Breaking News, CT hunters look here!!!!

[Sir_Gawain]

Breaking NEWS!!! Crossbows are now legal to use for CT deer hunting season 2013!!! Just approved......full inclusion.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

In addition:

The Wildlife Division is reporting great news today. Our entire package of proposed hunting and trapping regulations were approved today by the Legislative Regulations Review Committee. Effective date is upon filing with the Secretary of State, which should be later this week.

Among the changes are the following:

• Added crossbows as legal archery equipment. Allowed crossbows during the regular archery deer/turkey season on private and state lands, removed obsolete crossbow specifications and amended definition of a loaded crossbow;
• Expanded youth turkey and deer hunter training days to include a full week (7 days) prior to the regular spring turkey and fall shotgun/rifle deer season, defined the level of mentor supervision required;
• Allowed the use of a muzzleloader as a lesser hunting implement during the shotgun/rifle season on state and private lands, removed the 3 shell limitation for shotgun deer hunting on private lands;
• Made provisions for issuing replacement deer tags on designated state lands to meet management objectives;
• Provided an exemption from orange clothing requirement for coyote/fox hunters, except during the firearms deer seasons and fall firearms turkey season;
• Shortened the two-week hunting closure in October by one week, allowed coyote hunting during the closure;
• Provided an internet or telephone method for reporting coyotes or fox taken by hunting methods;
• Adjusted the crow season dates to provide additional hunting opportunity within the federal guidelines;
• Allowed the use of dogs for fall firearms turkey hunting on private lands;
• Changed methods of tagging game birds at private shooting preserves, on regulated dog training areas and during shooting field trial events; and
• Established a season, size/bag limits, legal methods and gear limitations for taking Snapping Turtles, required a snapping turtle trapping endorsement to take snapping turtles.

 

[chaser001]

Looks like good news for the CT guys!

 

[AllaSnackbah]

awesome... cant use my PSL, M1A, or AR10 anymore though...

 

[71montess]

Just another move to "look" friendly to gun owning hunters.They think hunting guns are ok.

 

[SuspectFailure]

awesome... cant use my PSL, M1A, or AR10 anymore though...

Why? Unless you're out of state, banned weapons can still be hunted with on private land as CT has no state land rifle season.

 

[exo]

awesome... cant use my PSL, M1A, or AR10 anymore though...

We must ban these deadly high capacity assault bows! Won't someone think of the children?

 

[AllaSnackbah]

Why? Unless you're out of state, banned weapons can still be hunted with on private land as CT has no state land rifle season.

if you register them...

 

[HorizontalHunter]

DEEP has published the final wording on the regulations; all 22 pages and it can be found at the following link:

http://www.ct.gov/deep/lib/deep/public_notice_attachments/draft_regulations/finalhuntingregaug272013.pdf

Specifically the crossbow regs are:

Page 5 of 22
August 30, 2013

(b) Any crossbow and bolt combination to be used for hunting shall meet the following
specifications: (1) The draw weight of the crossbow shall be not less than 125 pounds; (2) The crossbow shall have a permanent fixed rifle type stock, and a functional and/or fully operational mechanical safety device; (3) The bolt (arrow) length shall be not less than eighteen inches, excluding the broadhead; and (4) The broad head shall have two or
more blades with a width not less than seven-eighths of an inch at the widest point. In addition, any crossbow in a drawn and cocked position with a bolt loaded in the crossbow shall be considered a loaded weapon.

I have hunted with one for about 7 years now and this is a huge improvement over the archaic regs that were in place.

Bob