Connecticut eRegulations System — Tracking Number PR2015-201 — Posted 7/7/2016 Secretary of the State File Number 6213 Regulation of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Concerning Hunting and Trapping Regulations adopted after July 1, 2013, become effective upon posting to the Connecticut eRegulations System, or at a later date if specified within the regulation. Posted to the Connecticut eRegulations System on July 7, 2016 EFFECTIVE DATE July 7, 2016 Approved by the Attorney General on April 26, 2016 Approved by the Legislation Regulation Review Committee on June 28, 2016 Electronic copy with agency head certification statement electronically submitted to and received by the Office of the Secretary of the State on June 29, 2016 The text of this approved regulation will be published in the Connecticut Law Journal Connecticut eRegulations System — Tracking Number PR2015-201 — Posted 6/29/2016 Connecticut eRegulations System — Tracking Number PR2015-201 — Posted 7/7/2016 Page 1 of 12 State of Connecticut Regulation of Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Concerning Hunting and Trapping 2016 Proposed Amendments to Sections 26-48a-1, 26-55-3, 26-57-2, 26-66-2, 26-66-3, 26-66-4, 26-66-14, and 26-86a-1; and repealing Section 26-57-1 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. Section 1. Subsection (a) of Section 26-48a-1of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies is amended to read as follows: Sec. 26-48a-1. Pheasant season, bag limits, tags, use and reporting (a) (1) The open season for taking pheasant shall be from the third Saturday in October through the last day in February. (2) The second Saturday in October shall be designated as junior pheasant hunting training day. On this day, only hunters having a valid Connecticut junior firearms hunting license and pheasant harvest stamp may hunt [on private lands with permission of the landowner]. The accompanying adult mentor shall have in his/her possession a valid Connecticut hunting license. The adult mentor shall not carry a firearm. (3) The daily bag limit shall not exceed two pheasants and the season bag limit shall not exceed ten pheasants, except as provided in subsection [(j)] (f) of this section. (b) No person, required to be licensed per Section 26-27 of the Connecticut General Statutes as amended, shall kill, take, possess or transport any pheasant without a valid pheasant stamp, except as provided in subsection (j) of this section. (c) No person shall allow another to have or use such stamp issued to himself or use any stamp issued to another. (d) Pheasants taken under the provisions of Sections 26-48, 26-49 and 26-52 of the Connecticut General Statutes shall not be subject to regulations provided under this section. (e) All stamp holders who are contacted by the department for the purposes of surveying pheasant hunting activity shall complete a hunting season activity report by the method specified in the hunting and trapping guide published annually by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. (f) (1) Members and guests of a private hunting club shall not be subject to state pheasant stamp requirements or seasonal bag limitations under subsections (a) and (b) of this section when hunting on club lands provided such club has qualified for an exemption pursuant to this subdivision. Members and guests of a private hunting club shall not be subject to daily bag limitations if a club tag is affixed to each pheasant taken on club lands. The club tag shall be affixed to the pheasant immediately upon kill and remain attached to the pheasant until it is prepared for consumption or mounted for display. The following information shall be printed legibly on each club tag: the name of the exempted club, date of taking, and the hunter’s current hunting license number. To qualify for an exemption, under this subdivision, a private hunting club shall: (A) Obtain an application form for exemption from the Wildlife Division of the Department; (B) Secure the signature of the local Department Conservation Officer on the completed Connecticut eRegulations System — Tracking Number PR2015-201 — Posted 7/7/2016 Page 2 of 12 application form prior to submitting it to the Wildlife Division; (C) Submit the completed form to the Wildlife Division; (D) Purchase and/or raise pheasants for liberation on club lands; and (E) Post the boundaries of all club lands to be subject to such exemption in accordance with instructions from the Wildlife Division. (2) The exemption shall be effective when the completed application form is signed by an authorized representative of the Wildlife Division. (3) For the purposes of this section, “club lands” shall be defined as those lands which are closed to the public and which the club owns, leases or uses for hunting pursuant to an agreement with a private landowner. “Club lands” shall exclude lands on which pheasants are released under any state cooperative program. (4) The Commissioner may revoke an exemption for submission of false or misleading statements on the application form or violation of the requirements of section 26-48a-1(j)(1)(C) or (D). Revocation shall be effective when the hunting club receives written notice of revocation. Sec. 2. Section 26-55-3 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies is amended to read as follows: Sec. 26-55-3. Possession of Salamanders and Turtles (a) No person shall possess in excess of three (3) Spotted Salamanders, (Ambystoma maculatum), at any time. (b) No person shall possess in excess of three (3) Marbled Salamanders, (Ambystoma opacum), at any time. (c) Repealed June 11, 2014. (d) Repealed June 11, 2014. (e) Repealed June 11, 2014. (f) Repealed June 11, 2014. (g) No person shall possess in excess of [thirty (30)] ten (10) adult Common Snapping Turtles, (Chelydra serpentina), at any time. This restriction shall not apply to turtles that can be documented as being bred in captivity and legally obtained. (h) No person shall possess in excess of one (1) Spotted Turtle, (Clemmys guttata), at any time. Sec. 3. Section 26-57-2 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies is amended to read as follows: Sec. 26-57-2. Permits for the transportation and disposal of vehicle killed deer , moose or black bear (a) No person shall transport a deer , moose or black bear killed or seriously wounded as the result of a collision with a motor vehicle without a [deer] wildlife transportation permit. (b) For the purposes of subsection (a) of this section, a [deer] wildlife transportation permit shall be defined as [that] the Wildlife Kill Incident Report (WKIR) form (EPW-8) [Deer Kill Incident Report (DKIR) printed by the Commissioner, containing the following information (1) date; (2) location; (3) sex and weight of the deer; (4) disposition of carcass; (5) vehicle information; and (6) other remarks the officer may wish to note, which shall be completed and signed by the Connecticut State Police, local police or Department of Environmental Protection Conservation officer on site. Connecticut eRegulations System — Tracking Number PR2015-201 — Posted 7/7/2016 Page 3 of 12 The DKIR shall be designated as the permit by which a person may claim and transport a deer killed or wounded by a motor vehicle after inspection of such deer and issuance of a DKIR by any Connecticut State Police, local police or Department of Environmental Protection Conservation officer as authorized by section 26-86 of the Connecticut General Statutes. The white and canary copies of DKIR reports shall be routed to the Department of Environmental Protection by the officer within 30 days of issuance] , as prescribed by the commissioner and issued by a municipal or state law enforcement officer, or a WKIR confirmation number generated by the Wildlife Kill Incident Report electronic reporting system . Sec. 4. Section 26-66-1 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies is amended to read as follows: Sec. 26-66-1. Behavior and Actions of Hunters (a) The method of taking wild birds and wild quadrupeds by hunting shall be restricted to firearms, high velocity air guns using a single ball or pellet type projectile, and compound, long or recurved bow, or crossbow. In designated areas, by special permit, the commissioner may allow the use of modified versions of air guns or archery implements to achieve wildlife management objectives. No arrow or projectile which is coated with or contains any drugs, poison or known tranquilizing substance may be used or possessed while engaged in archery hunting. (b) Any crossbow and bolt combination to be used for hunting shall meet the following specifications: (1) The draw weight of the crossbow shall be not less than 125 pounds; (2) The crossbow shall have a permanent fixed rifle type stock, and a functional and/or fully operational mechanical safety device; (3) The bolt (arrow) length shall be not less than eighteen inches, excluding the broadhead; and (4) The broad head shall have two or more blades with a width not less than seven-eighths of an inch at the widest point. In addition, any crossbow in a drawn and cocked position with a bolt loaded in the crossbow shall be considered a loaded weapon. (c) There shall be no hunting from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise, except that raccoon and opossum hunting is permitted after sunset on state-owned lands which are open to hunting and on privately owned lands where landowners do not object, and provided the open season for hunting migratory game birds shall be governed by the provisions of Section 26-66-4, and provided further that on the third Saturday in October, hunting shall commence at 7:00 a.m.