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Connecticut

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Connecticut Zone Finder

Answer six questions and get Connecticut deer and turkey management zones ranked by habitat fit, 2026–27 season dates, public land and CT DEEP harvest history.

How the Connecticut finder works

CT DEEP reports deer and turkey harvest by management zone. This tool scores all 13 zones using the Deer Program Summary's private-land deer harvest for 2021–2025 and the Wild Turkey Program Summaries' spring harvest, USGS land-cover and elevation data, and the share of public land such as state forests and wildlife management areas.

Season fit uses the 2026 Connecticut Hunting Season Date Summary: private-land archery, junior deer days, shotgun/rifle and muzzleloader deer seasons, January archery in Zones 11 and 12, spring and fall turkey, upland birds and the 2026–2027 Migratory Bird Hunting Guide.

Species covered

  • White-tailed deer
  • Wild turkey

Upland birds (ranked by county)

  • Ring-necked pheasant
  • Gray (Hungarian) partridge
  • Forest grouse
  • Quail

Waterfowl and migratory birds (ranked by county)

  • Ducks
  • Canada and dark geese
  • Snow and Ross's geese
  • American woodcock

About every species on the species page →

Data sources

Connecticut hunting FAQ

When is Connecticut's 2026 shotgun deer season?

Nov. 18–Dec. 8, 2026 on private and state land, followed by muzzleloader Dec. 9–31. Private-land archery runs Sept. 15–Dec. 31 (through January in Zones 11 and 12).

Which Connecticut zones have the most deer harvest?

Zones 5, 11, 7, 12 and 9 lead the 2021–2025 private-land harvest; Zones 4B, 5 and 9 have the most per square mile.

Can I hunt deer on Sunday in Connecticut?

Bowhunting deer on private land is allowed on Sundays. Migratory bird hunting is not.

Connecticut harvest leaders

The deer management zones with the highest average reported harvest for each species. High totals often reflect large areas and many hunters; the tool above also weighs harvest per square mile, hunter success, habitat and access.

Wild turkey (2022–2025 average)

  1. Zone 5 Zone 5: 228 per year
  2. Zone 2 Zone 2: 130 per year
  3. Zone 10 Zone 10: 120 per year
  4. Zone 1 Zone 1: 118 per year
  5. Zone 12 Zone 12: 86 per year

Ducks (USFWS 10-year average)

  1. Fairfield County: 4,438 per year
  2. New London County: 3,015 per year
  3. New Haven County: 2,760 per year
  4. Hartford County: 1,497 per year
  5. Middlesex County: 1,391 per year

Canada and dark geese (USFWS 10-year average)

  1. Hartford County: 2,609 per year
  2. Tolland County: 1,914 per year
  3. New Haven County: 1,484 per year
  4. New London County: 1,453 per year
  5. Windham County: 1,401 per year