Hunting in Connecticut: 3 Animals to Hunt in the Winter

The state of Connecticut seeks to promote wildlife conservation and public safety through its hunting and trapping regulations. Season restrictions, permit requirements, bag limits, and firearm specifications all contribute to make hunting in Connecticut a safe, sustainable experience for all involved. The following are three animals to hunt during the winter in Connecticut.

1. Ring-necked Pheasants

Connecticut's pheasant-hunting season ranges from January 1 to February 28 and from October 17 to December 31. In order to legally hunt pheasants in the state of Connecticut, hunters must possess a firearms or archery hunting license and a pheasant stamp authorization. Landowners who plan to hunt pheasants on their own land do not need a pheasant stamp authorization; however, like all pheasant hunters in Connecticut, they are restricted to two pheasants per day, and a total of 10 per season.

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Every year, the state of Connecticut stocks state-owned and state-managed land, in addition to permit-required lands, with pheasants; in 2014, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection purchased more than 15,000 pheasants, according to the State of Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection website. The best venues for pheasant hunting tend to feature woodlands with underbrush, small wetlands, and fields. The pheasant will only fly if there is no other way to escape. Usually, the pheasant's powerful leg muscles allow it to retreat to safety by taking 18- to 24-inch strides.

2. Snowshoe Hares

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The season to hunt snowshoe hares in Connecticut ranges from January 1 to January 31 and from November 21 to December 31. The daily bag limit is two, and the season bag limit is 10. Hunters must possess a firearms of archery hunting license. Snowshoe hares inhabit dense, coniferous forests. They also forage in the brush. During the winter months, the fur of a snowshoe hare is white; during other seasons, the fur is brown. According to the National Wildlife Federation, this adaptation helps snowshoe hares survive. Snowshoe hares are nocturnal.

3. Red and Gray Foxes

It is legal to hunt red and gray foxes in Connecticut from January 1 to February 28 and from October 17 to December 31. The state of Connecticut requires hunters to possess a firearms or archery hunting license. There is a daily limit of three foxes (red or gray), and a season limit of 30. Hunters are required to report any kills online or by phone, and they can also tag the pelt. The red fox is typically found in mixed forest and open areas while the gray fox lives in denser woodlands. Although the gray fox population has increased in recent years, they are not as regularly spotted as red foxes because of their nocturnal, shy nature. Pelts from red foxes are more valuable that gray fox pelts. Red foxes have thick, silky fur while gray foxes have coarse, thin fur.

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