Hunting in Connecticut: Regulations for Hunting With Dogs

The partnership between men and dogs while hunting goes back generations. However, as time has gone on, other devices and techniques used to hunt have become so advanced and reliable that it is no longer necessary for owners to put their canines in danger to make the kill.

For this and other reasons, Connecticut has moved away from allowing dogs in the middle of the hunt of larger game.

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According to the 2015 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide, dogs are not allowed to hunt for many of the state’s larger game animals. Dogs cannot be used in any part of the hunt for deer.

The case with hunting turkey is slightly different. Dogs are generally prohibited while hunting turkey except during the fall firearms season while hunting on private property.

Dogs can, however, be used in hunting smaller animals such as birds. Certain areas have been deemed Dog Training Areas where younger pups can learn the necessary skills in a safer environment. These areas include the Nod Brook Management Area, Flaherty Field Trial Area, and Pease Brook Wildlife Management Area. Dogs in these areas can train with live birds, but these birds are not to be shot unless the training time coincides with the open hunting season.

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Connecticut also hosts a large amount of hunting dog trials, which are competitive assessments of dogs’ hunting abilities. Great amounts of training go into creating a dog that can compete well in these trials.

For this reason, Connecticut has set aside several areas that are occasionally reserved only for preparing for or competing in various trials including the Nod Brook Area, Flaherty Field Trial Area, Mansfield Field Trial Area, and Sugarbrook Field Trial Area. When these areas are in use for trial-related events, they are closed to all other hunters. The dates for various clubs’ trials and general training times are available online for each location and are important to check before heading to any of these areas.

Keeping ancestral traditions alive and well, dogs are still an integral part of hunting in Connecticut.

This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.

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