Open Seasons

(a) The hours for hunting deer authorized under the regulated sport hunting season permits shall be one-half hour before sunrise to sunset--prevailing time standard. The hours for hunting deer authorized under deer damage permits issued per Connecticut General Statutes section 26-82 shall be from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset--prevailing time standard. (b) The open seasons shall be: (1) for archery deer hunting on state lands open to archery deer hunting and firearms deer hunting, from September 15 through the second Tuesday before Thanksgiving Day and from the fourth Wednesday after Thanksgiving Day through December 31; (2) for archery deer hunting on state lands open to archery deer hunting and closed to firearms deer hunting, and on private lands, from September 15 through December 31; (3) for archery deer hunting on private lands in deer management zones designated by the commissioner and listed in the applicable annual Connecticut hunting and trapping guide, from September 15 through January 31; (4) for muzzleloader deer hunting on state lands, from the second Wednesday after Thanksgiving Day through the fourth Tuesday after Thanksgiving Day; (5) for muzzleloader deer hunting on private land, from the second Wednesday after Thanksgiving Day through December 31; (6) for shotgun deer hunting on state lands there shall be two seasons: (A) season A from the second Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day through the first Friday after Thanksgiving Day; (B) season B from the first Saturday after Thanksgiving Day through the second Tuesday after Thanksgiving Day; (7) for shotgun or rifle deer hunting on private land, from the second Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day through the second Tuesday after Thanksgiving Day; (8) for revolver, as defined in section 29-27 of the Connecticut General Statutes, with a cartridge of .357 caliber or larger and subject to the revolver carry permit provisions of subsection (b) of section 29-28 of the Connecticut General Statutes, deer hunting on 10 or more acres of private land, the seasons shall be: (A) by persons authorized to hunt deer pursuant to a free private land deer permit, as provided for in section 26-86a of the Connecticut General Statutes, and a revolver deer permit, from November 1 through December 31; (B) by other residents of the state authorized to hunt deer pursuant to a private land shotgun rifle deer permit and a revolver deer permit, from the second Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day through the second Tuesday after Thanksgiving Day. (c) Special seasons shall be: (1) for rifle, shotgun or muzzleloader on private land in areas of the state designated by the Commissioner for antlerless deer only, from the fourth Wednesday before Thanksgiving through the second Tuesday before Thanksgiving Day; (2) for shotgun deer hunting on state land by persons authorized to hunt deer pursuant to a Connecticut junior firearms hunting license and a state land shotgun deer permit, and accompanied by an adult simultaneously authorized to hunt deer pursuant to a Connecticut hunting license and a deer permit, from the third Saturday through the second Saturday before Thanksgiving Day. The adult mentor shall not carry a firearm and shall remain within physical contact of, and in a position to provide direct supervision and instruction of, the junior hunter at all times. (3) for shotgun or rifle deer hunting on private lands by persons authorized to hunt deer on the subject property pursuant to a Connecticut junior firearms hunting license, a private land shotgun rifle deer permit and written permission of the landowner, the junior firearms permit holder shall be accompanied by an adult who is authorized to hunt deer on the subject property simultaneously authorized to hunt deer on the subject property pursuant to a Connecticut hunting license, private land shotgun rifle deer permit and written permission of the landowner, from the third Saturday through the second Saturday before Thanksgiving Day. The adult mentor shall not carry a firearm and shall remain within physical contact of, and in a position to provide direct supervision and instruction of, the junior hunter at all times.