Public land that may allow hunting in Connecticut
12 named public land units in Connecticut from PAD-US 4.1: 2 state wildlife & game areas, 5 forests & grasslands, 3 wildlife refuges & WPAs, 2 other public land units. The largest are Silvio O. Conte National Fish And Wildlife Refuge, Stewart B. Mckinney National Wildlife Refuge, Cockaponset State Forest.
Regulations & licenses: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (Wildlife Division)
This site does not list seasons, bag limits, license or permit rules. Those change every year and differ by area. Check them with Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (Wildlife Division) (hunting information) before you go, and confirm the specific area is open to the hunting you plan.
All 12 areas, largest first
| Area | Acres (approx.) | Manager | Access | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silvio O. Conte National Fish And Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | 1,042 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Restricted access | Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region |
| Stewart B. Mckinney National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | 1,021 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Restricted access | Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region + 2 more |
| Cockaponset State Forest State forest | 533 | State: department of conservation | Open access | Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region |
| Mattatuck State Forest State forest | 290 | State: department of conservation | Open access | Northwest Hills Planning Region |
| Pachaug State Forest State forest | 220 | State: department of conservation | Open access | Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region |
| Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | 179 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Restricted access | Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region |
| Nye Holman State Forest State forest | 171 | State: department of conservation | Open access | Capitol Planning Region |
| Black Pond Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 70 | State: other or unknown agency | Restricted access | South Central Connecticut Planning Region, Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region |
| Beacon Hill Other state land | 67 | State: department of conservation | Open access | South Central Connecticut Planning Region |
| Bluff Point Other state land | 60 | State: other or unknown agency | Open access | Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region |
| Barber Pond Wildlife Area State wildlife / game area | 50 | State: department of conservation | Restricted access | Capitol Planning Region |
| Pootatuck State Forest State forest | 46 | State: other or unknown agency | Open access | Western Connecticut Planning Region |
Acreage is calculated from simplified PAD-US boundaries for the portion inside Connecticut. “Access” is the PAD-US public access field, not a statement about hunting. National wildlife refuges are generally coded “restricted” in PAD-US because of seasonal or area closures.