Devils Den permit Redding
Contributors to this thread:Connecticut
From: jax2009r
29-Jan-18
Is that part of Aquarian? If not how do you get a permit for that area ?
From: Dr. Williams
29-Jan-18
That's Nature Conservancy. Contact them at their Devils Den office in Weston.
From: notme
29-Jan-18
We used to dive off the cliffs..crazy!!
From: steve
29-Jan-18
Me to Notme I ,don’t think you have a chance on that hunt pretty well sewed up from what I hear
From: Dr. Williams
29-Jan-18
Agreed Steve but can't hurt to ask! It's rifle not archery BTW.
From: bigbuckbob
29-Jan-18
notme - I heard the water is just 4 ft deep there,......explains a lot if you were diving in there :)
From: notme
29-Jan-18
Yes yes it does bob..yes it does...lol....had to aim in between boulders of death on either side... nieve or just f@$kn nuts...lol
From: steve
30-Jan-18
that water was cooooold too .
From: notme
30-Jan-18
Well fancy that steve,we were pioneers in the sport of mexican cliff diving...except somebody probably did it before us and we're not mexican...lol..
From: Dr. Williams
30-Jan-18
Cliff diving in Devil's Den by Keith Richard's house? Or in the Saugatuck Res?
From: steve
30-Jan-18
i think it was just below the Saugatuck Res .I haven't been there in 50 years .LOL
From: notme
30-Jan-18
I was hammered soooooo...
From: steve
30-Jan-18
DR Williams do you hunt there ?? I hear its all state people , cops things like that ,that get into that hunt ,?
From: Dr. Williams
30-Jan-18
I bet you guys were at the north end of the Saugatuck, in the river north of 53. I do not hunt Devil’s Den but I did the vegetation inventories in the deer exclosures for the past decade. I have spent a lot of time in there over the years. Seen surprisingly few deer too. I actually do not know anyone who hunts in there. I do know many of the TNC staff based there.
From: notme
30-Jan-18
TNC staff =..tic nut count..youre welcome bob.. lol
From: bigbuckbob
30-Jan-18
TNC - now there's a part time, retirement job for me. First, I have to locate my own nuts, then I'll move on to ticks. Soon as wifey gets home I'll check her purse, that's the last place I saw them.
From: steve
30-Jan-18
I know two guys that hunt there they kill lots of deer . I think were we swam was up off of lions plans road it was a long time ago .Steve
From: notme
30-Jan-18
Me thinks youre right bud.
From: SILVERADO
03-Feb-18
I believe the number was 32 harvested this year. But I may be off +/-5 or so, can’t remeber exact but that is about an average number for their harvest. More bucks than does were taken so I’m not really understanding that logic, if they are there to reduce #’s. It is a rifle hunt and devils Den issues their own tags in addition to state issued.
From: Dr. Williams
04-Feb-18
That's curious about the harvest sex ratio. Those hunts it is the understanding if it's brown it's down. Having spent a lot of time in there, I can't imagine guys are passing on does and prioritizing bucks. Maybe the hunt was at the peak of the rut? I think there is limited access for that hunt.
From: fishon
06-Feb-18
Hey Dave I do this hunt your numbers are off by 10 and yes there was more bucks than does . We don’t pass on any does we just don’t see them as much . This hunt is basically like the Wilton or ridge field hunts looking to maintain a certain deer level to help the under groth . We donate 90% of all the venison to food banks every year
From: SILVERADO
18-Feb-18
Eh i was close Lol I said +/-5. Yes the hunt is similar to other towns except for the fact that wilton And Ridgefield hunts are required to stay within state # of tags issued. Devils Den issues their own management tags. Not quite sure how that’ is done since I know the town of Wilton has tried the same on their management lands and was shot down. Maybe state property vs town, I’m not sure if that is the reason, you may know more. However it seems to be working in reduction since there are drastically less sightings, in areas surrounding devils den property. Glad to see the meat is donated to the less fortunate, i think I may know the butcher they use. Lol
From: Dr. Williams
18-Feb-18
Typically the Nature Conservancy just signs permission slips and guys use their private land shotgun/rifle antlerless, either sex, and 2 Zone 11 additional antlerless tags. Thereafter they are eligible for replacement antlerless tags. I'm pretty sure they don't have separate tags as it doesn't get more liberal than they are already for Zone 11. If anything, guys are more restricted on Devil's Den because they are restricted to certain days and times during rifle season.
From: Dr. Williams
18-Feb-18
Dr. Williams's Link
From: SILVERADO
18-Feb-18
Incorrect doc Devils Den issues it’s own tags.
From: Dr. Williams
18-Feb-18
I'm curious why. Can't get much more liberal than deer take anywhere in Zone 11 as it is. Same goes for Zone 12. Like I said before (and included above), of the 18 days of legal shotgun/rifle season, Nature Conservancy only permits hunting on 11 of those days.
From: SILVERADO
18-Feb-18
That’s what I question as well and is the reason for higher buck kills in my opinion.
From: Dr. Williams
19-Feb-18
Is there a buck harvest tally for Aquarion/Centennial lands? How does it compare to Devil's Den? And, if you're not sure of the total harvest from DD, how can you know what proportion are bucks? Just asking.
From: Bigbuckbob
19-Feb-18
Wait, Doc was wrong again?! Gotta stick to counting ticks I guess.
From: notme
19-Feb-18
notme's Link
https://youtu.be/mGtYLRQh1Gk
Maybe this will help..maybe not..lol
From: bigbuckbob
19-Feb-18
I think you've elevated the discussion to whole new level NOTME. Doc is not ready for the Intro to Engineering class.
From: fishon
20-Feb-18
No the dr isn’t wrong ! We get 4 tags from the state the same as the water company shot gun hunt . And we can get replacement tags as well like everyone else .Devils den does not issue tags . I know the excact number deer harvested because I run the hunt . We have 12 days not consecutively and the guys involved hunt very hard putting in a lot of hours .there was 23 taken out of 18 guys if anyone has questions they can pm me for any reason.
From: Bigbuckbob
20-Feb-18
Facts don't matter, I think he's still wrong,:)
From: Dr. Williams
20-Feb-18
Thanks Fishon. What I suspected. No need for a different tagging system as Zone 11 is so liberal as it is. Personally, I hunt Zone 12. Same deal.
From: Bigbuckbob
20-Feb-18
But you're not a bow hunter so you're still on the wrong site Doc. Who cares where you gun hunt?
From: SILVERADO
20-Feb-18
Guess i misunderstood. I thought i was told from a reliable source that they issue their own management tags, no worries. Either way you guys do a great job their with the limited # of days allowed.
From: Dr. Williams
21-Feb-18
Bobbo. The Devil's Den hunt, the basis of this thread, ain't archery either there Chief. Turns out I was right after all.
From: Bigbuckbob
21-Feb-18
The thread was started by a bow hunter on a bow hunting site asking other bow hunters about permits. You still don't belong on this site no matter what thread you respond to. The clue is "CT BOWSITE".
From: Dr. Williams
21-Feb-18
Oh Bob. You make me laugh. I know I've got you when you pull this silliness.
From: Dr. Williams
21-Feb-18
Hey Fishon. Would you be willing to report the sex ratio of the 23 deer taken? I'm guessing guys aren't trophy hunting. From what I know of TNC hunts, while does are the priority, if it's brown, it's down, legal tagging required of course.
From: jax2009r
21-Feb-18
I am curious why this controlled hunt is not open to the public like all other controlled hunts....is it due to hikers and the area etc...
From: Dr. Williams
21-Feb-18
3:02. It's because Nature Conservancy land is private land. While it is open to the public, it is not public land.
From: bigbuckbob
21-Feb-18
Aren't the watersheds private land. Isn't this a bowsite? Isn't it true Doc doesn't bow hunt?
From: jax2009r
21-Feb-18
Bob who would complain about being able to hunt watersheds....I'm thankful we can . O don't care what they call it
From: Dr. Williams
21-Feb-18
Bob, what are you talking about watershed ownership for? Devil's Den is largely upland preserved private open space owned by the Nature Conservancy. Yes, it is contiguous to Centennial Watershed State Forest property which is jointly managed by TNC, DEEP, and Aquarion largely to preserve water quality. Hunting is permitted on Centennial lands by special permit. Is that what you were talking about?
From: Bigbuckbob
21-Feb-18
I was just saying that the water she'd property is also private land, but they issue separate permits, right? So I don't think it has anything to do with the private land.
From: Dr. Williams
21-Feb-18
Ok. I think you mean Centennial Watershed SF (formerly Bridgeport Hydraulic) which is quasi-public as DEEP is a part manager. As a result, hunting is permitted by permit, but regulated by DEEP and Aquarion jointly. Devils Den is owned by TNC outright and is private land.
From: bigbuckbob
22-Feb-18
I used to access Bridgeport Hydraulic land years ago by Wangum Lake and never needed permission from the DEP. I would call BHCo to get the permission slip and then stop by the caretaker's house, meet him and I was set for the year. Don't know how they handle it today. I also hunted the Colebrook River Lake area for years, and would stop by the Lamont's Tree Farm in Hartland to get a permit, never contacted the DEP about that either.
From: Dr. Williams
22-Feb-18
Yes Bob. At that time, Bridgeport Hydraulic was a private entity. Just as now you don't need DEEP permission to BOWHUNT Regional Water Authority lands, you need an RWA permit because it's private land. There are many former BH lands now fully under Aquarion ownership, but I'm not sure of huntable status. Centennial Watershed SF is unique in that there are three entities that jointly manage it, one of which is DEEP. As Jax said, just be thankful those 1000s of acres are open to hunting by bow and/or firearms.
