General Assembly Raised Bill No. 7231 proposes significant amendments to Connecticut's hunting laws, primarily by lifting restrictions on hunting activities on Sundays. The bill repeals the phrase "other than Sundays" from Section 26-3, allowing the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection to take fish and wildlife at any time, including Sundays. It also modifies Section 26-31 to permit certified conservation education-firearms safety instructors and their students to possess and discharge firearms any day of the week. Additionally, Section 26-49 is amended to allow the liberation and shooting of artificially propagated game birds and pigeons for hunting dog training on Sundays, contingent upon local authority permissions. These changes aim to expand hunting opportunities and align hunting practices with other recreational activities permitted on Sundays, with an effective date of October 1, 2025.

The bill further addresses field dog trials and deer hunting regulations, allowing trials to occur at any time during daylight hours and establishing a fee structure for permits. It introduces provisions for landowners to kill deer causing crop damage with a damage permit and removes the prohibition on hunting deer on Sundays, permitting bow hunting on private property. Municipalities and nonprofit organizations are also authorized to manage deer populations at any time to mitigate nuisance or ecological damage, provided they submit a management plan to the commissioner. The bill defines "muzzleloader" and "rifle," establishes a fee structure for firearms permits, and modifies regulations for managing resident Canada geese, allowing actions against them at any time, including Sundays. Overall, the bill aims to modernize and enhance hunting regulations in Connecticut.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 26-3, 26-52, 26-73