Connecticut Migratory Bird Hunting Guide


Season Dates and Bag Limits


2024-2025 Connecticut Migratory Bird Hunting Seasons

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

(Changes from 2023 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 2024 through March 2025)
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. 12 - Oct. 19, 2024  
Late Nov. 9, 2024 - Jan. 9, 2025 Nov. 11, 2024 - Jan. 18, 2025

Daily Bag Limit: Ducks - 6 AB, C   Coots -15

Possession Limit: Ducks - 18 ABC   Coots - 45

Scaup
North Zone South Zone Daily Bag Limit Possession Limit
Oct. 12 - Oct. 19, 2024   1 3
Nov. 9 - Dec. 17, 2024 Nov. 11 - Dec. 26, 2024 1 3
Dec. 18, 2024 - Jan. 9, 2025 Dec. 27, 2024 - Jan. 18, 2025 2 6
  
Canada Geese D

Special September Goose Season

North Zone South Zone Daily Bag Limit Possession Limit
Sept. 2 - Sept. 30, 2024
Sept. 14 - Sept. 30, 2024
15 45

 

Regular AP Unit E Goose Season (North Zone only; See Map)

North Zone Daily Bag Limit Possession Limit
Oct. 12 - Oct. 19, 2024
Nov. 9 - Nov. 30, 2024

3 9

 

AP Late Goose Season E (North Zone only)

North Zone Daily Bag Limit Possession Limit
Dec. 16, 2024 - Feb. 15, 2025
5 15

 

Regular AFRP Unit F Goose Season (See Map)

North Zone South Zone Daily Bag Limit Possession Limit
Oct. 12 - Oct. 19, 2024
Nov. 23, 2024 - Feb. 15, 2025
Oct. 12 - Oct. 19, 2024
Nov. 23, 2024 - Feb 15, 2025
5 15

 

Regular NAP-H Unit G Goose Season (See Map)

North Zone South Zone Daily Bag Limit Possession Limit
Oct. 12 - Oct. 19, 2024
Nov. 9, 2024 - Jan. 9, 2025
Oct. 12 - Oct. 19, 2024
Nov. 9, 2024 - Jan. 9, 202
2 6

 

NAP-H Late Goose Season H (South Zone only)

South Zone Daily Bag Limit Possession Limit
Jan. 15 - Feb. 15, 2025
5 15

 

Snow Geese (includes Blue Geese)
North Zone South Zone Daily Bag Limit Possession Limit
Oct. 1, 2024 - Jan. 11, 2025 Oct. 1, 2024 - Jan. 11, 2025  25 No limit
Feb. 20 - Mar. 10, 2025 Feb. 20 - Mar. 9, 2025 25 No limit

 

Brant
North Zone South Zone Daily Bag Limit Possession Limit
Dec. 6, 2024 - Jan. 9, 2025
Dec. 16, 2024 - Jan. 18, 2025
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 2 and run through September 30. In the South Zone, the season will begin on September 14 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 2024 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp, which includes the HIP permit.

The late goose season is from January 15, 2025, to February 15, 2025, in the South Zone only (east of the Quinnipiac River). All late season goose hunters are reminded that Connecticut has a calendar hunting license. You must purchase your 2024 hunting privileges prior to January 1, 2025. That includes the 2025 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp and 2025 hunting license.

 

Connecticut Migrant Goose Zones

Map of Connecticut Migrant Goose Zones

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

Map showing intrusion of the NAP migrant goose 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

 

 

Common Snipe Season

Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp is required.

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

Season Dates: Sept. 2 - Oct. 11 and Oct. 18 - Dec. 31, 2024

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. 2 - Oct. 22 and Nov.1 - Nov. 30, 2024

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. 24 - Dec. 14, 2024

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. 10 - Oct. 11, 2024: Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays
  • Oct. 19 - Nov. 30, 2024: Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays
  • Dec. 23, 2024 - March 22, 2025: 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 Wing

 

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

Black Duck/Mallard Hybrid Wing

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

Black Duck/Mallard Hybrid Wing

 

Junior Waterfowl Hunter Training Days

Connecticut will hold 2 statewide junior waterfowl hunter training days on Saturday, October 5, 2024 and Saturday, November 2, 2024. Junior hunters (ages 12 to 15) must have a valid small game junior hunting license and a 2024 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 2024 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp, and a current federal 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 May 2024.