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

Hunter Safety Manual CoverConnecticut Hunter Safety Manual

The hunter safety course manual is available for download in two ways. You can download the entire manual in one large zip file (43.1 mb 18 files) or you may download individual chapters. If you choose to download and save the files on your computer, you should save all of the files in the same folder. By saving all of the files in the same folder, the bookmarks in each file are preserved and you will be able to easily navigate among the different chapters.

Chapter 1 - Introduction to Hunter Education
 Lesson 1 – Welcome and Introduction to the Course
 Lesson 2 – Why Do We Hunt?
 Lesson 3 – Recognize the Truth About Hunting
 Lesson 4 – Hunter Education Requirements at a Glance

Chapter 2 - Firearms Safety Rules
 Lesson 1 – Basic Firearm Safety Rules
 Lesson 2 – Additional Safety Rules
 Lesson 3 – What To Do When You Meet a Law Enforcement Officer While Hunting

Chapter 3 - Parts and Features of Firearms
 Lesson 1 – Parts of Firearms
 Lesson 2 – Rifles, Shotguns and Handguns
 Lesson 3 – Types of Firearm Actions
 Lesson 4 – Location and Use of Firearm Safeties
 Lesson 5 – Loading and Unloading Firearms
 Lesson 6 – Safe Cleaning & Storage of Firearms

Chapter 4 - Ammunition
 Lesson 1 – Parts of Ammunition
 Lesson 2 – Matching Ammunition to the Firearm

Chapter 5 - Safe Transport of Firearms
 Lesson 1 – Placement and Removal of Firearms from Vehicles
 Lesson 2 – Storage of Firearms

Chapter 6 - Safe Use of Firearms in Hunting Situations
 Lesson 1 – Ground Blinds, Waterfowl Hunting Blinds and Elevated Stands
 Lesson 2 – Crossing Obstacles
 Lesson 3 – Safe Zones of Fire
 Lesson 4 – Carry Methods
 Lesson 5 – Shot Selection
 Lesson 6 – Obstructions in Barrels
 Lesson 7 – Hunter Orange
 Lesson 8 – Rifle Accuracy Skills
 Lesson 9 – Shotgun Shooting
 Lesson 10 – Safety Equipment and Clothing

Chapter 7 - Archery Equipment
 Lesson 1 – Introduction to Bowhunting
 Lesson 2 – Parts of a Bow
 Lesson 3 – Arrows
 Lesson 4 – Safety Rules for Bowhunting

Chapter 8 - Muzzleloader Equipment
 Lesson 1 – Varieties of Muzzleloaders
 Lesson 2 – Types of Black Powder and Black Powder Substitutes
 Lesson 3 – Safety Rules for Muzzleloader Hunting

Chapter 9 - Laws and Regulations for Hunting
 Lesson 1 – Federal Laws
 Lesson 2 – State Laws and Regulations
 Lesson 3 – Relevant Regulations and Statutes

Chapter 10 - Hunter Ethics
 Lesson 1 – What is Hunter Ethics?

Chapter 11 - Public Image of Hunters and Hunting
 Lesson 1 – Public Image of Hunters and Hunting

Chapter 12 - Making a Quick, Clean Kill
 Lesson 1 – The Quick, Clean Kill

Chapter 13 - Care of Game
 Lesson 1 – Field Dressing Game Animals
 Lesson 2 – Preserving and Storing Game Meat
 Lesson 3 – Wild Game Recipes

Chapter 14 - Outdoor Safety
 Lesson 1 – Physical Conditioning
 Lesson 2 – Preparing for the Hunt
 Lesson 3 – Wilderness Survival
 Lesson 4 – First Aid
 Lesson 5 – Identifying and Treating Illness and Injury
 Lesson 6 – Using a Map and Compass
 Lesson 7 – Personal Flotation Device (PFD)

Chapter 15 - Wildlife Conservation
 Lesson 1 – Key Wildlife Principles
 Lesson 2 – Role of Hunting in Wildlife Conservation
 Lesson 3 – Wildlife Identification
 Lesson 4 – Hunting Opportunities

Chapter 16 - The Future of Hunting and Shooting

Hunter Education Exam Questions

Hunter Education Exam Answer Key