Season Dates and Bag Limits

Information and dates for the 2024-2025 Connecticut Migratory Bird Hunting Seasons will be posted in summer 2024. Stay tuned.

Waterfowl  |  Snipe  |  Rails  |  Woodcock  |  Crows  |  Black Duck Harvest Information  |  Junior Waterfowl Hunting Days  |  Falconry  | Explaining Migrant Canada Goose Seasons

(Changes from 2022 are highlighted in bold. All Dates Inclusive - Except Sundays)

North Zone: The portion of the state north of Interstate 95
South Zone: The portion of the state south of Interstate 95.
Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset, except for the September Goose Season, when shooting hours end one-half hour past sunset. (Sunrise-Sunset-Tide Table for September 2023 through March 2024)
Legal Firearms: The only legal firearms that can be used to hunt migratory birds (except crows) in Connecticut are shotguns 10 gauge or smaller. Waterfowl, rails, and coots can only be hunted using non-toxic steel shot no larger than BB steel, or Bismuth-tin alloy (97% bismuth and 3% tin), Tungsten Polymer, or tungsten iron shot or tungsten-matrix (95.9% tungsten: 4.1 % polymer), tungsten-nickel-iron (Hevishot), or any other non-toxic shot approved for use by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service no larger than number two. There are no non-toxic shot requirements for hunting woodcock, snipe, or crows. However, hunters are urged to consider using non-toxic loads while hunting these species.

 

Ducks, Mergansers, and Coots

Season	North Zone	South Zone
Early	Oct. 7 - Oct. 14, 2023	Oct. 12 - Oct. 14, 2023
Late	Nov. 10, 2023 - Jan. 10, 2024	Nov. 16, 2023 - Jan. 20, 2024

Daily Bag Limit: Ducks - 6 ^{A, B, C}   Coots -15

Possession Limit: Ducks - 18 ^A, B, C   Coots - 45

 

Scaup

North Zone	South Zone	Daily Bag Limit	Possession Limit
Oct. 7 - Oct. 14, 2023	Oct. 12 - Oct. 14, 2023	1	3
Nov. 10 - Dec. 18, 2023	Nov. 16 - Dec. 28, 2023	1	3
Dec. 19, 2023 - Jan. 10, 2024	Dec. 29, 2023 - Jan. 20, 2024	2	6

  

Canada Geese ^D

Season	North Zone	South Zone	Daily Bag Limit	Possession Limit
Special September	Sept. 1 - Sept. 30, 2023	Sept. 15 - Sept. 30, 2023	15	45
Regular AP Unit E See Map	Oct. 10 - Oct. 14, 2023 Nov. 10 - Dec. 15, 2023	- - -	3	9
AP Late Season E	Dec. 27, 2023 - Feb. 15, 2024	- - -	5	15
Regular AFRP Unit F See Map	Oct. 10 - Oct. 14, 2023 Nov. 21, 2023 - Feb. 15, 2024	Oct. 10 - Oct. 14, 2023 Nov. 21, 2023 - Feb 15, 2024	5	15
Regular NAP-H Unit G See Map	Oct. 10 - Oct. 14, 2023 Nov. 10, 2023 - Jan. 12, 2024	Oct. 10 - Oct. 14, 2023 Nov. 10, 2023 - Jan. 12, 2024	2	6
NAP-H Late Season H	- - -	Jan. 15 - Feb. 15, 2024	5	15

 

Snow Geese (includes Blue Geese)

North Zone	South Zone	Daily Bag Limit	Possession Limit
Oct. 2, 2023 - Jan. 13, 2024	Oct. 2, 2023 - Jan. 13, 2024	25	No limit
Feb. 21, 2024 - Mar. 9, 2024	Feb. 21, 2024 - Mar. 9, 2024	25	No limit

 

Brant

North Zone	South Zone	Daily Bag Limit	Possession Limit
Dec. 7, 2023 - Jan. 10, 2024	Dec. 18, 2023 - Jan. 20, 2024	1	3

 

Notes for the Waterfowl Seasons: 

^A Includes all species of ducks (including seas ducks), with the following restrictions: SCAUP: see table. MALLARD: daily limit 4 and may include only 2 HENS. WOOD DUCK: daily limit 3. BLACK DUCK: daily limit 2. REDHEAD: daily limit 2. PINTAIL: daily limit 1. CANVASBACK: daily limit 2. Possession limits are three times the daily bag limit. SEASON FOR HARLEQUIN DUCKS IS CLOSED.

^B All merganser species are included in the aggregate duck bag of 6. There is no species specific bag limit for mergansers.

^C SEA DUCKS ARE INCLUDED IN THE TOTAL DUCK BAG. Daily limit for sea ducks is 4 and may include no more than 3 SCOTERS, 3 OLDSQUAW, 3 EIDER (1 hen), 12 in possession.

^D Daily bag limit includes white-fronted geese.

^E AP Unit: Litchfield County and the portion of Hartford County, west of a line beginning at the Massachusetts border in Suffield and extending south along Route 159 to its intersection with I-91 in Hartford, and then extending south along I-91 to its intersection with the Hartford/Middlesex County line (Wethersfield/Cromwell).

^F AFRP Unit: All of the rest of the state not included in the AP or NAP descriptions.

^G NAP-H Unit: That part of the state east of a line beginning at the Massachusetts border in Suffield and extending along Route 159 to its intersection with I-91 in Hartford and then extending south along I-91 to State Street in New Haven. South along State Street to Route 34. West on Route 34 to Route 8 to Route 110, south along Route 110 to Route 15, north along Route 15 to the Milford Parkway, south along the Milford Parkway to I-95, north along I-95 to the intersection with the east shore of the Quinnipiac River, south to the mouth of the Quinnipiac River and then south along the eastern shore of the New Haven Harbor to the Long Island Sound.

^H The portion of the South Zone east of the Quinnipiac River.

 

Special September and Late Canada Goose Seasons

Special September and late Canada goose seasons will again be offered, and no special permit is required for either season. The early season in the North Zone will begin on September 1 and run through September 30. In the South Zone, the season will begin on September 15 and end on September 30. The daily bag limit for the early season is 15, with a possession limit of 45. Shooting hours for the September season are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour past sunset, and unplugged shotguns are legal to use. All September goose season hunters must have a federal Duck Stamp and a 2023 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp, which includes the HIP permit.

The late goose season is from January 15, 2024, to February 15, 2024, in the South Zone only (east of the Quinnipiac River). All late season goose hunters are reminded that Connecticut has a calendar hunting license. There you must purchase your 2024 hunting privileges prior to January 1, 2024. That includes the 2024 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp and 2024 hunting license.

 

Connecticut Migrant Goose Zones

Map showing the intrusion of the NAP Zone into the AFRP Zone.

Migrant Goose Zones by Town

Town	Goose Zone	Goose Zone Description If Town Has More Than One Zone
Andover	NAP
Ansonia	AFRP
Ashford	NAP
Avon	AP
Barkhamsted	AP
Beacon Falls	AFRP
Berlin	AP
Bethany	AFRP
Bethel	AFRP
Bethlehem	AP
Bloomfield	AP
Bolton	NAP
Bozrah	NAP
Branford	NAP
Bridgeport	AFRP
Bridgewater	AP
Bristol	AP
Brookfield	AFRP
Brooklyn	NAP
Burlington	AP
Canaan	AP
Canterbury	NAP
Canton	AP
Chaplin	NAP
Cheshire	AFRP
Chester	NAP
Clinton	NAP
Colchester	NAP
Colebrook	AP
Columbia	NAP
Cornwall	AP
Coventry	NAP
Cromwell	NAP	Portion of Town East of I-91
Cromwell	AFRP	Portion of Town West of I-91
Danbury	AFRP
Darien	AFRP
Deep River	NAP
Derby	AFRP	All of Town not in NAP
Derby	NAP	Portion of Town lying South of RT 34 and RT 8 and then East of RT 8
Durham	NAP
East Granby	AP
East Haddam	NAP
East Hampton	NAP
East Hartford	NAP
East Haven	NAP
East Lyme	NAP
East Windsor	NAP
Eastford	NAP
Easton	AFRP
Ellington	NAP
Enfield	NAP
Essex	NAP
Fairfield	AFRP
Farmington	AP
Franklin	NAP
Glastonbury	NAP
Goshen	AP
Granby	AP
Greenwich	AFRP
Griswold	NAP
Groton	NAP
Guilford	NAP
Haddam	NAP
Hamden	AFRP
Hampton	NAP
Hartford	NAP	Portion of Town East of I-91
Hartford	AP	Portion of Town West of I-91
Hartland	AP
Harwinton	AP
Hebron	NAP
Kent	AP
Killingly	NAP
Killingworth	NAP
Lebanon	NAP
Ledyard	NAP
Lisbon	NAP
Litchfield	AP
Lyme	NAP
Madison	NAP
Manchester	NAP
Mansfield	NAP
Marlborough	NAP
Meriden	NAP	Portion of Town East of I-91
Meriden	AFRP	Portion of Town West of I-91
Middlebury	AFRP
Middlefield	NAP
Middletown	NAP	Portion of Town East of I-91
Middletown	AFRP	Portion of Town West of I-91
Milford	NAP	That portion of Town to the East and North of RT 15 to the Milford Parkway and North of I-95.
Milford	AFRP	The rest of Town not in NAP
Monroe	AFRP
Montville	NAP
Morris	AP
Naugatuck	AFRP
New Britain	AP
New Canaan	AFRP
New Fairfield	AFRP
New Hartford	AP
New Haven	NAP	Rest of Town not in ARFP
New Haven	AFRP	That portion of Town lying South of I-95 to the West shore of the Quinnipiac River and the portion of Town North of State St and RT 34
New London	NAP
New Milford	AP
Newington	AP
Newtown	AFRP
Norfolk	AP
North Branford	NAP
North Canaan	AP
North Haven	NAP	Portion of Town East of I-91
North Haven	AFRP	Portion of Town West of I-91
North Stonington	NAP
Norwalk	AFRP
Norwich	NAP
Old Lyme	NAP
Old Saybrook	NAP
Orange	NAP	That portion of Town lying North of I-95 and South of RT 34
Orange	AFRP	The rest of Town not in NAP
Oxford	AFRP
Plainfield	NAP
Plainville	AP
Plymouth	AP
Pomfret	NAP
Portland	NAP
Preston	NAP
Prospect	AFRP
Putnam	NAP
Redding	AFRP
Ridgefield	AFRP
Rocky Hill	NAP	Portion of Town East of I-91
Rocky Hill	AP	Portion of Town West of I-91
Roxbury	AP
S Windsor	NAP
Salem	NAP
Salisbury	AP
Scotland	NAP
Seymour	AFRP
Sharon	AP
Shelton	NAP	Portion of Town south of RT 8 and east of RT 110
Shelton	AFRP	Rest of Town not in NAP
Sherman	AFRP
Simsbury	AP
Somers	NAP
Southbury	AFRP
Southington	AP
Sprague	NAP
Stafford	NAP
Stamford	AFRP
Sterling	NAP
Stonington	NAP
Stratford	NAP	Portion of Town east of RT 110 and North of RT 15
Stratford	AFRP	Rest of Town not in NAP
Suffield	NAP	Portion of Town East of RT 159
Suffield	AP	Portion of Town West of RT 159
Thomaston	AP
Thompson	NAP
Tolland	NAP
Torrington	AP
Trumbull	AFRP
Union	NAP
Vernon	NAP
Voluntown	NAP
Wallingford	NAP	Portion of Town East of I-91
Wallingford	AFRP	Portion of Town West of I-91
Warren	AP
Washington	AP
Waterbury	AFRP
Waterford	NAP
Watertown	AP
West Hartford	AP
West Haven	NAP	That portion of Town north of I-95 and South of RT 34
West Haven	AFRP	The rest of Town not in NAP
Westbrook	NAP
Weston	AFRP
Westport	AFRP
Wethersfield	NAP	Portion of Town East of I-91
Wethersfield	AP	Portion of Town West of I-91
Willington	NAP
Wilton	AFRP
Winchester	AP
Windham	NAP
Windsor	NAP	East of RT 159
Windsor	AP	West of RT 159
Windsor Locks	NAP	East of RT 159
Windsor Locks	AP	West of RT 159
Wolcott	AFRP
Woodbridge	AFRP
Woodbury	AP
Woodstock	NAP

 

Snipe Season

Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp is required.

Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise until sunset. 

Season Dates: September 1 - December 30, 2023

Daily Limit: 8        Possession Limit: 24

 

Rail Season

Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp is required.

Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise until sunset. 

Season Dates: Sept. 1 - Oct. 14 and Oct. 25 - Nov. 30, 2023

Species	Daily Limit	Possession Limit
Virginia and Sora Rail	25	75
Clapper and King Rail*	10 (*only 1 of the daily bag limit may be a king rail)	30

 

Woodcock Season

Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp is required.

Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise until sunset. 

Season Dates: Oct. 25 - Dec. 15, 2023

Daily Limit: 3       Possession Limit: 9

 

Crow Season

Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp is required.

While crow hunting from a stationary position, a hunter is exempt from the fluorescent orange clothing regulation. 

Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset.

Daily and Possession Limits: No Limit

Season Dates: Hunting allowed only on certain days.

• Aug. 12 - Oct. 13, 2023: Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays
• Oct. 21 - Dec. 1, 2023: Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays
• Jan. 13 - March 23, 2024: Mondays through Saturdays

 

Black Duck Harvest Information

The daily bag limit for black ducks is two. Black duck hybrids are classified as black ducks. This should reduce the chances of a mistake and any confusion in the field.

The best way to distinguish between black ducks and black duck/mallard hybrids is to look at the feathers above the wing speculum. Black ducks have no white coloration above the speculum (see images below).

For more information about the harvest and management of black ducks, read the Black Duck Management Strategy in North America and the Black Duck Management Hunter Fact Sheet.

Wing Characteristics of Black Ducks and Black Duck/Mallard Hybrids

Black Duck Wing
Black feathers surrounding the blue speculum with no evidence of white above the speculum.

 

Black Duck/Mallard Hybrid Wing
Black feathers surrounding the blue speculum with white above the speculum.

Black Duck/Mallard Hybrid Wing
Black feathers surrounding the blue speculum with faint white above the speculum.

 

Junior Waterfowl Hunter Training Days

Connecticut will hold 2 statewide junior waterfowl hunter training days on Saturday, September 30, 2023 and Saturday, November 4, 2023. Junior hunters (ages 12 to 15) must have a valid small game junior hunting license and a 2021 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp (which includes the HIP permit) and be accompanied by an adult at least 18 years of age. Sixteen and 17-year-old hunters can participate in the training days, but they must have a valid hunting license, a 2021 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp, and a federal 2021-2022 Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp. Adults must possess a valid hunting license; however, they are not allowed to carry a firearm. Ducks, geese, mergansers, and coots may be hunted. Bag limits and shooting hours are the same as for the regular duck and goose hunting seasons. (The Junior Hunter webpage contains more details about Junior Hunter Training Days and Events.)

The Connecticut Waterfowl Association (CWA) sponsors a Waterfowl Hunter Mentoring Program, which pairs up experienced volunteer mentors with youths and adult novice waterfowl hunters. The goal is to encourage new participants in this great sport, who will then appreciate and help conserve our waterfowl resources. The mentors also have the opportunity to give back to the resource they cherish. Mentors of youths are able to enjoy all aspects of waterfowling (except shooting) during the two Youth Waterfowl Hunter Training Days offered each season when only youths can hunt. More information on this program can be found on CWA's website. (Read an article in the March/April 2014 issue of Connecticut Wildlife magazine about CWA's waterfowl mentoring program.)

 

Falconry Seasons

Falconers possessing valid permits (state and federal falconry permits, Connecticut small game license, Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp, and federal Duck Stamp) may take migratory game birds during any established migratory game bird season. Allowable species for falconry are: ducks, coots, mergansers, sea ducks, woodcock, snipe, and rails. Species-specific bag limits do not apply to falconry take. However, the daily bag limit for falconry is 3 migratory game birds in aggregate per day and 6 in possession. The daily and possession limit may contain any species that is legal during any regulated firearms migratory game bird season. The falconry bag limit is not in addition to gun limits.

 

Explaining Migrant Canada Goose Seasons

Three distinct populations of Canada geese are present in Connecticut during fall, winter, and early spring – the Atlantic Population (AP), North Atlantic Population (NAP), and Atlantic Flyway Resident Population (AFRP). The AP nests in northern Quebec and winters from Massachusetts southward to North Carolina, although primarily in the Chesapeake region of the Atlantic Flyway. The NAP breeds in the Canadian Maritime provinces and western Greenland, and winters primarily in southern New England and eastern Long Island. The AFRP geese breed throughout Connecticut, but are at their highest densities in the more urbanized areas of the state where hunting exposure is low.

As AFRP goose numbers began to expand throughout Connecticut, so did the number of nuisance complaints. As such, Connecticut was the first state in the nation to establish a season specifically designed to harvest AFRP geese while ensuring a minimal harvest of migrant Canada geese. This special late season began in 1986 and continues today, with minor modifications, in the South Zone. A similar September season was established in 1996 to target AFRP geese before migrant geese arrive in the state. These special seasons are monitored through the analysis of band recovery data and neck collar observations.

The status of migrant goose populations drives the regular goose season regulations in the Atlantic Flyway. In 1995, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) closed the regular Canada goose season in the Atlantic Flyway because the AP breeding pair estimate declined to such low levels that it was evident that the AP could not support any sport harvest. The AP season was closed in Connecticut until 1999. The presence of large numbers of NAP geese in New England led to the initiation, in 1998, of migrant Canada goose hunting once again in Connecticut. This season was only offered in certain areas of the state and targeted NAP geese. 1998 marked the first year that the USFWS separated the AP from the NAP during regular goose hunting seasons. In Connecticut, band return data and neck collar observations indicate that AP geese occur primarily in Litchfield County and western Hartford County, whereas NAP geese tend to be found east of the Connecticut River, predominantly in Windham and New London Counties. Thus, due to the presence of 3 different goose populations in Connecticut, the state has been divided into 3 goose hunting zones, each with different regulations, based on the status of the population and the overall management goal for each population. As data are compiled and analyzed, changes are made accordingly.

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Content last updated in March 2024.