NOTICE OF INTENT TO AMEND REGULATIONS AND NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
The Commissioner of Environmental Protection, pursuant to Sections 4-168 and 22a-6 of the Connecticut General Statutes, hereby gives notice of their intention to include new regulation section 26-55-6 and repeal section 26-66-2 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.

The proposed amendments are intended to: allow the Department to close portions of wildlife management areas to mountain biking by posting of signs when necessary; adjust the Migratory Bird Stamp fee and validation dates to be consistent with CGS 26-27b and accommodate the automated licensing system; adjust the Harvest Information Permit (HIP) fee to be consistent with CGS 26-48a and changes in issuing procedures; change procedures for tagging game birds taken at regulated private shooting preserves, dog training areas and shooting field trials and eliminate agency-supplied tags for those activities; adjusts shooting field trial permit fees to be consistent with CGS 26-52; add a possession limit on snapping turtles and spotted turtles; allow use of crossbow equipment for hunting, remove obsolete specifications for crossbow arrows and amend the definition of a loaded crossbow to be consistent with CGS Section 53a-217e(2); exempt coyote or fox hunters from the fluorescent orange clothing requirement except during the firearms deer or fall firearms turkey seasons; remove restrictions on the use of crossbows on state-owned lands; shorten the two-week hunting closure in October and allow coyote hunting during the closed period; extend the hunting closure during the spring turkey season for consistency with season extension; remove redundant language regarding minimum distances between waterfowl hunting parties; adjust the regulated crow season to increase hunting opportunities; provide alternative methods for reporting coyote or fox taken by hunting; increase youth turkey hunter training opportunities from two days to seven days on state and private land; adds crossbows to list of bow and arrow equipment used for turkey hunting; allow dogs to be used for hunting turkeys during the fall firearms season on private lands; make technical changes to scientific nomenclature for bog turtles and provide protection for spotted turtles; establish seasons, bag limits, legal methods and gear restrictions for the taking of snapping turtles; add muzzleloaders to the list of hunting implements in reference to mandatory deer check station requirements; clarify provision regarding the issuance of firearms permits on state-owned lands; clarify provision regarding issuance of replacement antlerless deer tags and make provisions for such tags on designated state lands when required to meet management objectives; allow use of
muzzleloaders during the shotgun/rifle deer season; remove the three shell limitation for shotgun deer hunting on private lands and add electronic ignition muzzleloaders for the purpose of defining a loaded firearm; and increase youth deer hunter training opportunities from two days to seven days on state and private land.

All interested persons are invited to express their views on the proposed regulations at the
following public hearing:
Date: January 3, 2013
Time: 6:00pm
Location: Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Phoenix Auditorium, 79 Elm Street
Hartford, Connecticut 06106
Persons may also choose to present their views regarding the proposed regulations in writing and submit them to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection by January 17, 2013,
4:30pm. Based on public comment, proposed measures may be adjusted to meet the objective of the proposal.
If the public hearing cannot be conducted on January 3, 2013 due to poor weather conditions, the public hearing will be rescheduled for January 7, 2013.
Copies of the proposed amendments may be obtained online at
http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2704&q=323512&depNav_GID=1511, by writing the
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Bureau of Natural Resources, Wildlife
Division, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, Connecticut 06106, or by calling (860) 424-3011. The
Department has prepared a fiscal note that is available upon request for review.
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Daniel C. Esty
Commissioner
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Date