Intro

Located conveniently midway between New York and Boston, and with fantastic weather and scenery, Connecticut is a great place to visit with friends and family. And with a massive 60 percent of the state covered by forest lands, it’s definitely a place to put on your list not only for deer hunting but also turkey, small game and waterfowl hunting.

If you’re planning a hunting trip to Connecticut or even if you’re a local hunter, you’re going to want to make sure you’re not wasting your time on areas with little to no game. That’s why it’s always a good idea to pack a trail camera, helping you precisely target key game areas. Our WingHome 350C is a great choice with its handy size but powerful resolution and fast trigger speed.

So to being with, let’s delve into the ‘Nutmeg State’ to find out a little bit more about the hunting there before we move onto the top 5 hunting spots…

Connecticut deer hunting

Strangely enough, deer hunting in Connecticut hasn’t been around that long, with most die-hard deer hunters previously travelling up to Maine or Vermont to get their fix. However, in the past half century, deer numbers have been steadily rising and since 1975 the deer hunting season has been a major fixture of Connecticut outdoor life.

Connecticut turkey hunting

There are around 35,000 turkeys in the state. Though that might be a small number of birds compared to other states, there are also fewer hunters of them, making the chances of bagging one pretty high. 

Connecticut ducks

The same lack of hunter pressure also applies to hunting waterfowl in the state. Not only are there around 16,000 ducks available, you can also try for one of the around 9,000 Canadian geese in the area. 

Now, let’s look at when to plan your visit for by taking a look at the official 2019 Connecticut hunting season dates for deer, turkey, waterfowl and also small game…

Hunting Season in Connecticut

With all the hunting opportunities and stats behind us, let’s move onto the places you should be targeting if you do indeed decide to make the trip to Connecticut…

5. Tunxis State Forest

By Morrowlong - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53382675

Size: 10,242 acres

Description:
Located in the towns of Hartland, Barkhamsted, and Granby, Tunxis State Forest surrounds Barkhamsted Reservoir and borders the Granville State Forest in Massachusetts. It is used for hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, fishing, hunting, and letterboxing. Several trails cross the forest, including the northern end of the blue-blazed Tunxis Trail. 

Hunting: 
Small game, waterfowl, archery deer (fall), firearms turkey (fall and spring), muzzleloader deer and shotgun deer (no lottery).

Contact:
Address: Tunxis State Forest, Tunxis State Forest, Hartland, CT 06091
Tel: (860) 424-3000

4. Housatonic State Forest

By Morrowlong - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53384979

Size: 11,284 acres

Description:
Located in the towns of Sharon, Canaan, Cornwall, and North Canaan, the state forest includes two Connecticut natural area preserves, Gold’s Pines and Canaan Mountain, and is the only Connecticut state forest that includes a portion of the Appalachian Trail. The forest is open for hiking, hunting, mountain biking, and snowmobiling. 

Hunting:
Small game, waterfowl, archery deer (fall), firearms turkey (fall and spring), muzzleloader deer and shotgun deer (no lottery).

Contact:
Address: Rte. 128, Sharon, CT 06069
Tel: (203) 865-0831

3. Natchaug State Forest

By Morrow Long - Remains of old mill dam on Beaverdam Brook, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15776741

Size: 12,596 acres

Description: 
Located in six towns, including Ashford, Chaplin, and Eastford. The Natchaug River runs from north to south along and through the western border of the main forest. The forest's trail system includes the Natchaug Trail and CCC Loop and are used for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. 

Hunting:
Small game, waterfowl, archery deer (fall), firearms turkey (fall and spring), muzzleloader deer and shotgun deer (no lottery).

Contact: 
Address: Natchaug State Forest, c/o Mashamoquet Brook State Park, RFD #1, Wolf Den Road, Pomfret Center, CT 06259
Tel: (860) 928-6121

2. Cockaponset State Forest

By Morrowlong - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24318177

Size: 16,456 acres

Description:
The second largest forest in the Connecticut state forest system. Most of the land is in Middlesex County though some parts lie in New Haven County. The forest occupies land in 11 towns, including Haddam, Chester, Deep River and Killingworth.

Hunting:
Small game, waterfowl, pheasants, archery deer (fall), firearms turkey (fall and spring), muzzleloader deer and shotgun deer (no lottery).

Contact:
Address: Cockaponset State Forest, 18 Ranger Road, Haddam, CT 06438
Tel: (860) 345-8521

1. Pachaug State Forest

By Morrow Long - Nehantic Trail - Rhododendron Sanctuary Trail., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15719864

Size: 26,490 acres

Description:
The largest forest in the Connecticut state forest system, it is located on the Rhode Island border, with parts of the forest in the towns of Voluntown, Griswold, Plainfield, Sterling, North Stonington, and Preston. It is named after the Pachaug River, which runs through the center of the forest.

Hunting:
Small game, waterfowl, pheasants, archery deer (fall), firearms turkey (fall and spring), muzzleloader deer and shotgun deer (no lottery).

Contact:
Address: Pachaug State Forest, Route 49, P.O. Box 5, Voluntown, CT 06384
Tel: (860) 345-8521

Conclusion

So that’s it for hunting in Connecticut. Although it’s an often-overlooked hunting destination, hopefully the information we provided has convinced you to give it a try. 

If you do, please email us to let us know your experiences. And for all your trail camera and hunting information, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, where we’ll be happy to answer your questions. And we’ll be happy to provide more information about our flagship 350C trail camera.

As always, happy trails from the WingHome team!