Legal Hunting Hours
Connecticut
Contributors to this thread:
So the hunting digest states that legal "hunting" hours are from 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset. So my question is...is it legal to walk into your stand in the morning prior to 1/2 hour before sunrise and walk out after sunset if your arrow in not nocked.
Yup sure is. If you use a release take it off and put in ur bag or pocket. Incase deep stops you it will help your case.
My friend told me the DEEP had stopped another hunter walking back to his truck after sunset and gave the guy a citation for hunting after legal hours
you can hunt small game and coyotes till 1/2 hour after sunset! but if all you have in your hunting bag is deer calls DEEP might say you where hunting. but if there isn't an arrow in your crossbow or nocked on your bow and you don't have a release on. you can stay in your tree. I have had deer come in at last light and I just wait till they leave before getting down so as not to educate the deer. just take off my release and put my arrow back in quiver at sunset.
You can't have a arro knocked you can walk in an out all day or night long just Mae shure yiu have your orange on during the time you should
I tried locating the information but couldn't; I seem to recall some of the Public Hunting areas (I want to say Roraback WMA is one) that have signage indicating they are closed at sunset. In these areas (if my memory is accurate) you could run into an issue if you're coming out well after dark.
Here's what it says on the DEEP site.
What is "Prima Facie Evidence" of hunting? Prima facie is a Latin expression that means "on its first evidence," or "by first instance," or "at first sight." A literal translation from Latin to English would be "from first face." Thus, prima facie is applied to hunting as follows: if a person possesses a loaded hunting implement while at or while entering or leaving an area where a reasonable person would believe the objective was to take wildlife, it would be prima facie evidence of hunting. However, an exception to this regulation allows a person to be in possession of a rifle or shotgun with ammunition in the magazine one hour before sunrise during the regulated deer and turkey firearms hunting seasons, as long as a live round is not in the chamber of the rifle or shotgun.
How does the state define a "loaded hunting implement?" In Connecticut, a hunting implement is considered to be "loaded" when it meets the following conditions:
Rifle or shotgun: a live round is in the chamber or in a magazine that is attached to such rifle or shotgun. Muzzleloader: the percussion cap is in place, when powder is in the pan of a flintlock, or when the battery is connected on an electric ignition system. Compound or long bow: an arrow is nocked on the bowstring. Crossbow: when it is drawn with a bolt in place. High velocity air gun: loaded when it is charged with a projectile in the chamber or a projectile is in the magazine that is attached to such air gun.
This has been my contention all along. It didn't sound right when explained to me that it was illegal. Thanks Guys!
I have been stopped by CO's a few times during gun season walking out after shooting hours, once last year. Normally because I am hunting far back in and I have long walk out. As long as your gun is unloaded it has never been issue for me, never been cited or threatened with a citation.
Toonces - have to agree. I've only been stopped twice after hours but that wsa bow hunting and I was never asked or accused of hunting after hours. When we hunted the MDC property and used to walk down the south side of the damn and then up ridge and in about a mile that walk took a good 80-90 minutes. The worse spot for a walk was going up to Bradford Mtn from the furnace along route 44. All up hill (steep) on the way in, but walking out in the dark down that rough terrain was scary at times. But boy did we see/get some big deer out of there.