite quail, ruffed grouse, chukar partridge, crow and cottontail rabbit. The fall firearms turkey season will open statewide on October 7 and continue through October 31. The regular duck season opens on Wednesday, October 18 in both the north and south hunting zones.

The 2006 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide and the 2006-2007 Migratory Bird Hunting Guide, which contain additional information on laws, regulations, and season dates, can be obtained at any town clerk or Wildlife Division office, or they can be found on the DEP website at www.ct.gov/dep. An informational brochure outlining general season dates and hunting hours and offering outdoor safety tips for non-hunters also will be available at all town clerks’ offices. Maps denoting many state-owned hunting areas and most permit-required hunting areas may be obtained, free-of-charge, from the DEP Wildlife Division’s office at the DEP Headquarters, located at 79 Elm Street in Hartford.

"We are approaching the peak time of year for a variety of hunting activities in Connecticut," said Dale May, Director of the DEP Wildlife Division. "This also is the season for others to

enjoy all the splendid outdoor opportunities that our state has to offer, including hiking, biking and enjoying the fall foliage. Thus, it is especially important for all outdoor users to respect the rights of others and be aware of all activities that may be occurring outdoors. Connecticut hunters have an excellent safety record and awareness on the part of non-hunters can help in our efforts to keep hunting safe for everyone."

Fall and winter are popular times to enjoy Connecticut’s woodlands. Whether you like to hike, camp, horseback ride, mountain bike, hunt or fish, it is a good idea to observe a few safety precautions while afield.

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 before pulling the trigger.

Sportsmen must 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 September 1 through the last day in February. Some exceptions do apply; they are listed in the 2006 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide.

With the exception of opening day, small game hunting is allowed for most species from one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset. Waterfowl hunting is permitted from one-half hour before sunrise until sunset.

In addition to most state forests and wildlife management areas, small game hunting will be available on a number of areas established under the permit-required hunting program. Permit-required areas are open to public hunting via a daily permit system and are made available through the cooperation of private landowners and local sportsmen’s clubs. Hunting access to some state-owned properties also is controlled on a daily basis through the permit-required program. A designated number of daily permits are available on a first-come, first-served basis for each day of the season. Permits may be requested up to two days in advance of the day that you wish to hunt. A new, special "seasonal" access permit for Junior hunters, aged 12-15, is available for selected areas. The permit allows access during any day of the season for the Junior hunter and accompanying adult licensed hunter without the need to obtain daily hunting permits. Further details and permit forms are available from the DEP website or designated permit agents.

Sportsmen wishing to hunt any designated permit-required hunting area should consult the 2006 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide for locations of vendors issuing daily permits. For changes in vendor locations that occurred after the 2006 guide was printed, contact the Wildlife Division at (860) 424-3011. Vendor changes have been made for the Babcock Pond WMA (Colchester), Nathan Hale State Forest (Coventry), Bear Hill WMA (Bozrah) and Quinnipiac River State Park (Wallingford).

The DEP will purchase 17,153 adult ring-necked pheasants for the upcoming fall season, a decrease of 1,989 birds from the previous year’s purchase. Most stocking areas will receive

adjustments in allocations as a result of the decrease in the number of birds purchased. In addition to adult pheasants, 1,000 eight-week-old pheasants were purchased and delivered to Norwich Fish and Game and Sprague Rod and Gun Clubs for eventual release on permit-required hunting areas.

The Pheasant Program is self-supporting and the net revenue collected from pheasant hunters in the previous year determines the annual budget. The 2006 stocking program was directly affected by a decrease of nearly $14,000 in the net revenue collected from pheasant hunters in 2005, combined with a continuing annual increase in average pheasant costs. Rising fuel and grain costs continue to impact commercial growers.

Despite the reduction in the number of pheasants stocked, sportsmen should recognize that the ratio of pheasants stocked per hunter has actually increased over the years and the prospects for pheasant hunting are as good as they have been in several years.

A total of 48 major public hunting areas will be stocked during the 2006 fall season. A number of lower quality/lower public use areas will not be stocked in an effort to maintain adequate allocations on the higher quality sites. The Wood Creek Flood Control Area in Norfolk, Paugussett State Forest in Newtown, Ellithorpe Flood Control Area in Stafford and Waldo Tract (Mohegan State Forest) in Scotland will not be stocked in 2006. The stocking period has been shortened by one week this season due to a later season opening. Stocking will occur two to three times per week during the six-week distribution period. Pheasants will be nearly evenly distributed with one-half of the allocations released in October and one-half during November. All stocking will conclude by Thanksgiving Day.

To provide opportunities for the weekend/family and youth hunters, volunteers for the DEP will release pheasants on Friday evenings and variable Saturdays on selected sites.

Cooperative sportsmen’s clubs that provide public hunting access to permit-required hunting areas will continue to stock state-purchased birds on several areas.

For details and a complete listing of all major stocking areas, visit the DEP website at www.ct.gov/dep. Sportsmen are reminded that, in addition to their firearms hunting license, a Pheasant Harvest Tag Series ($14 for 10 tags) is required to hunt pheasants on public lands. Distribution of tags to license agents was delayed by several weeks this year due to a printer error by the contractor; however, tags are now available and can be purchased at town halls, some license agents or at DEP’s License and Revenue office, at 79 Elm Street, in Hartford.