STATE OF CONNECTICUT

REGULATION
OF

Department of Environmental Protection

Deer Hunting with a Revolver, Hunting and Trapping


Proposed amendments to sections 26-66-1 and 26-86a-6(h) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.

Section 1. Subsection (q) of Section 26-66-1 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies are amended to read as follows:

(q) Rifles and handguns using centerfire ammunition or rim fire ammunition having a cartridge case longer than that of a .22 rim fire long rifle cartridge case and the projectile of which is heavier than 20 grains and shotgun ammunition of loads larger or heavier than number two shot shall not be possessed and pistols or revolvers using ammunition larger or heavier than .22 rim fire long rifle cartridge shall not be used for the purposes of hunting as defined in section 26-1 of the Connecticut General Statutes on any private land during the private land shotgun/rifle deer season as specified in section 26-86a-6(d) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. This provision relating to rifle, [and] shotgun and revolver ammunition shall not apply to persons holding valid landowner, private land rifle shotgun and/or [rifle] revolver deer permits. Waterfowlers hunting from a boat, blind or stationary position may only use the ammunition specified in section 26-66-4(t) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.

Sec. 2. Section 26-86a-6 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies is amended by adding subsection (h) as follows:

(NEW) (h)

(1) For the purposes of this subsection, “private land deer permittee" means any owner of 10 or more acres of private land and the husband or wife, parent, grandparent, sibling and lineal descendent of such owner who is eligible for a free private land deer permit, as established in section 26-86a of the Connecticut General Statutes, and "revolver" means a "revolver", as defined in section 29-27 of the Connecticut General Statutes, with a cartridge of .357 caliber or larger.

(2) The open season for a private land deer permittee to hunt deer with a revolver pursuant to section 1 of public act 10-99, shall commence on November 1 and end on December 31 of each calendar year. Any such private land deer permittee who seeks to hunt deer with a revolver pursuant to section 1 of public act 10-99 shall obtain a revolver deer permit, as required by section 1 of public act 10-99, and a free private landowner deer permit, as required by section 26-86a of the Connecticut General Statutes.

(3) The open season for any other resident of the state to hunt deer with a revolver on privately owned land pursuant to section 1 of public act 10-99 shall start on the second Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day and end twenty-one consecutive days later. Any such resident who seeks to hunt deer with a revolver pursuant to section 1 of public act 10-99 shall obtain dated written consent of the owner of 10 or more acres of private land, on a form provided by the Commissioner, and shall carry such dated written consent in accordance with section 26-86a-5 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. Additionally, any such resident shall obtain a revolver deer permit, as required by section 1 of public act 10-99 and a private land rifle shotgun deer permit, as described in section 26-86a of the Connecticut General Statutes.


(4) The bag limit for hunting deer with a revolver shall be:

(A) For a private land deer permittee, the difference between the bag limit that such permittee could achieve by use of a rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader or bow and arrow under a free private landowner deer permit and the number of deer taken pursuant to such free private landowner deer permit; and

(B) For any other resident of the state that hunts deer with a revolver on privately owned land pursuant to section 1 of public act 10-99, the difference between the bag limit that such resident could achieve by use of a rifle or shotgun pursuant to a private land rifle shotgun deer permit and the number of deer taken pursuant to such private land rifle shotgun deer permit.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: To amend and adopt regulations which govern deer hunting with a revolver.

To amend and adopt regulations which govern the hunting of deer by use of a revolver consistent with Public Act 10-99 and the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) authority under sections 26-66 and 26-86a of the Connecticut General Statutes. Subsection 26-66-1(q) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies (“RCSA”) is amended to remove regulatory limitations on the use of a revolver during certain deer hunting seasons that are in conflict with section 1 of Public Act 10-99. Subsection 26-86a-6(h) of the RCSA is added to clarify who and when someone may hunt deer using a revolver, as permitted under section 1 of Public Act 10-99. These emergency regulations are necessary to minimize the risk of a hunting accident during the upcoming deer hunting seasons. By defining the periods during which such private land deer permittees and residents may use a revolver to hunt deer, these emergency regulations drastically reduce the risk that a resident hunting deer with a revolver on the private land of another person will mistakenly shoot a camouflaged bow and arrow hunter.

Now - to simplify -

Public Act 10-99 provides for hunting deer with a revolver on private lands of at least 10 acres in size. Emergency Regulations to implement the new law for the upcoming firearms deer hunting season were approved on September 28, 2010. An updated notice will be posted when the new revolver deer hunting permits are available for purchase through the online licensing system.
The following information should help sportsmen understand the various provisions of the new law and accompanying regulations:
Eligibility:
o Those who own 10 or more acres of land, their spouse, parents, grandparents, siblings and lineal descendants hunting on their own lands (“landowners”),
o Connecticut residents hunting on 10 or more acres of private land with the permission of the landowner (“residents”).
Legal Firearms:
o Revolvers of .357 caliber or larger, with a barrel length less than 12 inches.
o Semi-automatic pistols and single shot pistols (i.e. TC Contender or Encore) are NOT permitted.
Permit Requirements:
o Landowners hunting deer with a revolver on their own property must acquire both a ‘free’ Landowner Deer Permit and a Revolver Deer Permit.
o Residents hunting deer on 10 or more acres of land with the consent of the landowner must acquire both a Resident Private Land Rifle/Shotgun Deer Permit and a Revolver Deer Permit.
Seasons:
o Landowners may hunt deer with a revolver on their own land from November 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010.
o Residents may hunt deer with a revolver on 10 or more acres of land with the consent of the landowner from November 17, 2010 through December 7, 2010.
Bag Limits:
o The bag limit for Landowners hunting deer on their own property, and in conjunction with a ‘free’ Landowner Deer Permit, is two regardless whether those deer are taken with a rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader, bow and arrow, or revolver,
o The bag limit for a resident hunting deer on 10 or more acres of land with the consent of the owner, and in conjunction with a Private Land Rifle/Shotgun Deer Permit, is the bag limit associated with the Private Land Rifle/Shotgun Deer Permit whether those deer are taken with a rifle, shotgun or revolver.
Fees:
o The fee for a Revolver Deer Permit is $5,
o Only one Revolver Deer Permit is required whether that permit is used in conjunction with a single ‘free’ Landowner Deer Permit or Resident Private Land Rifle/Shotgun Deer Permit, or used in conjunction with both such permits.

Revolvers should not be concealed and should be carried openly in a sling or holster while hunting.

All other regulations pertaining to deer hunting with firearms, including tagging, reporting and wearing of fluorescent orange, apply to revolver hunters.

All other laws and regulations pertaining to the possessions of revolvers, including State Pistol Permits, apply to revolver hunters.

Additional info will be posted on the DEP website as soon as they can.

Skip, thanks, that answers my questions I had posted on your board earlier.
It is another option so it is all good but it would be better if the handgun season opened on Nov 1st for all of us.

My bad...I didn't use my fingers and toes when counting back the two Wednesdays before Thanksgiving. I counted back two weeks but forgot about the Wednesday the day before Thanksgiving.

The correct dates for the revolver hunting period is the same as rifle/shotgun on private land, November 17th through December 7th. I corrected the info above.

Only if you want to hunt with a revolver. If you don't have signed consent that specifies a revolver, you can't hunt with one. If all you are going to do is hunt with a rifle or shotgun and those are approved by the land owner you are good to go.

Yes - Providing you have all permits & consent forms.

Pistol and Bow and Arrow providing you have all permits & consent forms?

do you think they will ever changet the laws so we will be able to use encores or other single shot pistols as long as they meet the larger then the 357 cal or the 243 in rifle calibers.

You can get a free landowner permit (if it's 10 or more acres) for rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader but not for revolver, that's still got the $5 fee attached to it even for a landowner.

Nope. YOu just have to be a lineal decendent, so you would have been given the landowner permits if you filled out the paperwork

wow not to keep dragging this on but i feel like a moron. i am going to go puke now, literally!

(2) The open season for a private land deer permittee to hunt deer with a revolver pursuant to section 1 of public act 10-99, shall commence on November 1 and end on December 31 of each calendar year. Any such private land deer permittee who seeks to hunt deer with a revolver pursuant to section 1 of public act 10-99 shall obtain a revolver deer permit, as required by section 1 of public act 10-99, and a free private landowner deer permit, as required by section 26-86a of the Connecticut General Statutes.


It says November 1 with Handgun but then you said November 17. The whole advantage of the Handgun was to start on November 1st.

Which is it?

Got it.

so, is there a restriction on barrel length?

I'm thinking more like a 4" barrel. Something reasonably accurate to 35 yards (the longest shot I'll ever see on my property for deer), and portable enough to carry when I'm putting up tree stands and just walking the property. I've had too many close encounters with big bears recently.

The limit on barrel length is 12 inches (see below)

If you want to deer hunt, my suggestion is a 6" or 8" barrel. You get the maximum velocity out of a round with the longer barrel and they will be a bit more accurate. A 4 inch barrel works reasonably well out to about 25 yards and a 2" barrel is good for gunfights in an elevator. If I were going to try to take down a deer, personally, I would go with a minimum of a 6" barrel.



Sec. 26-82a. Private land revolver permit to hunt deer. Requirements. The commissioner shall issue, upon payment of a five-dollar fee, to the owner of ten or more acres of private land or a resident of this state, who has the consent of the owner of ten or more acres of private land, a private land revolver permit that allows the use of a revolver, as defined in section 29-27, to hunt deer from November first to December thirty-first, inclusive, pursuant to the bag limit established for a private land deer permit under subsection (a) of section 26-86a. Any person authorized to hunt deer by revolver pursuant to this section shall use a cartridge of .357 caliber or larger for such purpose.



Sec. 29-27. "Pistol" and "revolver" defined. The term "pistol" and the term "revolver", as used in sections 29-28 to 29-38, inclusive, mean any firearm having a barrel less than twelve inches in length.

Just curious, why would a single shot not have been considered in this regulation???

Thank you very much for the information. I really appreciate it.

Update on my earlier entry.....

I spoke too soon. I honestly thought that the law originated from the Wildlife Division. Many times we are left out of the loop and only find out what the final laws/regulations are at the last minute.

As with us, this also happens to our Wildlife Division.

I have learned that the Wildlife Division had nothing to do with developing the controlling statute that permitted revolvers for deer hunting. The regulations were developed after they were handed the new law, which completed excluded the word "pistols" from the original version of the proposed legislation. From what I have been told, those debating the legislation wanted to ensure that deer hunters were not going to be using semi-automatic pistols. By removing the word "pistol", the legislation that passed completed excluded the most effective and accurate deer hunting handguns in the world in the opinion of many hunters, the single shot, break action pistols such as the TC Contender and Encore.

Most of our Wildlife biologists are hunters too and I am sure they would all agree that this should be changed, but the regulation can't be changed because it is controlled by state statute. Unfortunately in today's political environment when it comes to gun control vs gun rights, any mention of changing a law to "loosen" up the types of firers used would probably face an uphill battle.

Based on what I have learned, those in favor of changing the regulation would first need to change the statute. That's something that you would need to approach your state legislators about and gain their support for such a change. You might be able to get someone to sponsor a change for single shot, break action pistols as they don't have "large capacity" magazines and don't look like assault weapons. Gun control supporters may even support such a change as it would be allowing the use of a single shot weapon.

I apologize for any confusion!