Connecticut Bird Hunting

Seasons Span October 18 -February 28, 2026

State Drought Monitor – Upland hunting conditions are often highly dependent upon moisture for both habitat production and bird survival.

Season Dates

  • Pheasant: January 1 – February 28, 2025, and October 18 – December 31, 2025
    • Junior Pheasant Hunter Training Day: October 11, 2025
  • Ruffed Grouse: October 18 – November 29, 2025 (extended seasons in select areas)
  • Bobwhite Quail: October 18 – November 29, 2025 (extended seasons in select areas)
  • American Woodcock: October 23 – December 13, 2025
  • Wilson’s Snipe: September 3 – October 25, 2025, and November 3 – November 29, 2025

Required Licenses and Costs

  • Resident Small Game Firearms Hunting License: Required for all upland bird hunting. Cost: $19 for adults (16+); $10 for youth (12-15).
  • Resident Game Bird Conservation Stamp: Required for pheasant, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, bobwhite quail, chukar, and Hungarian partridge. Cost: $28 for adults and non-residents; $14 for youth (12-17).
  • Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp: Required for woodcock, snipe, rails, crows, and waterfowl. Cost: $17 (includes HIP permit); $9 for youth (12-15).
  • Federal Duck Stamp: Required for waterfowl and recommended for migratory birds like woodcock and snipe. Cost: ~$25 (exact 2025 price TBD; not required for hunters under 16). Available as an E-Stamp online.
  • Non-Resident 3-Day Bird Hunting License: Optional for out-of-state hunters, valid for 3 consecutive days (excluding Sundays). Cost: $35, plus the Resident Game Bird Conservation Stamp ($28) and/or Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp ($17) if applicable.
  • Saturday Permits: Required for hunting small game or pheasants on Saturdays between October 18 – November 15, 2025, at specific areas like Naugatuck State Forest (West Block) and Eversource Skiff Mountain Cooperative WMA. Available online via DEEP’s Outdoor Licensing System.
  • Free Landowner Resident Game Bird Stamp: Required for landowners hunting resident game birds on their own land (10+ contiguous acres). No cost, but restricted to daily and season bag limits.

Licenses and permits are available through DEEP’s Online Outdoor Licensing System, select sporting goods stores, or municipal offices. Hunters must complete a mandatory education program covering hunting techniques and safety.

Daily Bag Limits and Possession Limits

  • Pheasant:
    • Daily Bag Limit: 2
    • Season Bag Limit: 10 (no possession limit specified)
  • Ruffed Grouse:
    • Daily Bag Limit: 1
    • Possession Limit: Not specified; likely 3 (based on general small game trends)
  • Bobwhite Quail:
    • Daily Bag Limit: Not explicitly stated; typically 4 in similar states
    • Possession Limit: Not specified; check DEEP for updates
  • American Woodcock:
    • Daily Bag Limit: 3
    • Possession Limit: 9 (federally regulated)
  • Wilson’s Snipe:
    • Daily Bag Limit: 8
    • Possession Limit: 24

Additional Notes

  • Legal Firearms and Ammunition: Shotguns (10 gauge or smaller) are required for migratory birds (except crows); non-toxic shot (e.g., steel up to BB, or other approved types up to #2) is mandatory for waterfowl, rails, and coots. No non-toxic shot requirement for woodcock, snipe, or crows.
  • Hunter Orange: Not required for crow hunting from stationary positions or waterfowl hunting from boats/stationary positions.
  • Pheasant Stocking: Pheasants are stocked at select WMAs (e.g., Skiff Mountain, Simsbury, Naugatuck State Forest West Block, Meadow Brook, Mansfield Hollow, Bartlett Brook). Check DEEP for specific locations and schedules.
  • Ruffed Grouse Decline: Populations are isolated and declining, so hunters are encouraged to report hunts via the Ruffed Grouse Hunter Log, regardless of harvest.
  • Junior Hunter Opportunities: Junior Pheasant Hunter Training Day and other youth events are available. Junior hunters (12-15) need a small game junior hunting license and stamps; those 16-17 require full licenses. Adults accompanying juniors cannot carry firearms during training days.

For the most accurate and up-to-date information, consult the Connecticut DEEP website or the 2025-26 Hunting and Trapping Guide. Report violations to DEEP’s 24-hour hotline at 1-800-842-4357.