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2026-2027

Connecticut Deer Hunting Seasons 2026-2027

Connecticut includes all 14 current 2026 deer lottery areas with exact dates, quotas and permit gates; nine are mapped to official CT DEEP polygons and five cooperating-property blocks remain source detail because the agency polygon service omits them.

Last checked: 2026-09-11 Source: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection 29 season records
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Can I hunt here?

1. When are you hunting?
2. Where are you hunting?

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Season map

Connecticut deer map

Click a county or zone to see what seasons match that place.

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3. How are you hunting?

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Start with all methods, or narrow the answer by method.

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Choose a date, place, and method.

We will show matching season windows here before you dig into maps or source records.

Season data compiled and verified against official state sources. Regulations can change. Confirm current rules before hunting.

? Field Honest summarizes official hunting regulations for convenience. Official agency regulations remain controlling.
Technical detail Open source-record archive 29 detailed records with notes and agency links.
Underlying records

Source-record archive

The quick finder above is the main view. These records keep the supporting geography, harvest notes, and source links together.

Showing records by method. Large states show a preview first; search to narrow the source table.

Archery

Bow, crossbow, or archery-only windows where listed. 7 seasons
Season Dates Geography Notes
Private-land archery deer season Varies by zone and tag General hunters Private land
Sep 15, 2026 - Dec 31, 2026
All deer management zones on private land private_land_zone_group

Written landowner consent is required. Sunday hunting is limited to private land and is prohibited within 40 yards of blazed public trails.

Official source
State-land bowhunting-only areas Under Archery Permit Tags General hunters State public land Special rules
Sep 15, 2026 - Dec 31, 2026
State lands designated as bowhunting-only areas special_area_group

The official interactive hunting-area map controls which properties are open.

Official source
State-land archery — first segment Under Archery Permit Tags General hunters State public land
Sep 15, 2026 - Nov 17, 2026
State lands open to regular archery deer hunting state_land_group

Bowhunting-only properties are represented separately; the official hunting-area map controls property availability.

Official source
State-land archery — late segment Under Archery Permit Tags General hunters State public land
Dec 23, 2026 - Dec 31, 2026
State lands open to regular archery deer hunting state_land_group

This is the official late state-land archery segment after the muzzleloader period.

Official source
Archery-only deer lottery Under Archery Permit Tags Archery-only Lottery Permit Holders Controlled hunt areas Permit/program check Special rules
Sep 15, 2026 - Dec 31, 2026
Lottery Areas 66 and 69 permit_area_group

Area 66 has additional MDC requirements and no access during Junior Deer Hunter Training Days; each area remains subject to its listed access conditions.

Official source
Area 66 — MDC Nepaug Reservoir - Sweetheart Mountain Block — archery-only lottery 2 Either-sex Deer and 2 Antlerless Deer under Archery Permit Tags Successful Area-specific 2026 Lottery Permit Holder State or Cooperating Property with Area Specific Access Permit/program check
Sep 15, 2026 - Dec 31, 2026
Deer Lottery Area 66 — MDC Nepaug Reservoir - Sweetheart Mountain Block controlled_deer_lottery_area

Official Connecticut 2026 deer lottery Area 66, MDC Nepaug Reservoir - Sweetheart Mountain Block (Canton and adjacent towns); published quota 30 and published area size 500 acres. Applicants must be at least 18; selected hunters must attend the mandatory pre-hunt meeting, pass the MDC background check, and sign the liability waiver. Junior-day access, coyote/fox harvest, and Sunday hunting are prohibited. The lottery permit, posted boundary, access instructions and current CT DEEP rules control.

Official source
Area 69 — Centennial Watershed State Forest - Lakeville Reservoir Block — archery-only lottery 2 Either-sex Deer and 2 Antlerless Deer under Archery Permit Tags Successful Area-specific 2026 Lottery Permit Holder State or Cooperating Property with Area Specific Access Permit/program check
Sep 15, 2026 - Dec 31, 2026
Deer Lottery Area 69 — Centennial Watershed State Forest - Lakeville Reservoir Block controlled_deer_lottery_area

Official Connecticut 2026 deer lottery Area 69, Centennial Watershed State Forest - Lakeville Reservoir Block (Salisbury); published quota 10 and published area size 400 acres. The lottery permit, posted boundary, access instructions and current CT DEEP rules control.

Official source

Firearm

General rifle, gun, and firearm framework seasons. 16 seasons
Season Dates Geography Notes
State-land no-lottery deer season 1 Either Sex State-land No-lottery Permit Holders State public land Special rules
Nov 18, 2026 - Dec 8, 2026
State lands designated as no-lottery deer areas permit_area_group

Open properties are determined by the official interactive hunting-area map and the required state-land no-lottery permit.

Official source
Private-land shotgun, rifle and revolver deer season Varies by zone and tag General hunters Private land
Nov 18, 2026 - Dec 8, 2026
Private land by deer management zone private_land_zone_group

Written landowner consent and method-specific permit or endorsement requirements apply; zone-specific tag limits remain controlling.

Official source
Deer Lottery “A” season 1 Either Sex Area 51 Lottery Permit Holders Controlled hunt area Permit/program check Special rules
Nov 18, 2026 - Nov 27, 2026
Area 51 — Yale-Myers Forest permit_area

Area 51 has no access during Junior Deer Hunter Training Days and has additional ammunition and access conditions.

Official source
Regular state-land and controlled-hunt deer lottery Varies by lottery area Applicable Lottery Permit Holders State/controlled hunt areas Permit/program check Special rules
Nov 18, 2026 - Dec 8, 2026
Lottery Areas 26, 28, 52, 56, 58, 60, 62, 63, 64, 67 and 68 permit_area_group

Each named lottery area retains its quota, access and special conditions; some MDC and water-company properties impose additional requirements.

Official source
Area 51 — Yale-Myers Forest — Lottery A firearm 1 Either-sex Deer under The Area 51 Lottery Permit Successful Area-specific 2026 Lottery Permit Holder State or Cooperating Property with Area Specific Access Permit/program check
Nov 18, 2026 - Nov 27, 2026
Deer Lottery Area 51 — Yale-Myers Forest controlled_deer_lottery_area

Official Connecticut 2026 deer lottery Area 51, Yale-Myers Forest (Union and adjacent towns); published quota 230 and published area size 7,700 acres. No junior-day access; no coyotes or foxes; no deer driving during the shotgun lottery season; only non-toxic ammunition is allowed. The lottery permit, posted boundary, access instructions and current CT DEEP rules control.

Official source
Area 26 — Trout Brook Valley State Park — regular firearm lottery 1 Either-sex Deer On State-land Areas; Controlled-area Permit Limits Control Successful Area-specific 2026 Lottery Permit Holder State or Cooperating Property with Area Specific Access Permit/program check
Nov 18, 2026 - Dec 8, 2026
Deer Lottery Area 26 — Trout Brook Valley State Park controlled_deer_lottery_area

Official Connecticut 2026 deer lottery Area 26, Trout Brook Valley State Park (Easton); published quota 15 and published area size 330 acres. The lottery permit, posted boundary, access instructions and current CT DEEP rules control.

Official source
Area 28 — Naugatuck State Forest - Quillinan Reservoir Block — regular firearm lottery 1 Either-sex Deer On State-land Areas; Controlled-area Permit Limits Control Successful Area-specific 2026 Lottery Permit Holder State or Cooperating Property with Area Specific Access Permit/program check
Nov 18, 2026 - Dec 8, 2026
Deer Lottery Area 28 — Naugatuck State Forest - Quillinan Reservoir Block controlled_deer_lottery_area

Official Connecticut 2026 deer lottery Area 28, Naugatuck State Forest - Quillinan Reservoir Block (Ansonia); published quota 25 and published area size 511 acres. The lottery permit, posted boundary, access instructions and current CT DEEP rules control.

Official source
Area 52 — Bristol Water Company — regular firearm lottery 1 Either-sex Deer On State-land Areas; Controlled-area Permit Limits Control Successful Area-specific 2026 Lottery Permit Holder State or Cooperating Property with Area Specific Access Permit/program check
Nov 18, 2026 - Dec 8, 2026
Deer Lottery Area 52 — Bristol Water Company controlled_deer_lottery_area

Official Connecticut 2026 deer lottery Area 52, Bristol Water Company (Harwinton); published quota 75 and published area size 4,500 acres. No junior-day access except for a junior hunter and mentor who both hold a permit for this area. The lottery permit, posted boundary, access instructions and current CT DEEP rules control.

Official source
Area 56 — Centennial Watershed State Forest — regular firearm lottery 1 Either-sex Deer On State-land Areas; Controlled-area Permit Limits Control Successful Area-specific 2026 Lottery Permit Holder State or Cooperating Property with Area Specific Access Permit/program check
Nov 18, 2026 - Dec 8, 2026
Deer Lottery Area 56 — Centennial Watershed State Forest controlled_deer_lottery_area

Official Connecticut 2026 deer lottery Area 56, Centennial Watershed State Forest (Easton and adjacent towns); published quota 170 and published area size 3,450 acres. No junior-day access except for a junior hunter and mentor who both hold a permit for this area. The lottery permit, posted boundary, access instructions and current CT DEEP rules control.

Official source
Area 58 — MDC Nepaug Reservoir - Valentine/Pine Hill Block — regular firearm lottery 1 Either-sex Deer On State-land Areas; Controlled-area Permit Limits Control Successful Area-specific 2026 Lottery Permit Holder State or Cooperating Property with Area Specific Access Permit/program check
Nov 18, 2026 - Dec 8, 2026
Deer Lottery Area 58 — MDC Nepaug Reservoir - Valentine/Pine Hill Block controlled_deer_lottery_area

Official Connecticut 2026 deer lottery Area 58, MDC Nepaug Reservoir - Valentine/Pine Hill Block (New Hartford and adjacent towns); published quota 40 and published area size 1,400 acres. Applicants must be at least 18; selected hunters must attend the mandatory pre-hunt meeting, pass the MDC background check, and sign the liability waiver. Junior-day access, coyote/fox harvest, and Sunday hunting are prohibited. The lottery permit, posted boundary, access instructions and current CT DEEP rules control.

Official source
Area 60 — Tankerhoosen Wildlife Management Area — regular firearm lottery 1 Either-sex Deer On State-land Areas; Controlled-area Permit Limits Control Successful Area-specific 2026 Lottery Permit Holder State or Cooperating Property with Area Specific Access Permit/program check
Nov 18, 2026 - Dec 8, 2026
Deer Lottery Area 60 — Tankerhoosen Wildlife Management Area controlled_deer_lottery_area

Official Connecticut 2026 deer lottery Area 60, Tankerhoosen Wildlife Management Area (Vernon); published quota 20 and published area size 449 acres. The lottery permit, posted boundary, access instructions and current CT DEEP rules control.

Official source
Area 62 — Aldo Leopold Wildlife Management Area — regular firearm lottery 1 Either-sex Deer On State-land Areas; Controlled-area Permit Limits Control Successful Area-specific 2026 Lottery Permit Holder State or Cooperating Property with Area Specific Access Permit/program check
Nov 18, 2026 - Dec 8, 2026
Deer Lottery Area 62 — Aldo Leopold Wildlife Management Area controlled_deer_lottery_area

Official Connecticut 2026 deer lottery Area 62, Aldo Leopold Wildlife Management Area (Southbury); published quota 20 and published area size 553 acres. The lottery permit, posted boundary, access instructions and current CT DEEP rules control.

Official source
Area 63 — Mohawk State Forest - Ziegler/Johnson Tract — regular firearm lottery 1 Either-sex Deer On State-land Areas; Controlled-area Permit Limits Control Successful Area-specific 2026 Lottery Permit Holder State or Cooperating Property with Area Specific Access Permit/program check
Nov 18, 2026 - Dec 8, 2026
Deer Lottery Area 63 — Mohawk State Forest - Ziegler/Johnson Tract controlled_deer_lottery_area

Official Connecticut 2026 deer lottery Area 63, Mohawk State Forest - Ziegler/Johnson Tract (Cornwall and adjacent towns); published quota 15 and published area size 329 acres. The lottery permit, posted boundary, access instructions and current CT DEEP rules control.

Official source
Area 64 — MDC Barkhamsted Reservoir - East Block — regular firearm lottery 1 Either-sex Deer On State-land Areas; Controlled-area Permit Limits Control Successful Area-specific 2026 Lottery Permit Holder State or Cooperating Property with Area Specific Access Permit/program check
Nov 18, 2026 - Dec 8, 2026
Deer Lottery Area 64 — MDC Barkhamsted Reservoir - East Block controlled_deer_lottery_area

Official Connecticut 2026 deer lottery Area 64, MDC Barkhamsted Reservoir - East Block (Barkhamsted and adjacent towns); published quota 40 and published area size 4,282 acres. Applicants must be at least 18; selected hunters must attend the mandatory pre-hunt meeting, pass the MDC background check, and sign the liability waiver. Junior-day access, coyote/fox harvest, and Sunday hunting are prohibited. The lottery permit, posted boundary, access instructions and current CT DEEP rules control.

Official source
Area 67 — MDC Barkhamsted Reservoir - West Block — regular firearm lottery 1 Either-sex Deer On State-land Areas; Controlled-area Permit Limits Control Successful Area-specific 2026 Lottery Permit Holder State or Cooperating Property with Area Specific Access Permit/program check
Nov 18, 2026 - Dec 8, 2026
Deer Lottery Area 67 — MDC Barkhamsted Reservoir - West Block controlled_deer_lottery_area

Official Connecticut 2026 deer lottery Area 67, MDC Barkhamsted Reservoir - West Block (Barkhamsted and adjacent towns); published quota 40 and published area size 3,700 acres. Applicants must be at least 18; selected hunters must attend the mandatory pre-hunt meeting, pass the MDC background check, and sign the liability waiver. Junior-day access, coyote/fox harvest, and Sunday hunting are prohibited. The lottery permit, posted boundary, access instructions and current CT DEEP rules control.

Official source
Area 68 — Bishop Swamp Wildlife Management Area — regular firearm lottery 1 Either-sex Deer On State-land Areas; Controlled-area Permit Limits Control Successful Area-specific 2026 Lottery Permit Holder State or Cooperating Property with Area Specific Access Permit/program check
Nov 18, 2026 - Dec 8, 2026
Deer Lottery Area 68 — Bishop Swamp Wildlife Management Area controlled_deer_lottery_area

Official Connecticut 2026 deer lottery Area 68, Bishop Swamp Wildlife Management Area (Andover and adjacent towns); published quota 35 and published area size 1,035 acres. The lottery permit, posted boundary, access instructions and current CT DEEP rules control.

Official source

Muzzleloader

Muzzleloader-only or late muzzleloader opportunities. 2 seasons
Season Dates Geography Notes
State-land muzzleloader deer season 1 Either Sex State-land Muzzleloader Permit Holders State public land Special rules
Dec 9, 2026 - Dec 22, 2026
State lands open to muzzleloader deer hunting state_land_group

The official interactive hunting-area map controls which state properties are open.

Official source
Private-land muzzleloader deer season Varies by zone and tag Private-land Muzzleloader Permit Holders Private land
Dec 9, 2026 - Dec 31, 2026
Private land by deer management zone private_land_zone_group

Written landowner consent is required; zones 2 and 4A restrict antlerless tags and other zone-specific limits remain controlling.

Official source

Youth

Youth-only, apprentice, or early youth windows. 3 seasons
Season Dates Geography Notes
Junior deer training days — private land Under Junior Permits and Applicable Tags Licensed Junior Hunters with Qualified Adult Mentors Private land Special rules
Nov 7, 2026 - Nov 14, 2026
Private land with written permission private_land

Junior hunters may hunt Sunday on private land; both junior and mentor need the permits and written consent specified by the official program.

Official source
Junior deer training days — state land, first segment Under Junior Permits and Applicable Tags Licensed Junior Hunters with Qualified Adult Mentors State public land Special rules
Nov 7, 2026
Eligible lottery and no-lottery deer areas, subject to listed exceptions permit_area_group

Yale-Myers, MDC Barkhamsted East/West and MDC Nepaug Valentine/Pine Hill are closed. Centennial Watershed and Bristol Water are open only when both junior and mentor hold permits for that area.

Official source
Junior deer training days — state land, second segment Under Junior Permits and Applicable Tags Licensed Junior Hunters with Qualified Adult Mentors State public land Special rules
Nov 9, 2026 - Nov 14, 2026
Eligible lottery and no-lottery deer areas, subject to listed exceptions permit_area_group

Sunday November 8 is excluded on state land. Yale-Myers, MDC Barkhamsted East/West and MDC Nepaug Valentine/Pine Hill are closed; Centennial Watershed and Bristol Water require permits for both junior and mentor.

Official source

Special

Antlerless, CWD, urban, holiday, or other special rules. 1 season
Season Dates Geography Notes
Landowner deer season 1 Either Sex and 1 Antlerless Qualifying Landowners and Eligible Family Members under Landowner Permits Private land Special rules
Nov 1, 2026 - Dec 31, 2026
Qualifying properties of 10 or more contiguous acres eligibility_and_land_group

The official landowner permit and relationship or residency requirements control eligibility; multiple legal methods are allowed under the source rules.

Official source
Plan the rest of the trip

Outfitters and gear stops in Connecticut

Find local help and a practical place to gear up before your Connecticut hunt.

View all outfitters
Hunting in Connecticut

How to plan a Connecticut deer hunt

Start by matching your exact hunt date and legal method to the county, unit, zone, hunt code, or special area that controls the trip. The map is for orientation; the linked agency rules remain the legal source.

Field Honest currently organizes 29 Connecticut deer-season records across management zones and units, named public and special hunt areas, public and private land rules, permit and hunt-code areas. Use the trip checker above to narrow the list before comparing local outfitters and physical gear stops.

Methods represented Archery, Firearm, Muzzleloader, Youth, Special opportunities

A method label is only a starting point. Weapon rules and hunt-code restrictions may be narrower.

How the state is organized management zones and units, named public and special hunt areas, public and private land rules, permit and hunt-code areas

Always match the place named on your license or tag to the current legal description.

Primary official source Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

Field Honest source review: September 10, 2026.

Before you leave home

  • Confirm the exact season window, legal method, and harvest restriction.
  • Verify license, tag, draw, hunt-code, and hunter-eligibility requirements.
  • Check the legal boundary, land access, closures, and landowner permission.
  • Review current reporting, transport, and CWD rules where they apply.