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Story by Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant
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Connecticut hunters are hailing the passage of legislation allowing for Sunday hunting on private lands after decades of restriction, according to officials.
Connecticut hunters and conservation advocates are applauding the passage of Senate Bill 7231, which expands Sunday hunting for the first time in the state’s history. The law will take effect on Oct 1, officials said.
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This act repeals the longstanding ban on Sunday hunting and will now allow hunting on private properties of 10 acres or more. Hunters must possess written permission from the landowner and display it while hunting. The act prohibits hunting within 40 yards of public trails, including blue-blazed and federally designated trails, and maintains Sunday closures for migratory bird hunting.
Hunting advocacy groups including the National Wild Turkey Federation and Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation have said the legislation is a major success because lifting the ban creates more equitable opportunities for those who participate in outdoor sports.
“Sunday hunting restrictions are one of the last remaining examples of the puritanical blue laws that were initially designed to encourage church attendance. At the time when these restrictions were first put in place, other activities were illegal on Sundays such as opening a store for business, drinking alcoholic beverages and tilling your fields,” said Northeastern assistant manager for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation Christian Ragosta.
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“The current restrictions are a major limiting factor hindering participation in hunting, and restrictions on Sunday hunting create a temporal-access barrier to youth and others that work or attend school throughout the week and are often involved in extracurricular activities on Saturdays,” he said.
Connecticut has historically followed what are known as blue laws, which restrict or prohibit certain activities on Sundays. The first major shift came in 2015, when former Gov. Dannel Malloy, legalized Sunday archery deer hunting on private lands. Hunters have argued unsuccessfully for decades to overturn the state’s ban on Sunday hunting, which they have described as the last of Connecticut’s historic “blue laws.”
“The passage significantly improves access and opportunity for Connecticut’s sportsmen and women and will likely result in increased hunting participation,” Ragosta said. “A lack of access is regularly cited as the No. 1 reason that lapsed hunters give when asked why they decided to stop hunting, and the passage of such legislation would contribute to the retention of sportsmen and women in the state. Repealing laws restricting hunting on Sundays will likely increase participation, have a positive impact on the state’s wildlife management and will strengthen the Constitution State’s outdoor heritage and private property rights.”
Some critics of Sunday hunting argue that Sundays are a day of recreation by many non-hunters who would be disturbed — or potentially put in harm’s way — if hunters were allowed to shoot on Sundays. But hunting groups say that the compromise to not hunt within 40 yards of public trails ensures safety for hikers.
“The passage of Sunday hunting legislation in Connecticut is a big win for hunters, conservation and the future of our outdoor traditions,” said Kaylee Szymanski, NWTF district biologist. “By expanding access and opportunity, this law helps ensure that more people, especially youth and working families, can participate in wildlife conservation through regulated hunting. We applaud the state for taking this meaningful step to increase recreational access and support the hunting community.”
Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com.
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