Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at an 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

Advanced Hunter Education

Venison Processing The DEEP Wildlife Division’s Conservation Education/Firearms Safety (CE/FS) Program offers hunting safety classes on firearms and archery hunting and trapping throughout the year. The classes are taught by a dedicated corps of certified volunteer instructors. The CE/FS Program offers special events and Advanced Hunter Education seminars on such topics as waterfowl hunting, hunter marksmanship, small game hunting, venison processing, and wild turkey hunting. These events are meant to expand on the knowledge and skills of hunters and anyone else who wants more information about pertinent topics in hunting. All programs are free and open to the public. Pre-registration is mandatory and opens approximately 2-4 weeks before the event on the Hunter Education Registration System. All are one-day events that are offered at various locations across the state.

Events

Women's Shooting Day

If you are a woman in Connecticut curious about bows or firearms, whether for hunting or sport shooting, our Women's Shooting Day is the perfect place to start. Enjoy a safe, friendly environment tailored specifically for women and dive into a half-day of immersive learning with one-on-one and small-group instruction in handguns, rifles, shotguns, and bows. All skill levels are welcome, whether you are completely new to the sport or need a refresher. Join us on September 21, 2024, from 9:00 AM-1:00 PM, at the DEEP Wildlife Division's Franklin Wildlife Management Area. More details and how to register

Wild Turkey Hunting Seminar

Both experienced and first-time turkey hunters stand to benefit from attending this seminar. They provide hunting information, which includes safe hunting practices, specialized equipment, calls and decoys, site setup, and other strategies for harvesting turkeys. Participants will have an opportunity to pattern their shotguns for turkey hunting following classroom instruction.

Turkey Seminar 

Waterfowl Hunting Seminar:

Sponsored by the Connecticut Waterfowl Association (CWA), this seminar provides participants with all of the basic information needed to get started or become a more successful waterfowl hunter! Expert instructors will provide interactive presentations on various aspects of duck and goose hunting, including decoy spreads, biology, shooting, calling, and hunting techniques.

Waterfowl Hunting Dog

Small Game Hunting Clinic:

Small game hunting is an often overlooked type of hunting. This seminar is designed to give hunters the tools and knowledge to hunt small game in Connecticut. Habitat, techniques, tactics, and game care will be covered. Participants will receive some great recipes for preparation.

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Hunter Marksmanship Clinic:

Today’s hunter understands that owning and mastering a rifle or shotgun is part of his/her hunting heritage. Whether you are a new shooter or a seasoned marksman, this clinic can help you improve your mastery of marksmanship skills. After a review of marksmanship principles, participants will be coached one-on-one; get sighted in to 100 yards; and have the opportunity to shoot from multiple shooting positions. All sessions will be held at the Glastonbury Shooting Range in Meshomasic State Forest (directions).

Rifle Marksmanship

Venison Processing Workshop:

This workshop guides participants through all the steps of taking a deer from whole animal to freezer-ready, packaged venison. The workshop team includes a professionally trained butcher and a cadre of experienced deer hunters. Participants leave the seminar with an enhanced understanding of how to break down a white-tailed deer. 

Venison Processing 

The Connecticut CE/FS Program receives 75% of its funds from the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program. The remaining 25% state match is derived by using the value of the services provided by the volunteer instructors. The Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program is funded by the excise tax paid by sportsmen on rifles, shotgun, ammunition, handguns, and archery equipment.

Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration logo and tagline.

Take a Firearms, Bowhunting, or Trapping Safety Course

Back to Connect and Learn

Hunting and Trapping Main Page

This program receives federal financial assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability.

If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility, or if you need more information, please write to:
Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Civil Rights
U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20240

Content last updated on August 7, 2024.