Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) today announced a series of hunting seminars coordinated by the DEEP’s Conservation Education/Firearms Safety (CE/FS) Program. These seminars are free and open to the public.

Venison Processing Seminars will be held on Sunday, February 12, 2017, at DEEP’s Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Burlington, and Sunday, February 19, 2017 at DEEP’s Franklin WMA, North Franklin. Both seminars are scheduled from 9:00 a.m.-- 1:00 p.m. The training will be conducted by a volunteer CE/FS instructor.  He will take participants through all the steps from skinning to packaging, and will share cooking secrets and samples. Maximum enrollment for each seminar is 50 participants. Those interested in attending MUST PRE-REGISTER by calling the Sessions Woods office at 860-424-3015 (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.)

Wild Turkey Hunting Safety Seminars are scheduled for Saturday, March 11, 2017, at the Fairfield County Fish and Game Protective Association, Monroe, and Saturday, April 1, 2017, at DEEP’s Franklin WMA, North Franklin. Both seminars are scheduled from 8:00 a.m. -  2:00 p.m. Plan to attend one of these hunting safety seminars to prepare for spring turkey hunting season, April 26 – May 27, 2017. Maximum enrollment for each seminar is 50 participants. Those interested in attending MUST PRE-REGISTER by calling the Sessions Woods office at 860-424-3015 (Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.)

“Both experienced and first-time turkey hunters stand to benefit from attending one of these seminars. With the emphasis on providing A-Z hunting information, including safe hunting practices, specialized equipment, calls and decoys, site setup, and other strategies for harvesting turkeys, the seminar has valuable information for every participant,” said Tom Donlon, CE/FS Program Coordinator. “A state biologist will also present information about wild turkey biology, population trends, and management history in Connecticut.”

Participants will have an opportunity to pattern their shotguns for turkey hunting following classroom instruction. To do so, participants must bring the shotgun they intend to use during the spring turkey season, ammunition, a shotgun choke appropriate for turkey hunting, and eye and ear protection.

More information on the spring turkey hunting season is available on the DEEP Web site at www.ct.gov/deep/hunting.

Photo Attached: Credit Paul J. Fusco/DEEP Wildlife Division

Suggested Caption: Both experienced and first-time turkey hunters can prepare for the upcoming spring turkey hunting season by attending one of the free Wild Turkey Hunting Seminars being offered by the Connecticut DEEP Wildlife Division’s hunter safety program.